Top 5 Games Shown at Nintendo’s Indie World
Nintendo showed off some upcoming independent releases with Indie World on March 3, which featured 18 titles across roughly 15 minutes alongside the announcement that acclaimed puzzle game Blue Prince will be released on Switch 2. There were several interesting titles, so before I jump into the proper list, I have some honorable mentions.
On the cutesy side, Woodo had a great diorama-style aesthetic, though I need to see more of the puzzle aspect. Minishoot’ Adventures, which launched on PC almost two years ago, delivered PixelJunk Shooter vibes. Appearances from Klei Entertainment, which gave us a look at Rotwood, and Drinkbox Studios, which showed off Blighted, were exciting as I have a lot of respect for both developers based on past work. Klei did Don’t Starve, Mark of the Ninja, and Shank, while Drinkbox was behind Guacamelee!
Here are my five most anticipated upcoming launches for Nintendo Switch 2:
5) The Midnight Walk
This might have landed higher on the list, but it’s already out on Steam and PlayStation 5 with the Switch 2 version coming March 26. It looks like a Tim Burton film come to life, and it won a couple of awards last year for Best VR game. If you missed the initial launch (as I did) or are someone that only has the Nintendo hardware, it’s a chance to play a well-reviewed game with an engaging art style.
inKOBINI: One Store. Many Stories. on Steam (Nagai Industries, Beep Japan Inc.)
4) inKOBINI: One Store. Many Stories.
For all the action, shooter, and role-playing games that I play, I have a soft spot for mellower fare as well. I’d seen inKOBINI a couple of times before, and there’s something inviting about the idea of running a convenience store in Japan (at least in virtual form). I can easily imagine myself getting lost in stocking shelves and ringing up customers. It’s set for launch across all platforms in late April.
3) Deadzone: Rogue
Like The Midnight Walk, Deadzone: Rogue is already out elsewhere. Still, it feels like a nice get for the Nintendo Switch 2 given the relative dearth of similar titles available. It has received positive feedback on Steam, and its showing at Indie World was a standout for its graphics and music. It’s something Nintendo owners who are feeling left out of the Marathon launch can latch onto when it drops March 17.
2) Mixtape
I’ll say this for Annapurna Interactive; it knows how to make games that look interesting to me. The result hasn’t always hit the mark—I remain salty over Twelve Minutes falling short of my high expectations—but the teenage “coming-of-age story" that looks like it’s being told in Mixtape has reeled me back in once again. I don’t love the visuals, but I’m very curious to see how it delivers on May 7.
1) Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault
I thoroughly enjoyed Moonlighter’s gameplay loop of venturing into dungeons, collecting loot, and then selling that loot to customers to upgrade my shop and chase better loot. To see that idea expanded with upgraded graphics and some improved dungeon crawling has me hyped up for the eventual full release—it’s out now in Early Access on Steam and Xbox, but I’ll be biding my time until it’s deemed ready for launch.