Nintendo’s Indie World Showcase is a presentation of upcoming independent games for the Nintendo Switch. The latest presentation, which arrived on April 19, gave players a glimpse of some charming, exciting, and must-play games coming soon. Here’s a rundown of some of the games that were showcased.
Mineko’s Night Market, launching on September 26, 2023, is a fun adventure game set in a 2D world with a mythological backdrop. The game follows the story of a magical cat god who has disappeared and entered into the status of a fairy tale. Players unravel the truth as they explore the fantastical night market.
My Time At Sandrock, arriving in the summer of 2023, is a farming simulator that tasks players with restoring a desert world. Inspired by the developer’s visit to the Gobi desert, the game offers more narrative and expanded gameplay opportunities, including intricate farm management in a desert community.
PlateUp, a roguelite management sim, has players take on the role of a cute, featureless chef tasked with keeping a kitchen running and customers fed while planning for the future of their culinary business with various expansion opportunities. PlateUp hits the eShop in October 2023.
Quilts and Cats of Calico, available this fall, is a super-chill board game sim that adapts the physical version of the game to the digital realm. Players get to sew a quilt while petting cats in solo or multiplayer matches. The game also offers cat customization, including the ability to give them a hat that is far too adorable.
Rift of the Necrodancer, arriving in 2023, is a spin-off of Crypt of the Necrodancer that features lane-based combat. Each of the characters features their own story-based minigame with a variety of different rhythmic challenges.
Animal Well, landing on the Nintendo Switch in early 2024, is a labyrinth explorer with a bold and elegant visual style. The game offers freedom of exploration, with hidden items and deadly foes, as well as some friends.
Crime O’Clock, launching on June 30, 2023, is a map-based crime-solving adventure that sends players traveling through time, with their actions influencing events in different time periods. The concept seems a little mind-bending, but that seems fitting for any game that has players messing with the space-time continuum.
Teslagrad 2 and Teslagrad Remastered, both of which hit the eShop on April 19, offer physics-based puzzles and electrifying “Teslamancy” powers to deploy in some cool-looking combat scenarios. Teslagrad 2 is a sequel to the Nordic-inspired adventure game Teslagrad and offers new challenges and gorgeous environments.
Shadows Over Loathing, available digitally on April 19, is a hand-drawn, stick-figure style mystery-solver set in the 1920s. The game is described as a “slapstick RPG” that tasks players with aiding the operations of an antique shop, but things don’t go according to plan. Players have to do battle with various threats, including sentient math, and other fearsome, eldritch foes.
Blasphemous 2, arriving this summer, is a macabre 2D action-platformer that offers three new weapons and fresh methods of gorgeously eviscerating foes.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, launching on July 12, 2023, is a sequel to the popular Oxenfree game and promises to pack some thrilling, earth-shattering supernatural mysteries set in its beautiful 2D world. The narrative shifts based on player actions, so don’t expect unraveling the paranormal secrets of the universe to come without consequence.
The Indie World Showcase not only gives players a glimpse into the future of the Nintendo Switch games library but also showcases the diversity and creativity of indie game developers. Nintendo has always been supportive of indie game developers, and events like the Indie World Showcase only solidify their commitment to the indie game industry.
The games featured in the showcase cover a range of genres, from farming simulators to action-platformers, rhythm games to board game sims, and everything in between. This wide variety of game genres ensures that there is something for everyone in the Nintendo Switch’s indie game library.
One of the most interesting games showcased in the event was Crime O’Clock. This map-based crime-solving adventure game sends players traveling through time, with their actions influencing events in different time periods. The concept of messing with the space-time continuum is intriguing, and it will be exciting to see how the developers have executed this concept in the game.
Another standout game from the showcase is Blasphemous 2. The original Blasphemous was a macabre and gruesome 2D action-platformer that was praised for its stunning visuals and satisfying combat. The sequel looks like it will build on the first game’s strengths, with new weapons and fresh methods of dispatching enemies.
It is worth noting that some of the games featured in the Indie World Showcase have been in development for several years and are still a long way off from release. For example, Animal Well is set to launch in early 2024, almost a year and a half from the time of the event. This long development cycle is common for indie game developers who may have limited resources compared to big-name game studios.
The latest Nintendo Indie World Showcase presentation gives players a taste of the upcoming indie games on the Nintendo Switch. With a diverse range of game genres and creative concepts, it is clear that the indie game industry is thriving on the Switch. As players eagerly await the release of these games, they can take comfort in knowing that Nintendo remains committed to supporting indie game developers and promoting diversity in the gaming industry.
