Have you ever sold some random steam cards in your steam inventory and accumulated a dollar or so, or maybe you bought a game with your steam credit and it didn’t quite use up all that you had in your steam wallet?
Well, I know I’ve had this happen to me more than once, and it’s one of those weird amounts of money, where it really seems like you can’t find anything worth buying for a dollar or under.
Well, after some extensive research and a good amount of my own steam dollars, I’ve actually found some pretty good budget games, if you ever find yourself in this situation.
10. Pinkman
So, starting this list, I have Pinkman, and the game has kind of a weird functionality to it but I actually think it’s kinda what makes the game fun.
Basically, it’s a fast-paced platformer game and you play as pinkman. The weird part is that you utilize your ability to fart to propel you and help you maneuver the levels. It’s kinda weird but it made the game flow so well.
The movement is extremely smooth in this game, and there really isn’t any lack of content either. The game has 100 levels that you can play with all types of different traps and obstacles.
Also, it’s kinda got this 80’s synth-wave music vibe going on, which I think is pretty cool. It also has some pretty cool vibrant colors throughout the game, and whenever you die, the color layout changes, which I thought was really cool.
It kinda made the gameplay fresh, honestly, I love the music and general feel of the game, it was actually pretty hard to get off the game once I started playing, and I kinda wish there were even more levels than there are now.
Honestly, for $0.99, it’s more than just one of those platforming games that you have in your library to pass the time, I enjoyed the game so much that I wouldn’t mind playing through it again. I think Pinkman is a great start to the list and I really recommend it.
Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/516480/Pinkman/
9. Art Of Gravity
So, when I was looking through these steam games, I saw a lot of puzzle games for around this price, and when I say a lot, I mean, the majority of the games in this price range are puzzle games.
So, honestly, it was kind of hard for me to choose which one I wanted to add to the list and recommend because I didn’t want to just throw them all on here, even though there are a lot of good ones.
I decided that after trying Art of Gravity, I really think this puzzle game really felt the most unique to me.
The game is a voxel type puzzle game that has a huge focus on the physics of the game, and how you interact with the puzzle in order to solve it and break it down.
What I liked about it, was that it just threw you into the levels without any real explanation on how to solve the puzzle. Basically, it gave you the tools and it’s up to you to figure out how to go about solving the puzzle.
I don’t know, I guess I just really like the look of the game and I think the play on physics and gravity here is really what made this one stand out to me.
Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/642560/Art_Of_Gravity/
8. klocki
While I’m mentioning puzzle games, the other puzzle game that I thought was worth putting on the list, is Klocki. Again, I think the game looks different and offers a different type of puzzle experience than what you’ll normally see.
What I like about this specific puzzle game are, well, the puzzles. The puzzles aren’t too hard, actually, most aren’t going to be ones you’ll be straining over, but rather, the puzzles are really satisfying.
The design of the game is super minimal and relaxing, and honestly, that’s kinda how I would describe the game. It’s an extremely relaxing and satisfying puzzle game, with a really clean minimal design, and great colors.
It was so relaxing that I actually had trouble getting off of the game. When you finally get all of the pieces to click together it feels like you did something huge, but in reality, it was just a small little puzzle.
There are 82 levels, and basically, all of them consist of sliding some blocks around to arrange the puzzle and solve it. A really simple minimalistic puzzle game, but definitely one worth mentioning.
Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/499440/klocki/
7. Blood and Bacon
Blood and Bacon was a game I actually was introduced to a couple of years ago by the other Cubold Crew members, and I think if you are looking for something to buy and play with friends, then this is probably one of the top choices from this list.
The game is basically a first-person shooter that is just absolute chaos and ridiculous gameplay. You can have up to 6 players with you, and your main goal is to survive the waves of enemies.
So, you start out basically just choosing your weapon and talking to the farmer, before you go out and start your killing spree. There are over 100 levels, with tons of bosses and mini-bosses to fight.
This game was actually somewhat popular a few years ago, because of how insane it was. Some YouTubers like Markiplier, Pewdiepie, and Jacksepticeye, played it on their channels because it’s really entertaining to watch.
Well, not just to watch but to play also. So, if you have a couple of friends to play with, and you each have at least a dollar sitting around, Blood and Bacon is a must-try.
Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/434570/Blood_and_Bacon/
6. Hand Simulator: Survival
So, probably being even weirder than Blood and Bacon, Hand Simulator: Survival is yet another game I would recommend if you have some friends to play with.
Honestly, I think the game speaks for itself but this game is just straight-up weird, but with friends it’s kinda one of those games you can jump into, just to laugh and have fun in.
The mechanics are hilariously terrible but that’s kinda the point of the game. There really isn’t too much to do on the small island you are on. You can gather rocks and materials, make fires, and punch your friends to death.
It’s not any kind of series survival game, with a ton of content and in-depth mechanics, but it’s a lot of fun if you have some friends to play with.
Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/924140/Hand_Simulator_Survival/
5. Shotgun Legend
If you’re looking for a game on this list that offers a lot of content for the price then Shotgun Legend offers exactly that.
So you play as Eugene, who finds a portal that takes him to another world or dimension. Now, in that place, you have to battle, aliens, giant beetles, the undead, and actually a whole lot of other types of enemies, and try to find your way back home.
What I really like about Shotgun Legend, is first the amount of content it offers. You can probably get around 5 to even upwards of 15 hours out of the game, depending on how much you like exploring and collecting everything. The game is really big with all kinds of secret areas too.
I also really like the focus of the game. Really, it aims to replicate the old Legend of Zelda type games. It’s a classic retro 2D RPG game, that honestly, is a ton of fun.
