Small PC games that take up little storage space

If you're looking for games that take up little storage space, you have more choice than you might think: plenty of the best indie games weigh under 1 GB. These seven fit on a laptop with an almost full drive or on a Steam Deck with little storage, and all of them are Verified for Steam Deck.

Sizes come from Steam's system requirements and are approximate: they change with updates, so check the store page before buying if you're really tight on space.

To think things through at your own pace

• 
  Baba Is YouPuzzle · Logic · IndieWhen you want a pure mental challenge. A level can take five minutes or an hour of staring at the screen.When to play it and when not to
• 
  Papers, PleaseSimulation · Puzzle · DystopiaWhen you want something different, tense and weighty: each working day is a brief, absorbing session.When to play it and when not to

Baba Is You takes up around 0.2 GB. The rules of each level are blocks you can push: change ‘WALL IS STOP’ to ‘WALL IS YOU’ and you now control the walls. A level can fall in five minutes or take an hour of staring at the screen, so it's not one for a tired day.

Papers, Please weighs around 0.1 GB. You're a border inspector checking passports while the rules change every day. Each working day is a short session, but it demands concentration.

If you'd rather have a short adventure

• 
  LIMBOPuzzle · Platformer · AtmosphericWhen you have a free afternoon for a short, sombre adventure: according to bit-tech, it lasts two or three hours.When to play it and when not to
• 
  Katana ZEROAction · Neo-noir · NarrativeWhen you want stylish, intense action you can finish in one or two sessions.When to play it and when not to

LIMBO (around 0.1 GB) is a black-and-white platformer-puzzler with no dialogue. According to its game details, it takes two or three hours to finish, but you'll often die before learning how each trap works.

Katana ZERO (around 0.2 GB) is stylish action: you kill in one hit and die in one hit. Each level is a small puzzle you plan and carry out in seconds. It takes around five hours to finish.

Lots of hours for very little storage

A small download doesn't mean a short game. These three will last you for weeks.

• 
  TerrariaSandbox · Adventure · BuildingWhen you want a game for many sessions that mixes exploration, building and combat at your own pace.When to play it and when not to
• 
  StacklandsStrategy · Cards · BuildingWhen you want a light strategy game where you keep discovering new combinations.When to play it and when not to

Terraria (around 0.2 GB) is a 2D sandbox where you dig, build and take on dozens of bosses. It hides hundreds of hours of progression and works very well in co-op, but a lot is never explained in the game, so keep a guide handy.

Stacklands (around 0.2 GB) is a village-building card game: stack a villager on a berry bush and you get food. It's easy to grasp, but the moons pass and villagers need feeding, so if real-time pressure stresses you out, it may not be for you.

• 
  SteamWorld Dig 2Metroidvania · Platformer · MiningWhen you want a spell of digging and upgrading with no complications: every trip down the mine brings something new.When to play it and when not to

SteamWorld Dig 2 (around 0.3 GB) is for when you want to dig and upgrade without any fuss. Every trip to the mine gives you something new, and upgrades open up new areas. It's a gentle metroidvania: shorter and more accessible than the demanding classics.

How to save space without running out of games

• Check the size on the Steam store page, under system requirements, before installing.
• Uninstall what you've finished to get the space back, and reinstall it whenever you want to return.
• Few GB doesn't mean few demands. Some of these puzzles are tiring and some of the action needs quick reflexes; if you're low on energy today, tell the recommender how you feel.
• If your problem is time rather than disk space, there's another list: what to play if you only have 30 minutes.

Which one should I install now?

Tell us how much time you have and how tired you are, and we'll suggest one. If you connect your Steam account, we'll choose from the games you already own.