Here's everything that got an airing in Nintendo's latest Indie World Showcase
Sports Story! Rogue Legacy 2! More!
Nintendo's latest Indie World Showcase is now over, and while it might have been regrettably devoid of any new Silksong details, it did at least reveal more of Sidebar Games' long-awaited Golf Story follow-up, Sports Story - alongside the surprise reveal that it's out in December.
There's a lot more where that came from though, with Nintendo choosing to highlight over 20 promising new indie titles heading to Switch before next summer is through - a few of which, such as the wonderful Rogue Legacy 2, are out today. Read on for the full round-up!
Venba
Venba, from Visai Games, is a cooking-based narrative adventure that follows an immigrant Indian mother in 1980s Canada as she reconnects with her heritage by creating a South Indian dishes. It's described as story of love and loss that plays out through cooking and branching conversations, and if that's sounds appetising, it's coming to Switch in spring 2023. And if you're curious to learn a little more about Venba's background, Eurogamer contributor Emad Ahmed chatted to its developer at the end of last year.
Goodbye World
Goodbye World, from Yo Fujii, is a game about two young indie developers struggling to make ends meet as they attempt to find the perfect idea for their next project. It's a tale that plays out both as a retro-inspired puzzle-platformer and a top-down narrative adventure as the pair muddle through their daily lives. Goodbye World launches later this month.
Have a Nice Death
Have a Nice Death, from Magic Design Studios, is a 2D action-roguelike in which players take on the role of the grim reaper himself, hacking and slashing through the procedurally generated corporate underworld of Death Inc. It features 70 weapons and spells for players to deploy as they traverse different departments, overcoming vengeful minions and bosses along the way. Have a Nice Death comes to Switch on 22nd March next year.
Aka
Aka, by developer Cosmo Gatto, is a "small open-world" game that looks to sit somewhere between farming sim and exploration adventure. It casts players as retired warrior Aka, on a quest to find inner peace that'll take him all across a beautiful island paradise, from snowy mountains to dense tropical forest. Along the way, there are crops to be grown, items to be crafted, baby dragons to be petted, and plenty of characters in need of assistance. If idyllic adventuring appeals, Aka comes to Switch on 15th December.
Pepper Grinder
And if it's bloody great drills you're after, then look no further than Pepper Grinder - an "action-packed digventure" from developer Ahr Ech. It stars a drill-wielding treasure hunter, shipwrecked and lost on a mysterious island, who must burrow, puzzle, and pulverise her way toward recovering her missing fortune - a quest that'll require players to upgrade their drill in order to open new paths on the world map. Pepper Grinder is out on Switch in 2023.
Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterly
As you might already have surmised, Coffee Talk Episode 2 is the second instalment in developer Toge Productions' caffeine and conversation adventure Coffee Talk. Once again, players take on the role of a barista working in a late night coffee shop, where they'll encounter (and, using their coffee making skills, attempt to satisfy) a parade of quirky characters with tales to tell. It's coming to Switch next spring.
Oni: Road to be the Mightiest Oni
Oni, from developers Kenei Design and Shueisha Games, tells the tale of vengeful demon warrior Kuuta, who, after being defeating by a Japanese folktale hero, travels to the island of Kisejima in order to complete trials and reclaim his pride. That involves teaming up with his companion Kazemaru, who can suck the very souls out of downed enemies - introducing a combat system requiring players to control both characters at the same time. It's a visually striking thing, is Oni, and it's coming to Switch on 9th March 2023.
Desta: The Memories Between
From Ustwo, the developer behind the acclaimed likes of Monument Valley and Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, Desta: The Memories Between follows the adventures of its titular hero after they return home following the death of their father. Relationships with their friends and family have broken down since their last visit, but help is at hand in the form of an old ball capable of sending them to a world between worlds when they fall asleep - where they'll meet fully voiced characters and play a turn-based ball game on their quest to heal their connections. It's described as a character-driven rogue-like ball game about loss, finding yourself, courage, and reawakening, and comes to Switch early next year.
A Space for the Unbound
A Space for the Unbound is a slice-of-life adventure set in '90s rural Indonesia. It follows two high school sweet hearts, Atma and Raya, who find themselves up against a mysterious force threatening their existence. What follows is a journey of self-discovery that sees them exploring their home and diving into the minds of its townsfolk to "uncover hidden secrets, face the end of the world, and perhaps learn more about each other". It's out on 19th January next year.
