How to Discover Hidden Gem Games in 2025

The app stores are overflowing with millions of games. Somewhere in that ocean are experiences that could become your all-time favorites — if only you could find them. Here's how to uncover those hidden treasures.

1. Look Beyond the Top Charts

Top charts are dominated by games with massive marketing budgets — not necessarily the best games. True gems often sit outside the top 100, waiting to be discovered by curious players willing to explore.

2. Follow Indie Game Communities

Reddit communities like r/iosgaming and r/AndroidGaming are goldmines. Players passionate about discovery share their finds regularly. Twitter/X hashtags like #indiegame and #gamedev surface new releases daily from developers excited to share their work.

3. Check Game Jam Archives

Game jams produce thousands of experimental games every year. Many are rough around the edges, but the creativity on display is unmatched. Platforms like itch.io host extensive archives of these projects, often playable directly in your browser.

4. Trust Curated Platforms

Some platforms focus specifically on surfacing quality over quantity. These curated experiences save you the work of sifting through thousands of titles by presenting only games that meet a quality threshold.

5. Give "Weird" Games a Chance

The most memorable gaming experiences often come from titles that seem odd at first glance. That game with the abstract art style or strange premise might be exactly what you didn't know you were looking for.