Slay the Spire

 Switch
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 119 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 102 out of 119
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 119
  3. Negative: 11 out of 119
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  1. seari84
    Jun 7, 2023
    9
    A very simple premise but it's done so well. Very addictive 'one more run' feeling whenever I play.
  2. cloudydays
    Jan 18, 2023
    10
    Very fun game. It's addicting. Roguelike turn based combat, each adventure is different and can be played with a couple different characters with special abilities. It is REALLY fun to play, but somehow WAY better on the go. It keeps your mind focused on strategizing and trying to get the best cards/items/etc. you can. :) The best thing about this game is the versatility of how well orVery fun game. It's addicting. Roguelike turn based combat, each adventure is different and can be played with a couple different characters with special abilities. It is REALLY fun to play, but somehow WAY better on the go. It keeps your mind focused on strategizing and trying to get the best cards/items/etc. you can. :) The best thing about this game is the versatility of how well or poorly your runs can go which makes you want more!… Expand
  3. lilboa
    Oct 27, 2022
    9
    worse than PC version cuz
    1. There is not way to copy the seed number on NS. I've write it down and input them manually.
    2. It crash more when you are doing s/L
  4. bhappenstance
    Sep 27, 2022
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Slay the Spire is a great game...to a point.
    The problem is that the endgame -- once you have cleared the base quest with all three characters -- is preposterously difficult, even for a Roguelike. In a genre classic such as Hades, the player is rewarded for experimenting with different builds based on drops. In StS, if you don't luck out and get the exact right combination of cards, at exactly the right point in the game, you're totally effed. Enemies are idiotically overpowered, and minor mistakes can be catastrophic. This turns what was an absolutely thrilling and addictive experience into a lame, frustrating grind. Why bother to keep playing if it all comes down to dumb luck? An enormous disappointment.

    UPDATE: Dropped the score from a 6 to a 4 due to the absurd end-game difficulty. Your capacity to slay the heart has virtually nothing to do with skill, and is entirely based on luck. It is *possible*, but will require you to get every requisite card, in a particular order, while landing only on enemies that it is possible to defeat. The developers ruined an otherwise excellent deck-building experience with ridiculously imbalanced difficulty. A challenge is welcome, but rolling the dice -- which is all that the latter stages of Slay is -- gets very boring very fast.    … Expand
  5. giannis2001
    Sep 1, 2022
    9
    Very fun roguelike. I am not a huge fan of SRPG's and I wasn't sure if i wanted to pick a deck buildingthis game like this. However, I love the roguelike genre so I did eventually. And I am glad I did, because this game is amazing and very addictive. The depth of the gameplay is insane. There are 4 different charaters to choose and many builds to try. I highly recommend it.
  6. child_reviews
    Jul 10, 2022
    10
    Slay the spire is very addictive and for the price is worth more than the modern nintendo game. Ive already put 50 hours into the game and have barely scratched the surface which is normal for rouguelikes. Also each character is simple but amazingly complex. Each character doesn't feel like playing the same game but with a different load out its like playing a game of chess each decisionSlay the spire is very addictive and for the price is worth more than the modern nintendo game. Ive already put 50 hours into the game and have barely scratched the surface which is normal for rouguelikes. Also each character is simple but amazingly complex. Each character doesn't feel like playing the same game but with a different load out its like playing a game of chess each decision impacts the entire game. Coupled with being on switch and ios you get a portable experience of one of the best games to play alone on portable devices.… Expand
  7. ericdn627
    Mar 1, 2022
    10
    This card-based roguelike dungeon crawler keeps calling me back for more, because no matter how many times you play and no matter how many times you win, there are still harder challenges, new rewards, and fierce battles ahead. Play as one of four fighters against a collection of unique and... otherworldly... foes as you battle your way through the Spire as you try to figure out what'sThis card-based roguelike dungeon crawler keeps calling me back for more, because no matter how many times you play and no matter how many times you win, there are still harder challenges, new rewards, and fierce battles ahead. Play as one of four fighters against a collection of unique and... otherworldly... foes as you battle your way through the Spire as you try to figure out what's controlling the world you find yourself in. Everything you need to survive, attacks, power-ups, and defenses, are contained in a deck of cards and a set of potions you collect and add to as the game progresses. While each fighter has his or her own unique deck of cards, thus creating a style of gameplay unique to that particular fighter, you'll soon find out that everything in this game is connected to everything else. You can, if you're lucky (or unlucky) start playing other fighters' cards, or you can sacrifice a reward from the past for a new one in the future, and all the while you're wandering deeper and deeper into the Spire facing foes with their own unique abilities to slay you before you slay them. To say this game is hours of addictive gameplay you just can't put down is an understatement. It's days, weeks, even longer, and I can't even guess how much time and how much raw grit and skill it would take to fully conquer this game. And yet that task doesn't seem as daunting because of how addictive this game is. Whether as a brief time killer or as part of a dedicated gaming session, Slay the Spire is truly among the best of the best of its genre.… Expand
  8. elihoughton
    Dec 10, 2021
    10
    I'm addicted to this game. Each battle takes just the right amount of time. And I keep wanting to do just one more. This has led to more than one night going to sleep much later than I intended.
  9. NGMAN1987
    Nov 26, 2021
    10
    An absolute gem of a game. I’m a massive roguelike fan already but this got me into card building games as well. Once it hooks you in, you’ll be playing for hundreds of hours. Four characters and 20 difficulty ascensions to work through with all of them. Simple to play, difficult to master. Will appeal to anyone who enjoys using their brain.
  10. UncleEd
    Oct 12, 2021
    9
    Slay the Spire is my first deckbuilding video game and I absolutely loved it. It took a while to get familiar with the mechanics but once it clicked with me, I was totally hooked.