Dordogne
It's been a long old wait for developer Un Je Ne Sais Quoi's beautiful narrative adventure Dordogne - it was first unveiled back in 2020 - but its tale of long-forgotten childhood summers is now set to arrive in spring next year. One part of its story follows 32-year-old Mimi as she returns to the home of her recently deceased grandmother, rifling through souvenirs and solving puzzles, while the other half is set in Mimi's youth as she roams the gorgeous Dordogne countryside as a ten-year-old girl. Here, she'll face different challenges - from forest walks and climbing to kayaking and cave explorations - and build a journal of memories along the way. Dordogne continues to look gorgeous, so it's a delight to hear it's almost done.
Botany Manor
Balloon Studios' Botany Manor tells you pretty much everything you need to know in its title. It transports players, in the role of retired botanist Arabella Greene, to the titular English homestead, where they're tasked with solving plant-based puzzles and preserving a collection of forgotten flora. That requires exploring the manor and its expansive grounds in order to unearth seeds, pot them, and find their ideal habitat - with letters, newspaper clippings, and other useful information scattered around the place providing clues on how to proceed. It all looks wonderfully soothing, and will be coming to Switch some time next year.
Once Upon a Jester
In Once Upon a Jester, best friends Sok and Jester devise a plan to steal the Royal Diamond - a convoluted scheme that first requires them to start a travelling theatre troop in order to secure an invite to the palace's Royal Theatrical Spectacle. Invites don't get sent to just anyone, though, and the pair will need to improv, sing, and generally outperform everyone they meet on their travels across the land. "Along the way," teases developer Bonte Avond, "they unintentionally discover the freedom and joy of musical theatre. Will the pair change their wicked ways or do whatever it takes to get rich?". This one launches for Switch later today.
Rogue Legacy 2
This sequel to developer Cellar Door Games' superb Castlevania-esque rogue-lite takes the acclaimed procedurally generated action-platforming of the first game - in which each new play-through is undertaken by the previous hero's heir, each possessing a fresh mix of classes, abilities, and traits - and shakes things up with new abilities, unique weapons for hero classes, enhanced biome generation, improved accessibility, and more. It launches today on Switch and will feature everything included in the recent Fabled Heroes update.
Blanc
Blanc is an "artistic cooperative adventure" from developer Casus Ludi that charts the unlikely friendship between a wolf cub and a fawn. Each animal has its own unique strengths and players will need to combine their skills in order navigate the snowy, unforgiving landscape and reunite with their families. Blanc launches as a console exclusive on Switch on 14th February next year.
A Little to the Left
From developer Max Inferno comes A Little to the Left, a "cosy" puzzle game about sorting, stacking, and tidying up a house. By exploring their surroundings, players uncover puzzles hidden among regular household objects that can be solved by arranging them in particular ways. It features daily puzzles, "fun" badges, and a cat that'll occasionally appear to thwart all tidying efforts. And if that takes your fancy, it releases on Switch later today.
Sports Story
Next up was another appearance by Sports Story, developer Sidebar Games' long-awaited follow-up to its delightful 2017 sporting RPG Golf Story. Essentially, it takes the golf-adventure core of the original then blows it out in all directions, adding the likes of tennis, football, fishing, and even BMX, volleyball, and cricket, as players raise their sporting rank and unlock more disciplines. Alongside all the sporting, there's questing, dungeon crawling, mini-games, and treasure-hunting, all unfolding across a vibrant world. And the great news is that, after a tortuously long wait, it launches for Switch this December.
That wasn't quite everything though; in amongst all those announcements, Nintendo dropped a few fleeting trailers for other incoming titles. Delightfully daft pet sim Wobbledogs comes to Switch in its Console Edition guise on 17th November, for instance, and that'll be followed by Daniel Mullins' acclaimed deckbuilding horror roguelike Inscryption on 1st December. Storyteller, a "reactive puzzle game that lets you build the story", launches on 23rd March, while Wrestle Quest - a ridiculous looking "pro wrestling and RPG fantasy" - is out next May.
World of Horror - a "hellish roguelite with turn-based combat and unforgiving choices" - arrives next summer, and finally, Curse of the Sea Rats, a hand-animated piratical "ratoidvania", is due in early 2023.