The Nintendo Indie World Showcase is 25-minutes of upcoming pure Nintendo Switch goodness. The showcase premiered on the 9th of November 2022 and with it came a bunch of just-launched indie games as well as up-and-coming ones. Even though the event was objectively short, there was a lot to unpack!
Here are the highlights of everything that we’re excited to play from the Nintendo Indie World Showcase!
Aka by Cosmo Gatto
Release Date: 15th December 2022
The war is over and Aka is now a retired warrior raccoon. Work together with them to find inner peace on an isolated island paradise. You’ll explore hand-crafted environments, like tropical forests and steamy hot springs, while performing tasks such as building shelters and feeding adorable baby dragons.
Aka is what the developers describe as “a small, open-word”. Where you can garden and farm, craft various shelters, tools and clothes. As well as solve quests, find objects or just relax in the hot springs with the monkeys.
A Space For The Unbound by Mojiken
Release Date: 19th January 2023
A Space for the Unbound is a slice-of-life adventure game set in the late 90s rural Indonesia that tells a story about overcoming anxiety, depression, and the relationship between a boy and a girl with supernatural powers.
Follow two high school sweethearts, Atma and Raya, on a journey of self-discovery at the end of their high school years. When a mysteriously supernatural power is suddenly unleashed threatening their existence, they must explore and investigate their town to uncover hidden secrets, face the end of the world, and perhaps learn more about each other.
Blanc by Casis Ludi
Release Date: 14th February 2023
Experience the poetic tale of a wolf cub and a fawn in the world of Blanc. Lost in a sudden snowstorm, they will have to lean on each other in order to follow the footprints their families left behind in the snow. Each animal has their own unique strengths that complements the other, which you’ll need to make use of to navigate through the snowy landscapes.
Two players take control of either the wolf cub or the fawn. Guide them through the environment, unforgiving weather, and obstacles that you must face together.
Oni: Road To Be The Mightiest Oni
Release Date: 9th March 2023
The story takes place on Kisejima, a small island in the middle of the ocean. Here, it is said that the power that lies dormant within the local demon spirits can be drawn out by challenging them to trials, where ancient demons who were once defeated by Momotaro are summoned to battle. However, few have ever returned from Kisejima alive.
Kuuta, the protagonist, is the only survivor of the Demon King’s army that faced Momotaro in battle. He and Kazemaru, a mysterious spirit that lives on Kisejima, team up to become even stronger. You control both the demon warrior Kuuta and the spirit Kazemaru simultaneously, using Kuuta’s club to bludgeon enemies so that Kazemaru can suck up their souls for power. In this unique co-op experience.
Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly by Toge Productions
Release Date: Spring 2023
One of the most underrated narrative games Coffee Talk, is getting a sequel next year. Coffee Talk 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly is set in an alternate reality realm full of mystical creatures, but yet feels very similar to our own. In Coffee Talk you play the proprietor of a late-night coffee shop in present-day Seattle. You don’t just discover and serve drinks but you listen to problems, hear stories and maybe influence them with the power of a warm drink.
It’s an amazingly chill game with some excellent music and what they call “cappuccinopunk”. Explore the world through the stories told by your customers one cup at a time. Meet quirky and interesting characters, such as; Bailey the elf freelance graphic designer, Lua, the succubus bisdev executive, Myrtle the orc game developer, and more.
Venba by Visai Games
Release Date: Spring 2023
Venba is a narrative cooking game, where you play as an Indian mom, who immigrates to Canada with her family in the 1980s. It’s a wholesome game that focuses on not just mouth-watering South Indian dishes, but strong storytelling that will tug on your heartstrings.
Venba’s recipe book gets damaged when she moves to Canada. You’ll need to restore the lost recipes to cook the delicious dishes that serve as a connection to the home she left behind. It’s a narrative game about culture, love and loss told through branching conversations and food.
Dordogne by Un Je Ne Sais Quoi
Release Date: Spring 2023
Dordogne is an adventure game about Mimi, a 32-year old woman searching for her mysteriously forgotten childhood memories. You play Mimi in the past and present to reconnect her to herself, as she returns to her grandma’s home. As a souvenir of the childhood summers Mimi spent with her in Dordogne, her grandmother left her letters and puzzles to solve, to remind her to make the most out of life.