    You start the game with the class Ironclad. He is by no means the most fun class to play with, but I think he is the ideal class to learn the game. There are 4 Acts in Slay the Spire and once you die you start    Slay the Spire is my first deckbuilding video game and I absolutely loved it. It took a while to get familiar with the mechanics but once it clicked with me, I was totally hooked.

    You start the game with the class Ironclad. He is by no means the most fun class to play with, but I think he is the ideal class to learn the game. There are 4 Acts in Slay the Spire and once you die you start from the beginning. In every run, you learn about the enemies and how any given deck can be used to plan your strategy to create card synergies in your favor. I adored the overall character design and Slay the Spire really feels like it has its own style and lore, rather than your generic fantasy setting. Does Slay the Spire have RNG? Yes. You can at times be doomed or become a god based on unforeseeable decisions along the way, yet I’ve found it entertaining even to lose in Slay the Spire. Also, your experience with a particular class should not define your experience with the overall game, since Slay the Spire really feels like a different game with different classes.

    I recommend Slay the Spire to everyone, regardless your familiarity with deckbuilding games. It is beautiful, addictive and immensely replayable.

    My ranking of classes: Silence > Defect > Ironclad > Watcher    … Expand
  11. Crazyorloco
    Sep 13, 2021
    9
    Fantastic game. Plays better on the switch then on mobile devices (easier to select cards, less errors). Great replay value, if you're a fan of card games like hearthstone - you'll love this. I believe this is even better. Every time you play the game is different. Does have a learning curve but once you understand the terms/gameplay the game hooks you.
  12. Zski
    Aug 26, 2021
    7
    Solid game if you’re into turn based combat. It’s not an overly complex game, so it’s relatively easy to learn and it doesn’t require a lot of mastery since about half of the game is luck of the draw both in terms of your abilities and the enemies you face. The presentation of the game in terms of graphics and music is very unenthusiastic, so it will really come down to whether you likeSolid game if you’re into turn based combat. It’s not an overly complex game, so it’s relatively easy to learn and it doesn’t require a lot of mastery since about half of the game is luck of the draw both in terms of your abilities and the enemies you face. The presentation of the game in terms of graphics and music is very unenthusiastic, so it will really come down to whether you like the gameplay or not. While it works fine on the Switch, I think having this game easily accessible if you have time to kill would make it a better buy on iOS - assuming you don’t carry your Switch in your pocket everywhere you go.… Expand
  13. Jullai
    Jul 10, 2021
    10
    Great game that is easy to pick up on the go, hard to put down though. Addictive gameplay and runs very smoothly.
  14. Grunty
    Jun 21, 2021
    10
    Once you get used to the look and the simplicity of the gameplay, you begin to dig the depth of this perfect deckbuilding game that for now is first and unmatched by others. Tons of replayability and perfect for the switch !
  15. bl1rt
    May 1, 2021
    6
    This is a great game. Hours fly by figuring out the cards and how they interact, attack patterns of the enemies, card pickup strategy, and so on. There is a ton of content here.

    However, after a while you realize that, no matter how much you refine your strategy, the game ultimately comes down to luck of the draw. Which is the point of a card game, yes, but here, probability works so    This is a great game. Hours fly by figuring out the cards and how they interact, attack patterns of the enemies, card pickup strategy, and so on. There is a ton of content here.

