This past Tuesday the indie centric team over at Nintendo dropped another Indie World Showcase highlighting some upcoming marquee titles headed to Nintendo Switch. Kirk Scott and Samantha Robertson took turns leading us through sixteen wonderful additions to the Switch library. Here are some of the ones we cannot wait to get our hands on.
Sports Story
If this was something rumored to be in the works, I’ve been off my game. Opening the show with a sequel to Golf Story– a game that we’ve called an essential Switch title on previous recommendations lists– slashed a grin across my face while excitement bubbled inside. Taking the core idea of Golf Story and adding in additional sports like tennis and soccer to the mix is only going to allow developer Sidebar games more variety in their puzzle and dungeon design. Looking forward to this quirky RPG in 2020.
Bake ‘N Switch
Couch co-op is alive and well in the newest cooperative and competitive baking bonanza from Streamline Games. With support for up to four players, Bake ‘N Switch looks like a great addition to your party game rotation while also offering a separate PvP mode for those looking for a deeper challenge or to flex their culinary mastery against one another. Looking forward to see if the dough will rise to the occasion when Bake ‘N Switch comes out of the oven next year.
SuperMash
Probably the most unique game shown during this month’s Indie World showcase, SuperMash is a randomly generated game unlike most where you are choosing two genres to mash while the game creates something totally fresh every time. Offering up a variety of genres and unlockable “Dev Cards” which will allow you to control some aspects of the games being created, SuperMash is brimming with potential for endless amounts of content. With the ability to share the creations that your game spits out, SuperMash players can look forward to playing whatever mash-ups the community comes across.
SkateBIRD
Who needs Tony Hawk when you have a tiny hawk? SkateBIRD is what you get if you replaced your fingers with a little bird on your Tech Deck, skating all over your cardboard miniature skate parks and other household items. Who doesn’t want that? With an adorable art style, lo-fi tunes, and unlockable bird accessories, this tiny skateboarding game is nothing to chirp at. Looking forward to kickflipping and flapping my way to high scores and hidden unlockables.
Boyfriend Dungeon
Whether you want to admit it or not, you know we’ve all played a dating sim in our lives. We’ve all spent time doing side quests or carefully choosing dialogue options trying to woo that special someone. Whether it was something you found on Newgrounds, a game in the Mass Effect series, or Fire Emblem: Three Houses– we’ve all been there. Now it’s time to say hello to Boyfriend Dungeon from Kitfox Games. This hack and slash dungeon crawler sets itself apart with the romancing of your weapons. Take your weapons on dates to level them up and dive deeper into the procedurally generated depths of Boyfriend Dungeon.
Axiom Verge 2
For many, Axiom Verge is a hallmark of indie gaming, an iconic metroidvania. So a sequel to something so beloved is bound to be a highlight on anyone covering the Indie World Showcase, and in that regard our list is no different. Set in the same world as the original, Axiom Verge 2 focuses on new characters, new environments, and a new set of items and abilities setting itself on a bold new course for veterans of the series. Which should be exciting for newcomers as well, because even if you missed out on the first game you can look forward to the sequel with no worries in mind. Although, Axiom Verge is also on the Nintendo Switch so you can always play the original before fall 2020! Here’s hoping the sequel lives up to the status of its predecessor.
Aside from these games we chose to highlight, there are still tons of enticing, genre spanning adventures awaiting. Here’s the full list of games that were announced in the Indie World Nintendo Direct (12/10/2019) as well as any dates or release windows associated with them:
- Sports Story (exclusive, mid-2020)
- Streets of Rage 4 (first half 2020)
- Gleamlight (early 2020)
- Bake ‘N Switch ( summer 2020)
- SuperMash (May 2020)
- The Talos Principle: Deluxe Edition (12/10/2019)
- Sail Forth (2020)
- Dauntless (12/10/2019)
- Murder By Numbers (first to Switch, timed exclusive, early 2020)
- Stranger’s Wrath HD (January 2020)
- SkateBIRD (late 2020)
- Liberated (first to Switch, timed exclusive, 2020)
- Boyfriend Dungeon (2020)
- Dreamscaper (timed exclusive, early 2020)
- The Survivalists (2020)
- Axiom Verge 2 (fall 2020)
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