Best AYANEO Slide Games: A Starter Guide

Looking for some fun games to play on the AYANEO Slide after checking out our review? It runs a whole host of things, of course, but we thought we’d dig in on the sorts of games that the Slide does better than other handhelds out there.

Steam Deck compatibility? Who needs it!

The biggest difference between a native Windows handheld and a Steam Deck is the compatibility layer the Deck uses to run games on Linux. It works remarkably well for most games, too! But most ain’t all, and Slide owners can take advantage of incompatible games like the ones below.

Atelier (franchise)

Whether it’s Atelier Ryza 3, Atelier Remake, or some (though not all) of the older titles, the Atelier franchise is full of games that aren’t Deck-compatible but would run great on an AYANEO Slide.

Grandia HD Remaster, Grandia II HD Remaster

These remasters of RPG classics work well on a handheld. Older titles in the genre tend to have segments with a bit of monotony relative to modern releases, so short bursts or playing while multitasking are good strategies for enjoying them.

Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water

There’s something about the heft and form factor of the AYANEO Slide that fits well with a game about holding a camera. While we’d love to see some of the more beloved earlier games (and, uh, there are ways to play those on this thing too), these two are still a fun time.

Moon: Remix RPG Adventure

We’re not entirely sure what’s holding back this game’s compatibility, but hey, one more opportunity to recommend that people play Moon is great. It’s quirky and ahead of its time, fitting in way better with today’s Undertale crowd than its mid-’90s peers.

Use that keyboard

The Slide’s unique form factor makes it ideal for games that sometimes use the keyboard. And that’s tough to find! But here are our picks for making the most out of the hardware configuration.

Nanotale: Typing Chronicles

If you’re looking for experimental keyboard games, a great place to start is with developer Fishing Cactus. That team has a handful of typing-based experiences, but Nanotale feels to us like the best fit for the Slide. It’s an exploration RPG that can get frantic, but usually proceeds at a more reasonable pace to handle on the small keys.

The Typing of the Dead: Overkill

This may be something of a challenge — the keyboard is usable but not particularly fast or full-size — but if you really want to have an experience you can’t on other handhelds, The Typing of the Dead will do that.

Think outside the box?

Sure, it’s a keyboard, but it’s also dozens of mappable buttons. Does that help with an MMO? Or Baldur’s Gate? The most interesting implementations of this form factor are going to take a bit of customization, but we’d love to see it.

Raid Game Pass for a while

Windows-based handhelds like the AYANEO Slide can jump into Game Pass games out of the box, without trickery or cloud streaming. Here are our Siliconera-friendly recommendations for what’s on the platform right now.

Yakuza/Like a Dragon (franchise)

We have a few other recommendations, but if we only had this one, you’d still be set for months. From Yakuza 0 to Like a Dragon: Ishin! and Like a Dragon Gaiden, you can play through essentially the full franchise (until the just-released Infinite Wealth) on Game Pass. They run well on the Slide in our testing, and the environments benefit greatly from the vibrant display.

Persona 5 Tactica

It’s still interesting to see Persona on Xbox at all. But hey, an original tactics game in that world makes for a good fit both on a handheld and with the noted brightness of the Slide’s screen.

Cassette Beasts

Of all the “Pokemon but better” indie efforts in recent years, Cassette Beasts stands out. It’s got a cool look, and interesting point of view and combat that feels markedly fresh and different.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

Both Ni no Kuni titles are on the service, but we have a soft spot for the ambitious sequel. It’s like a bunch of different games mashed together, but it manages to do it in an endearing way.

The AYANEO Slide is available for purchase through the company’s Indiegogo page for prices ranging from $700 to $1300. For more, check out our review of the device and our interview with the company’s CEO.