You have 10 dungeons to explore, multiple bosses, and both 8 active and 8 passive items that you can look for to help you out.
It also offers a form of multiplayer, but I’m pretty sure it’s limited to a local co-op. It’s not really the focus of the game, but you know, it’s there. Also, if you are into exploration, the game rewards you for it by hiding items that you can use.
I was really impressed with this one, and if you like the look and feel of the older retro games and a surprising amount of content, I’d look into getting Shotgun Legend.
Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/597230/Shotgun_Legend/
4. SolarGun
If you are a fan of the portal and the Q.U.B.E games, or maybe even something like The Talos Principle, SolarGun takes a lot of inspiration from those games. Now, obviously, it only costs you a dollar, and you aren’t going to get nearly as much content, but it stays true to that genre.
You don’t really work with portals, but you have a glove that holds these orbs, and they can change the flow of energy to either lock or unlock the doors or power. You can also use those orbs for making little lily pad type things to jump on too.
I do also like the additional parkouring aspect to the game too. You often have to do some pretty risky jumps in addition to solving the puzzle.
I also get some story vibes from it too, I’m sure there is one but I didn’t really explore too much. But if that’s something that you like to see in these types of games, it definitely feels like there is something there and I’m sure you can uncover some things if you do a little more digging.
It doesn’t have an insane amount of content, you’ll most likely get around one to three hours of gameplay, but I really enjoyed how the game felt, and as I said earlier, if you are a fan of these types of puzzle games, you really can’t go wrong with one that costs a dollar.
Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/553340/SolarGun/
3. GLOWCOMA: chapter 1
I’m actually really excited to show this game off because it’s got a unique development story. So, obviously, this game looks like something along the lines of Doom, and the impressive thing about it is that it was developed by one guy.
The developer has experience with 3d designing for movies and games, and he kinda just decided he wanted to develop a game.
I mean, just from how the way this game looks, you can tell this guy is talented. Now, this is the only chapter out right now, but it’s a lot of fun.
You can get different types of items and weapons to change up the gameplay, and you progress through the creepy tunnel system. Also, there is a story and I think the developer plans on fleshing it out a lot more in the future.
I mean, if you don’t have the money for a full-on Doom game, but you wanna experience the fun fast-paced run and gun gameplay, this is an extremely entry-level price for something so polished.
It doesn’t have much to it right now, but there is a decent amount of replayability. You basically just mow down hordes of these huge monsters with massively overpowered weapons. Basically, crazy gory fun like you see in Doom.
The developer is really motivated and I’m really excited to see where he takes the game in future chapters.
Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1188250/GLOWCOMA_chapter_1/
2. Reveal The Deep
Reveal The Deep is in the genre of some of my all-time favorite games. It’s a mystery, side-scrolling, puzzle platforming game. This one has a really cool and unique atmosphere and graphic style.
You play as an unnamed scuba diver, traversing an old 19th-century steamship, and as you explore, you slowly uncover the mysteries and secrets behind what happened to the crew.
I personally love the art style of this game and the atmosphere nails the underwater feel, the sounds, and visuals make you feel entirely alone.
Also, at first, I wouldn’t have said it was a horror type game, but after playing into it for a little, I think for some people, it definitely can fit under that horror genre.
It gives you an eerie feel and oh man, the story is awesome. The game consists of three chapters, and as you go along and explore the ship, the story just gets better and creepier. You also get to see how the crew members were and what they were like.
You have this really cool mechanic where you switch your light on and off and that’ll make things appear or disappear, and this obviously plays into some of the puzzle gameplay, but it’s not just that. Because the game has no voice over, it tells the story not only through notes but also this mechanic.
Basically, you’ll see the ship in its past state, when you turn your light off in some areas. You’ll even hear the crew and see things restored to how they looked before everything happened. This honestly was such a cool feature and it really made the experience that much more unique.
The game isn’t too long, probably around two to four hours of gameplay, but usually, with games like this, you can expect it to be around that long anyway. The difference here is that it’s only $0.99.
Also, there is one issue with the game. Well, I guess it depends on the person. There seems to be an issue where if you don’t have Java Oracle installed on your computer, the game won’t play. This happened to me but I installed it and went into the game files to launch it through Java.
It was kind of disappointing to see this kind of issue for the game, but the story and game are just so good that honestly, it really didn’t bother me.
So, if you enjoy games like this, this game nails the mystery, horror, and story, and it’s actually a really incredible game and story that you can experience for just under a dollar.
Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/411560/Reveal_The_Deep/
1. Bean Battles
If you’ve been following Cubold Gaming for a while, then you probably know what Bean Battles is, this game is so good that we modeled our entire leveling up system in our discord server, to be revolved around beans.
I’ve even hosted a bean battles tournament within the discord server, where the winner of that won their own champion bean role.
Basically, the Cubold Crew and our subs love Bean Battles.
Now, if you don’t have Bean Battles, it’s probably confusing why I placed this at the forefront of this list. Well, the game isn’t the best looking but that’s kinda the point.
It’s sort of a meme game, but it does way more than just that. It actually is a very good game that is very addicting.
Basically, it’s a battle royal, but don’t let that turn you away from it, the game does not feel like a battle royal. Yeah there is gas and it closes in, and it’s the last bean standing, but it feels more like a Team Deathmatch type style.
The gameplay is surprisingly good and the community is pretty large and active too. I mean, I even bought myself a Bean Battles merch hoodie because of this game.
The music and charm of the game are what really sell it to me. It’s one of those games that not many people know about, in the gaming community as a whole, but it’s one you should definitely consider adding to your library.
Bean Battles is my first choice if I were to recommend any game for a dollar or less.
Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/765410/Bean_Battles/