    However, after a while you realize that, no matter how much you refine your strategy, the game ultimately comes down to luck of the draw. Which is the point of a card game, yes, but here, probability works so significantly against you, that almost all runs will end up in defeat, no matter your decisions or strategy.
    There simply is not enough room for skill, between the chances of having good cards offered to you, having these cards work well with the ones you picked up before, getting relics that support them, making it through the fights with those enemies that exploit the weakness of your deck, not running into two subsequent damage-heavy fights, and, most crucially, not drawing your cards in the worst possible order, or at least being lucky enough to have a saving potion.

    This could be remedied, for example by making it at least somewhat possible to recover losses, being able to adapt strategy during a run, or having enemies be less one-note, where your deck can either take them down without resistance, or you'll lose 40% or your HP.

    I don't think the game should be easier, but I think it should be more balanced. Roguelikes are supposed to be a bit frustrating, but it should be frustrating because you lack skill, not because you realize you are the kind of sucker who plays odds massively fixed against you.    … Expand
  16. Dy11ki11
    Apr 22, 2021
    9
    Apparently there were some issues with how this game ran on the Switch at first, especially regarding the touchscreen. But now it runs great! I alternate between docked, handheld with joycons, and handheld with the touchscreen. All of these modes work well. The text is a little small for me while docked, but not to the point that it interferes with my experience. The touchscreen worksApparently there were some issues with how this game ran on the Switch at first, especially regarding the touchscreen. But now it runs great! I alternate between docked, handheld with joycons, and handheld with the touchscreen. All of these modes work well. The text is a little small for me while docked, but not to the point that it interferes with my experience. The touchscreen works better on Switch than it did on my Surface Pro. Selecting and playing cards feels good, a bit like Hearthstone on mobile.

    The gameplay is also very fun and addictive. I don't normally enjoy rogue-like games, but each failed run feels more like a fair round of a card game rather than a devastating loss. I would recommend Slay the Spire, particularly on the Switch.    … Expand
  17. Tiank
    Jan 2, 2021
    9
    Great game! Easy to learn, hard to master. Perfect on Switch, to simply do a run or two from time to time. There is no story (no that I'm aware of), but there are some lore elements, which are nice to read. Gets a bit repetitive after some time, but it's still a must play!
  18. abrus
    Jan 1, 2021
    10
    I love this game! There is certainly some luck involved in most runs, but there are also so many risk / reward decisions along the way requiring skill and planning. You really do feel like you get better with experience and its so much fun navigating through the map, upgrading your deck on the fly and dispatching enemies as efficiently as possible. The four characters all feel differentI love this game! There is certainly some luck involved in most runs, but there are also so many risk / reward decisions along the way requiring skill and planning. You really do feel like you get better with experience and its so much fun navigating through the map, upgrading your deck on the fly and dispatching enemies as efficiently as possible. The four characters all feel different and each of them has at least 3 or 4 strategies to experiment with which provides LOTS of replay potential. I binged on this for 50 hours over a fortnight and I feel like I will regularly keep revisiting this game for months to come. Highly recommended!!!… Expand
  19. FiftyWords
    May 31, 2020
    9
    An outstanding deck-building game. Very challenging and rewarding. There is a great balance between randomness and the skillful application of the elements at your disposal. Four different characters are available, each with their own unique style of play. Great replayability, as no two playthroughs are the same. Highly recommended.
  20. Sunshadow87
    May 8, 2020
    10
    No soy especialmente fan del genero roguelike, pero unos pocos juegos de este genero son sorprendentemente buenos y este es sin duda uno de ellos. Es un juego ideal para partidas cortas, mucho menos injusto que otros roguelikes, implicando mucho más la estrategia (sobre todo con ciertos personajes) sin quitar el factor azar.
    De normal este juego seria de 9, pero al port de switch le tengo    No soy especialmente fan del genero roguelike, pero unos pocos juegos de este genero son sorprendentemente buenos y este es sin duda uno de ellos. Es un juego ideal para partidas cortas, mucho menos injusto que otros roguelikes, implicando mucho más la estrategia (sobre todo con ciertos personajes) sin quitar el factor azar.
    De normal este juego seria de 9, pero al port de switch le tengo que dar el 10 porque es totalmente perfecto con el factor portátil y el juego esta perfectamente optimizado, siendo de lo mejor de su genero.    … Expand
  21. Tkellgren
    Jan 7, 2020
    7
    Wasn't sure i would like this game before I picked it up, but I'm very happy I did.

