All posts tagged in Indie Games
May 12, 2020
In a recent dev update, the developers have shown a lot of what’s to come in Coral Island.
For those that missed it, Coral Island is an upcoming farming and life-sim game that has a healthy focus on environmental awareness, and cultural representation in video games, not to mention some absolutely wonderful artwork and an ingenious story to tell.
After my in-depth interview with Stairway Games, I learned very much about this most wholesome indie game. Things like what kind of beautiful minds were behind the making of this game, as well as what Coral Island is all about. Now, the developers have divulged even more goodies that we can expect to see in their upcoming epic adventure.
Some of the Islanders on Coral Island.
In the recent dev update, we got a close look at some of the characters that we will encounter in the game. Characters such as the local doctor, a marriageable character that takes care of the villagers, loves chess and can often be found shooting billiards when not chilling at the beach shack.
We also got a peek at the Mayor that will be in charge of Coral Island. He is a man well versed in the goings on of Coral Island, as well as having a deep knowledge of the islanders themselves. These are just two of the characters that were revealed in the recent update. Check out the dev blog page to see more.
Plants and animals to expect on your farm.
It wasn’t just NPC’s revealed in the blog post. The developers also shared a bit of what we will see when it comes to the plant and animal life that we will have on our farms. We will get to grow some classic fruits and veggies, like strawberries and potatoes. There will also be some island style vegetation, like starfruit.
When it comes to the animals that we will be raising, not too much has been revealed yet. There will certainly be pigs. And anyone who is aware of what island life is like, you can be sure to expect some chickens clucking about as well.
A look at the farm home.
Now, it be would nigh on impossible to run a successful farm without a home to rest your head when not tending the many needs of the farmstead. The dev update gives us a closer look at the interior of your farm home, as well as what it will be like to customize your home. Yes, you will be able to change the interior to your liking, so that way you can have max comfort in your chill zone.
More info!
While I have given a close look here at the update for Coral Islands development progress, there are many more details to be had on the blog page itself, including some goodies you should totally know about.
You can also get much more information by following the game on Twitter, and joining the conversation on Discord.
For more great upcoming farming and life-sim games, check out my coverage of Witchbrook.
- Mar 16, 2020
A new Indie World Showcase means all new great indie games are coming to the Switch!
There could never be enough cute indie games on the Nintendo Switch. From Stardew Valley to Untitled Goose Game, Indies seem to fit right in on the most family oriented console currently available.
In the last Indie World Showcase, we got at look at some pretty cool games. Sports Story, a sequel to Golf Story, and Sail Forth, a cute game about boating, were some of my favorites featured in the last airing.
Also, seeing as how this event was pretty much leaked by a rumor, that gives us a bit more hope about the same being true for a Nintendo Direct coming soon.
SkateBird was also at the last showcase! Nintendo recently announced via Twitter that the next Indie World Showcase will be tomorrow at 10AM P.T. To see the event live as it airs, just visit the corresponding page of the official Nintendo website.
Most Recent Indie World Showcase
- Mar 2, 2020
Snacko is an adorable upcoming farming simulation adventure game. The game is currently in development by indie studio bluecurse, which consists of husband and wife, Jordan and Erisa. Snacko has a tentative release date of 2021 for PC via Steam and itch.io, and will hopefully make its way to other consoles shortly after.
In Snacko, you play as a cat named Momo, who alongside another cat character named Miman, are based on the indie devs own cats. With a variety of features including farming, fishing, decorating, and exploring, the aim of the game is to recruit animal friends and rebuild an abandoned island where cats (naturally) rule the world!
The cat-tastic indie game’s devs recently posted an update on Snacko in the form of Devlog 18. New features of the game include an in-game camera to take picture purr-fect photos, the ability to place food as decorations (a fitting feature given the game’s title), and the ability to undertake quests.
Taking Photos
Players will now be able to take photos when playing Snacko. The game’s camera sits in your equipment slots and can be used like any other equipment to enter photo mode. The camera has a handy viewfinder which allows you to study the world around you. If you find something or someone new, it will show up as ??? Once you’ve snapped a photo, you can save it to your photo album which is accessible through the journal.
