Nindies Showcase – Summer 2018

This morning, Nintendo streamed a commercial about upcoming indie games for Switch. It’s not really too important to me, because indie games don’t fit into my budget anymore. Still, I watched it like a good little consumer whore. Here are some vague impressions on the video games that were showed off, because these mindless lists are so easy to write as compared to expressing perceptive and insightful thoughts.

Hyper Light Drifter – It has definitely been on my radar since it was but a humble Kickstarter campaign, but I don’t know if I’ll actually ever get it. Love the look, but not completely sold on the gameplay.

Towerfall – I think I have this on Steam. But it’s a 4-player battle game… Not too well-suited to my solitary lifestyle. Plus, if I’m playing something multiplayer, it’s almsot certainly Smash or Monster Hunter.

Treasure Stack – Is this Wario’s Woods? Because Wario’s Woods is cool. I think I might like this? But I can’t see myself making any time for a match-3 puzzler, no matter how cool it may be. Haven’t you heard? There are too many games!

Zarvot – This game about cubes jumping over lasers to make birthday cakes or whatever looks goofy and charming as all heck. I am definitely going to keep an eye on this one. (I may not have understood what it’s actually about.)

Mineko’s Night Market – This looks like a doofy (doofier?) take on Harvest Moon. Aside from the cat focus, this seems pretty interesting. I like exploring and harvesting and digging for minerals. But I don’t especially like cats. Still, I could see myself getting into it.

Samurai Gunn 2 – In another life, I could see myself being into this. But I’m too old now for these super-hard platformers that require high levels of skill and precision (I feel like I type that about something in every Nintendo presentation). At least, that’s what I’m getting from this trailer. I hope there will be a demo. I’d like to actually try it before I write it off.

Bullet Age – Now this is like Samurai Gunn 2, but more attuned to my interests. More cartoony visuals, moves a little slower, big boss monsters, weapon modding, no maps based around chains of high-precision wall-jumps. I’m very into all of those things! I’m very much looking forward to seeing this in the eShop and being like “Aw man, twenty-seven doooollarrrrrs?”

The World Next Door – Visual novel with puzzle battles? Nooooooope.

LevelHead – I already have Super Mario Maker and Chicken Wiggle for 2D platformers with level editors. And I never play those ones anymore. So I won’t be bothering with this one that looks like it’s encouraging people to make crazy-hard MeatBoy style levels. Too old.

King of the Hat – I love that this is a game about hats, but it’s another 4-player battle game. Moving on.

Untitled Goose Game – You play as The Horrible Goose and your goal is to be a dick by stealing people’s hats. Shut up and take my money dot jpeg.

Sizzle Reel – I saw The Messenger and Dragon: Marked for Death in there, and I’m already absolutely buying both of those. The Messenger is a game that I’ve been crazy excited about, as it looks to me like Shovel Knight but inspired by Ninja Gaiden. I fully accept that I may be expecting too much from it. As for D:MFD, it’s well-documented on this very website that I’ll buy anything from IntiCreates (except Gal*Gun). It even has a release date now! Finally! Though it’s a week after Smash, so… unfortunate timing on that one.

Into the Breach – Oh! This is a very good game! It scratches my turn-based-strategy itch more successfully than anything since the original Final Fantasy Tactics. But I’ve already played it a lot. And I have at least two copies of FFT. I don’t see it being a for sure thing, but if it’s cheap I very well may pick it up.

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