    Hours disappear when I start playing this, and it always makes me want to go back in for another run to improve my strategy and obtain unlocks. If you like strategy card games and rouge likes, this is for you *Update:. I marked it down from a 9 to a 7 because after you unlock a few things, you'll end up    Wasn't sure i would like this game before I picked it up, but I'm very happy I did.

    Hours disappear when I start playing this, and it always makes me want to go back in for another run to improve my strategy and obtain unlocks.

    If you like strategy card games and rouge likes, this is for you

    *Update:. I marked it down from a 9 to a 7 because after you unlock a few things, you'll end up wasting hours on failed runs and getting nothing for your effort.

    Adding achievements or some xp unlock system after the initial one would be the least they could do, at this point I'm not going to be playing again til there is a big update, it's not worth the time you waste to unlock chapter 4 with no progress given after losing a run, no keys, no aesthetic unlocks, nothing, it's really poor game design in that aspect    … Expand
  22. DrMcMeen
    Jan 18, 2020
    10
    An incredible game for casual and hardcore strategy gamers alike. Slay the Spire takes classic archetypes and weaves a subtle story alongside impeccably designed deckbuilding gameplay.
  23. santiagopm88
    Nov 26, 2019
    10
    One of the best, most captivating and replayable games I have ever encountered. Excellent and innovative use of difficulty scaling
  24. vodkaffee
    Nov 15, 2019
    10
    Probably my favorite rogue like since spelunky, it has some elements that make it technically a rogue-lite, but not much.
    The daily challenges are a must for bizarre adventures and it seems they are adding new content (a new class+cards).
    Great for a casual play, difficult but omg is hillarious how much you can break your build to be OP
  25. QuarterLife
    Nov 15, 2019
    9
    Way, way too much fun on the go, and I'm not even a card game or rogue-like fan.
  26. Kaprawiec
    Oct 29, 2019
    10
    If You like card games, this is one of the best out there (probably the best). Only competition comes from Steamworld Hand of Gilgameh, but its so different, that one is story driven, this focuses only on combat. Optimally buy both because they offer totally different gameplay and overall experience.
  27. mitolxx
    Oct 5, 2019
    9
    It is a really good game. Runs pretty good on the switch, the only issue is when you loss there is a small freeze sometimes. There is a lot of content too.
  28. Ughduty
    Aug 10, 2019
    0
    Its all fake! Everything in this game is predetermined! I can prove it to you. At the start of a battle remember your cards. Force quit the game and reload it. The next draw will always be the same which could never occur if the cards were drawn randomly. So unfortunately its all fake! I feel ripped.

    I expect a card game to be random. By that I mean that cards should be drawn randomly.    Its all fake! Everything in this game is predetermined! I can prove it to you. At the start of a battle remember your cards. Force quit the game and reload it. The next draw will always be the same which could never occur if the cards were drawn randomly. So unfortunately its all fake! I feel ripped.

    I expect a card game to be random. By that I mean that cards should be drawn randomly. Not in this game, you either get cards drawn preselected by the developers or their random card drawer is extremely bad implemented. I had a deck of 50 cards and one of the cards I had five times in the deck. Next draw I get 4 of those 5 cards onto my hand! Do you know how low the odds are for that to happen?! And this did not happen only once, it happens all the time. After this the game became unplayable for me.    … Expand
  29. GuardingxCross
    Aug 1, 2019
    10
    Slay The Spire is masterfully done with gorgeous artwork and music. It’s addictive gameplay with keep you coming back for more. You will easily put several hundred hours in this game and with all the bug fixes and portability Switch is the way to go!
  30. thedstrat
    Jul 30, 2019
    10
    This game is the perfect roguelike. The strategy is easy to pick up but extremely deep. It provides tons a replayability as well.
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Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Best Switch Game of 2019
45
#45 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Gamer.nl
    Dec 20, 2019
    85
    Slay the Spire is the high point of roguelikes with deck building. Though that may be a very small niche, the game is so good that it would be a shame to miss out on.
    Read full review
  2. DarkZero
    Jul 29, 2019
    80
    It might not be the best version of Slay the Spire, but it’s the only one you can take on the go at the moment, being ensnared in its fun, rewarding gameplay, which can lead to missing a bus stop or two on the way to work without feeling all that bad about it.
    Read full review
  3. SpazioGames
    Jul 10, 2019
    84
    Although the mods are not supported as in the PC scene, the Switch version of Slay the Spire is pure bliss, a dangerously addictive roguelike card game like you've never seen before on Nintendo's console.
    Read full review
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