Placing Food As Decorations
If you already follow Snacko on Twitter, then the chances are you may have already guessed this. Players will now be able to place food as decorations in the game. The devs have begun adding 3D models to Snacko for all the different foods available. This feature will allow you to make your home more cozy, or “you can just place random loaves of bread around town”.
Quests
The game’s indie developers have begun to implement quests and the bulletin board to Snacko. Quests are a great way to learn the ropes of farming with the added bonus of simultaneously getting some awards. You may even be able to use the game’s camera feature to snap some pics that meet certain requirements and share them with fellow townsfolk.
New Building Zones
Previously, the areas where you could build in Snacko were limited to specific places on the game’s map. Now, however, building areas have opened up to the majority of your farm and the town where there’s flat terrain. This will allow you to do things like line dirt paths with fences and place things along the side of the map.
Alongside these new features, a few comparison photos were shared showing how the game has developed graphics-wise since last year. To see these pictures and read more about the game’s progress, you can check out the devlog here.
Snacko is currently in development and is scheduled to release on PC and Nintendo Switch sometime in 2021, it’s a little bit to go but perfection can’t be rushed, right?
More cute pet stuff
If you love pets as much as I do make sure to take a look at my new robot pet, Snicker!
- Feb 5, 2020
Japan has become the status symbol for everything cute and adorable ( at least in the Animal Crossing World ) and this title made by a small indie development team known for Food Truck Pup is now making a life simulation game about Japanese Rural Life!
Game Start LLC is a small development team that recently caught my attention for their adorable mobile game Food Truck Pup, where you play as a pup and run a food truck in a village filled with other puppies, its adorable and tons of fun. You can read more about it here.
Japanese Rural Life
The small team has not revealed a lot of information as of yet. They did however tease us with a first screenshot that not only features an adorable art style but also gives us a first look at what the game may entail!
Game about Japanese Rural Life by GAME START LLC Farming, lots of farming!
The first screenshot of the game does feature what appears to be a garden and could hint at an extensive gardening focus in the game. You can already see that the little guy in the image is hard at work growing, carrots, turnips and more!
Fishy, fishy, fishy…
The little garden plot in front of the cabin also includes a tiny pond with a fish in it. Since this game is a life simulation game with a focus on farming I would think that this little pond is used to raise fish and farm fish!
Japanese Rural Life Release Date!
This article was updated with the most recent information on June 6th, 2021.
The developer recently lifted the curtain on the Japanese Rural Life Release Date and revealed some adorable details about a mountain candy shop, take a peak right here.
You can also join the developers on Twitter to follow the progress of the Japanese Rural Life game!
More Life Simulation and Farming Games
If you enjoy life simulation and cute games make sure you check out Witchbrook the Stardew Valley of magic – as well as Little Witch in the Woods!And Peaceful Days a Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon like game is now available as well!
- Dec 31, 2019
Our favorite mischievous goose has now sold more than 1 million copies of its game, Untitled Goose Game.
In a recent Tweet from the developers, it was revealed that Untitled Goose Game has now sold more than one million copies. For those not too familiar with the indie world, that is a pretty darn big deal. But, given the hilariously whimsical nature of the game, and the rate at which it became popular, I can hardly say this comes as a surprise.
In case you have been living under a rock, Untitled Goose Game is a small open world sim game where you get to play as a goose. Your sole mission is to disrupt the natural order of the world around you, for the general purpose of being a nuisance. The gameplay is as fun as the game itself is hilarious.
Untitled Goose Game Trailer
For more information about Untitled Goose Game, you can check out their official website. To stay up to date with what’s happening with the game and developers, you can follow House House on Twitter. For more charming games features our feathery avian friends, check out my article about the best bird games.
