Inspiring games created by solo developers

Did you know some of the most inspiring games were created by just one person? These solo projects prove that creativity, focus, and a clear vision can turn simple ideas into experiences that captivate millions.

If you’re interested in creating games, these solo developers’ journeys are packed with inspiration and insight.

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is one of the most impressive solo development stories in modern gaming. Eric Barone spent four and a half years creating the entire game from home, handling programming, pixel art, animation, music, and sound design himself.

Originally a personal project to improve on the Harvest Moon series, it grew into a phenomenon. Since its 2016 release, it has sold millions of copies on multiple platforms, including an impressive 425,000 copies on Steam in its first two weeks.

The game helped revive the ‘cosy games’ genre, inspiring many indie developers. Its depth, charm, and relaxing gameplay make it a favourite for players and a powerful example of what a single developer can achieve.

Balatro

Balatro is a 2024 card game by solo developer LocalThunk. At first it looks like poker, but instead of playing others, you build powerful hands to score points. Special Joker cards shake up the rules and create clever combos, and each run gets progressively harder, keeping players on their toes.

The game was a huge hit, winning ‘Best Indie Game’ and ‘Breakthrough Award’ at the Golden Joystick Awards, plus ‘Best Independent Game’, ‘Best Debut Indie Game’, and ‘Best Mobile Game’ at The Game Awards 2024. It was also the first solo game to be nominated for ‘Game of the Year’.

Balatro shows how a single, focused idea can become deep, replayable, and hugely successful. It’s proof that solo developers don’t need huge teams or fancy graphics to make a big impact.

Tetris

Probably one of the most recognisable and best-selling games of all time, Tetris started as a solo project in 1984. Alexey Pajitnov created it while working at the Soviet Academy of Sciences. The idea was simple: fit geometric shapes together as they fall to clear lines. That one rule made the game easy to pick up, but endlessly challenging to master.

Since then, Tetris has appeared on countless platforms, reached millions of players worldwide, and become a key part of gaming history. Its story was even told in the 2023 film Tetris, which explores how the game travelled from the Soviet Union to the rest of the world. Tetris proves that a simple idea, done well, can leave a lasting mark on the entire industry.

Fun fact: Pajitnov named the game Tetris by combining “tetra”, the Greek word for four, with his favourite sport, tennis. A small, clever name for a game that would become huge.

Undertale

Undertale is a 2D, story-driven RPG created primarily by solo developer Toby Fox. Players explore an underground world filled with monsters, where their choices matter. In combat, you can choose to fight, flee, or befriend enemies, and these decisions shape how the story unfolds.

One of Undertale’s most distinctive features is that it offers three main paths through the game, each leading to different events and endings depending on how you treat other characters. Its innovation comes from blending humour, emotional storytelling, and player-driven morality in a way that feels personal and memorable.

Undertale shows how a single creator can use a strong narrative and clear vision to build a powerful RPG experience that continues to inspire both players and aspiring game developers.

RimWorld

RimWorld is a deep sci-fi colony simulation game developed by solo developer Tynan Sylvester, and it has grown into one of the most successful strategy games on Steam. Players manage a group of survivors on a distant planet, balancing manufacturing, survival, and social relationships as they try to keep their colony alive.

One of the game’s standout features is its AI storytelling system, which creates unexpected events and challenges. This leads to emergent gameplay, where every playthrough tells a different story shaped by the player’s decisions and the characters’ personalities.

RimWorld’s journey started in 2013 after a successful Kickstarter, and the game officially launched in 2018. Since then, it has gone on to sell over a million copies, proving just how far a carefully built indie project can go.

Lethal Company

Lethal Company is a first-person multiplayer horror game made by solo developer Zeekerss, who spent years building experience through smaller projects. Released in early access in October 2023, the game drops players onto abandoned moons where they must scavenge scrap to sell to the mysterious ‘Company’. Each mission is full of tension as players explore dangerous environments, manage risks, and decide whether to work together or turn on each other when things start to go wrong.

The game stands out for its smart use of social systems, where player behaviour creates just as much horror as the monsters themselves. Lethal Company reflects nearly a decade of trial, error, and iteration, showing the value of long-term solo development. Its focused design and memorable mechanics made it an instant success, becoming one of the biggest games of 2023.

Papers, Please

Papers, Please is a 2013 indie game created by solo developer Lucas Pope. In the game, you play as a border inspector in the authoritarian state of Arstotzka, checking documents to decide who can enter. The mechanics are simple at first, but the game gradually puts you in morally difficult situations, forcing you to balance obeying the rules, earning money to survive, and showing empathy for the people at the border.

The game is celebrated for turning the everyday task of paperwork into compelling storytelling. Lucas Pope shows how a single developer can use minimalist design and well-crafted systems to create a game that’s emotionally powerful and socially meaningful. Papers, Please remains a standout example for anyone looking to make thoughtful, impactful games on their own.

Bonus round: Minecraft

Minecraft started in 2009 as a personal project by Markus “Notch” Persson, who created the original concept and early versions almost entirely on his own. The game drops players into a world made of blocks that is different every time you play, where you can explore, survive, and build whatever you can imagine.

What makes Minecraft so iconic is its freedom. There are no set goals, players create their own stories, experiment, and let their creativity run wild. From a single developer’s idea, it grew into a global phenomenon, proving that a clear vision can turn a small project into a game that inspires millions.

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