Nintendo’s Indie World showcase is always something I look forward to so I can make a list of games that I probably won’t have time for so I’ll end up playing them later than everyone else. It happens all the time. After today’s presentation, there are eight games I’m looking forward to checking out, and to my surprise, two of them will be released RIGHT NOW!
At least give me until the end of the week Nintendo, damn.
Soundfall
Summary: This fast-paced, rhythm-based dungeon crawler combines looter-shooter action with musical gameplay that’ll keep you tapping your toes. You are a Guardian of Harmony – a musical genius transported to the world of Symphonia by the Composers to battle the forces of Discord. Time your actions to the music to increase your power, with more than 500 pieces of equipment for skill customization and thousands for loot combinations. Venture out solo or with up to four players in local and online multiplayer to fight through dynamically generated levels and encounters inspired by the music. There are more than 140 songs to choose from, giving opportunities for many playthroughs.
Developer: Drastic Games and Noodlecake
Release date: TODAY!
Fangirl reaction: I didn’t realize how much I needed a rhythm-based dungeon crawler until I watched this trailer. With a soundtrack I already want to download and beautiful cutscenes that give off some major She-Ra and the Princesses of Power vibes, this game was clearly made for me. That being said, when I playfully wrote that I’d have to put down Pokémon for these indie games, I thought I’d have longer than 24 hours, but Soundfall will be available today!
Mini Motorways
Summary: Have you ever been stuck in traffic and wished you could do something to fix it? In Mini Motorways, the city’s traffic problems are in your hands. Draw and build roads to create a bustling metropolis, redesigning your city to keep the traffic flowing while carefully managing upgrades, like highways and roundabouts, to meet changing demands. How long can you keep the cities of the world moving?
Developer: Dinosaur Polo Club
Release date: TODAY!
Fangirl reaction: I’m not sure if I’m the traffic hero that the city deserves, but I find the puzzle elements intriguing, and feel like this game will potentially make me just as frustrated as I am during traffic jams.
SILT
Summary: Dive into a harrowing ocean abyss and unravel long-forgotten mysteries in this puzzle-adventure game. Explore a surreal underwater realm filled with strange machinery, ancient ruins, and dangerous ocean inhabitants. Possess sea creatures and harness their abilities to solve puzzles, and travel deeper into the darkness.
Developer: Spiral Circus and Fireshine Games
Release date: June 2022
Fangirl reaction: The art alone sold me on this game. I feel like I’d swim around in it forever… except for the part where there are scary underwater creatures that are gonna freak me out. This is the kind of game where I want to know what’s going on, but I’m kinda scared to find out.
Ooblets
Summary: Grow and train adorable little creatures called ooblets as you cultivate a new life in the blossoming community of Badgetown. Customize your character, befriend the locals, decorate your house, craft items, run your own shop and have epic dance battles! You can also dress up your ooblet pals, play minigames and explore a variety of locations across Oob, each with their own unique characters, quests, items, and unique ooblets.
Developer: Glumberland
Release date: Summer 2022
Fangirl reaction: May I present this gif of Brooklyn 99’s Rosa where you replace “Arlo” with “an ooblet” please and thank you.
Elec Head
Summary: Created by a one-person development team and prototyped as part of a school contest, ElecHead is a clever and challenging 2D puzzle platformer that will spark your imagination. You play as Elec, a small robot on a mission to bring back light to the world. When Elec touches walls, floors, platforms, and switches, he activates them by making electricity run through them. He can also detach and throw his head to trigger things remotely, but be careful: If he doesn’t get his head back within 10 seconds, he’ll shut down. Elec will have to use his head, literally and figuratively, to find a way out of this trap-ridden facility.
Developer: Nama Takahashi
Release date: Summer 2022
Fangirl reaction: I’m a sucker for clever puzzle games, and this looks like something I’ll end up playing for hours, especially when we get past the first couple of levels and get to the real “you wanna look up the answer online, don’t you” portion that I know is coming.
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator (TABS)
Summary: Become the leader of red and blue wobblers from ancient lands, spooky places, and fantasy worlds in this hilarious take on simulation strategy games. In Totally Accurate Battle Simulator, you’ll watch your unbalanced infantry compete in clashes across the ages. You can even make new wobblers in the unit creator, in addition to the 100+ ones at your disposal. You can also send your wobblers to fight your friends in local and online multiplayer!
Developer: Landfall Games
Release date: Summer 2022
Fangirl reaction: So this isn’t exactly my kind of game… until I play with friends. This game looks like it was made for my friend group, especially with the intentional wacky movements going on. This is something I’d pick up to play with others, for sure.
Gunbrella
Summary: Take on the role of a gruff woodsman on a quest for revenge, armed with the mysterious Gunbrella. In this noir-punk adventure game, your investigation becomes entangled with the inner workings of ghouls and gangsters, cops and cultists, and other increasingly bizarre characters in a world rapidly losing its natural resources. Scavenge for scraps and spare parts to upgrade your coveted weapon to glide, swing, dash, dive, and take out enemies in gritty side-scrolling combat.
Developer: Doinksoft and Devolver Digital
Release date: 2023
Fangirl reaction: I already made it through Final Fantasy VIII’s gunblade, the real question is, is the gunbrella an upgrade? More importantly, who’s gonna do the Rihanna parody?
Another Crab’s Treasure
Summary: In this crustacean-themed soulslike game, you’ll find yourself in an undersea world on the verge of collapse. As Kril the hermit crab, you’ll need to use the trash around you as a shell to withstand attacks from enemies many times your size. Embark on an epic treasure hunt to discover the dark secrets behind the polluted ocean, with more than 50 potential shells to discover and a host of dangerous enemies to overcome.
Developer: Aggro Crab
Release date: 2023
Fangirl reaction: Much like Soundfall being a rhythm-based dungeon crawler, I didn’t know I needed a soulslike game with crab until today. There’s not much else I have to say, I think. It’s an underwater Dark Souls with crabs. Excellent.
(Featured image: Glumberland/Drastic Games and Noodlecake/Aggro Crab)
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