- Dec 28, 2019
Before we reach the beginning of 2020, I’ve been taking a look back on all the games I have played and reviewed thus far. I’ve shared with you some of my favorite farming sims here and multiplayer games here., and have considered what other genres that I gravitate toward and that are the most wholesome. Today, I’ll be closing off the end of the year with a list of management/tycoon games that I’ve played the most in 2019. Whether it’s designing and managing a theme park, restaurant or clothing store, I just can’t get enough of creating and building, and making customers happy!
Megaquarium
Megaquarium is ranked in my top 3 most hours played on my Nintendo Switch this year because it is one of those games I just want to perfect. Gaining more and more Prestige with your aquarium parks allows you to buy better tools, equipment, items and fish! I’ve even laid out some advanced tips for the game because you must strategize and manage the species in your tanks, as compatibility and visibility are key to success.
Planet Zoo
Planet Zoo released on Steam last month and the graphics and details are everything I’d hoped they’d be. It does have a steep learning curve and you need to have quite the level of creativity and imagination, but it may just be the tycoon game for you if you love in-depth management and design choices. Frontier Developments also hosts online challenges on a regular basis to keep things interesting.
Two Point Hospital
I may be cheating a little by putting this one on my list because it released on PC in 2018, however there have been new DLCs this year (Close Encounters) and console versions will be coming in 2020. Once you have completed your main campaign goals in each level, you can still continue to reach 3 stars and watch the fruits of your labor. This cheeky hospital management game has unique illnesses, patients and treatments that make the gameplay just all the more fun.
Pocket Clothier
If you’re looking for an adorable clothing management game that can be played in small doses but is also addictive, this is for you. You can place various stands/shelves and choose the style of clothing to stock, hire staff, decorate with fixtures, and more! This game was released a little while ago on mobile for under $5 which means there aren’t any micro-transactions. I’ve added this to my 2019 list because it is now available on the Nintendo eShop (since September) for only $12! Pocket Clothier is worth the price and a great game to play on-the-go.
There are so many other management games coming in the new year that have already been added to my wishlist and include the following: Mondo Museum (creators of Boyfriend Dungeon), Onsen Master, Rolling Hills, Creature Resort and more! Here’s to wishing you a Happy Gaming New Year!
- Dec 9, 2019
Nintendo just announced that they are doing an Indie World Showcase in just 24 hours.
Four months ago was our last Indie World Showcase, and we got a look at some pretty awesome games, some now available on the Nintendo Switch. Some of of my favorites from the last showcase were The Tourist, Best Friend Forever and Phogs. For some reason, cute little indie games just seem right at home on the Switch.
In a recent Tweet, Nintendo announced that they will be doing another Indie World Showcase tomorrow, starting at 10 a.m. PT. The presentation will last about twenty minutes, and will feature indie games that will be coming to the Nintendo Switch, sooner or later.
If you would like to view the presentation as soon as it airs, you can do so on the official Nintendo website. If you do happen to miss it, worry not. I intend to cover all the cute games that are revealed during the showcase. If you feel like checking out some awesome Indies right now, check out my coverage of the best cute indie games available now for Switch.
- Dec 4, 2019
The independent game community is quite a strong one, and has produced many games available for Switch!
Maybe the best thing about an indie game is that you know whoever made it really cared about what they were making. A true passion for one’s work tends to show in the final product. This much cannot always be said for some of the bigger games out there, that take many people to create. Many times, indies are even made by a single person with a drive to share a part of themselves with the world.
If you also happen to always be on the lookout for a good indie game that you can play on the Nintendo Switch, here is a list of the ones that I personally like and are available now. I like to keep track of the news on upcoming indies, like Calico and Mineko’s Night Market, as you know. But knowing about games coming soon is never as fun as finding out about some hidden treasures you may not know about that you can play immediately.
Baba Is You
Baba Is You is cute little puzzle game that uses word combinations to solve puzzles and proceed through the world. In the game, you will use your character to move different parts of sentences to change the world around you. You can sometimes even change the goal you have to achieve simply by moving the right words to the right place. The game has a very simple yet cute feel, and costs only $15.00 through the Nintendo eShop.
Untitled Goose Game
With the exploding popularity of this title, it might come as a surprise to some that Untitled Goose Game is actually an independently made game. Developed by House House and published by Panic, Goose Game hit huge with the gaming community for its whimsical and hilarious theme. Take on the role of goose that is determined to break the world to pieces with simple shenanigans. You can try out this indie hit for yourself now for just $19.99 through the Nintendo eShop.
The Touryst
You are just arriving at the Monument Islands. Want to go swimming? Or rather take a dive into the deep sea? Or do you want to visit the amusement arcade, do some shopping, dance at the beach party? Fancy some surfing? Or will you talk with the strange old tourist and listen what he has to say about these ancient mysterious monuments…This action/adventure arcade puzzler developed by Shin’en Multimedia is available now for only $19.99 in the Nintendo eShop.
Kine
Kine is a 3D narrative puzzle game about three daring machines that aspire to be musicians. Embark across a theatrical dreamscape by solving a wide variety of increasingly difficult 3D puzzles. Guide Euler, Quat, and Roo as they struggle to form a band and find their big break! Kine is developed by Gwen Frey, published by Chump Squad, and is available for only $19.99.
Overcooked 2
The Overcooked games are pretty well known at this point. Dash around the hectic kitchens to prepare all manner of insane and intricate dishes. Play solo or with friends in an attempt to not be overcome by demand, and “overcook” all of your dishes. Overcooked 2 is currently available on the Nintendo Switch and costs $24.99. A bit more pricey than the rest of the Indies, but rest assured that much TLC has gone into making this game as fun and whacky as possible.
Stardew Valley
Everyone who is anyone knows about Stardew Valley. The epic life-sim game took the world by storm and already has had some-likes spawn in its wake. Live the life you want and build the farm of your dreams in Stardew Valley. With so many wonderful updates to the game, and always more to come, Stardew is one that will be played through the ages. You can try this amazing title for yourself on the Switch for just $14.99.
Cuphead
Cuphead has been reputed as an adventure certainly worth your time and money, especially with a price tag of currently only $14.99. Cuphead is a hand-drawn run n’ gun game with heavy focus on boss battles. The game is designed in the old-school 1930’s rubber hose animation style, and even includes some classic jazz to keep the tempo matching the art. To get your hands on this whimsical title, simply visit the Nintendo store now.
Golf Story
Golf Story is an uber-cute and silly golfing simulator that combines the relaxation of golfing with the stress of crushing defeat looming in the shadows. Take pride in driving that little white ball all across the eight unique environments , cleverly designed to simultaneously inspire joy and rage! Enjoy going head-to-head with your friends in varied and select-able modes, difficulties and maps. Golf Story is available through the Nintendo eShop for $14.99.
Night In The Woods
Night in the Woods is an autumnal themed indie adventure game. Highly relatable to many, the game shows the crumbling former mining town of Possum Springs. After the protagonist, Mae Borowski, drops out of college and returns to her hometown, she finds things as gloomy and hopeless as ever. But this time there’s something more. Strange and eery occurrences are happening. And there’s something in the woods. This charming game with beautiful music can be purchased for only $13.99 on the Switch eShop.
Moonlighter
During an archeological excavation – a set of Gates were discovered. People quickly realized that these ancient passages lead to different realms and dimensions. Rynoka, a small commercial village, was found near the excavation site – providing brave and reckless adventurers with treasures beyond measure. Moonlighter is an Action RPG with rogue-lite elements that demonstrates two sides of the coin – revealing everyday routines of Will, an adventurous shopkeeper that secretly dreams of becoming a hero. Try out Moonlighter now for the Switch for just $12.49!!
Ittle Dew
tItle Dew takes the player through a vibrant journey of discovery and engaging puzzles. You will play as Ittle Dew and her adorable sidekick Tipssie who end up on a remote island filled with loot and an endless amount of mysterious adventures. Ittle Dew is an adorable and action packed indie game that you can try now for just $9.99, a great deal on such a wonderful “ittle” game.
These are currently my favorite indie titles available for the Switch, but I’m always keeping my eye out for new ones releasing on this super-awesome console.
