Nintendo Indie Direct Wrap-Up

Many people have probably figured this out by now, but I love indie games.  Probably two-thirds or more of what I play in a year are titles made by small studios because they come up with ideas that are so much more inventive than a lot of what the AAA market has to offer.  Therefore, as always, I was glued to my seat for the entirety of the indie highlights video that Nintendo put out today.  The video is included to watch below, and afterward, I’ll highlight some of the titles that I’m most excited about.

In the past, I’ve gone through every featured title in detail and, while I thought about doing that now, I think it makes more sense to highlight my overall impressions of the highlights video and discuss some titles that I’m especially excited about.  To sum up my overall thoughts, I am impressed by the different types of games on display.  Every game is wildly different, which allows every person watching to find something exciting.  There are a number of great announcements here, making it hard to choose which specific ones I want to discuss in greater detail.

Without a doubt, I am most excited by the first game highlighted, Wargroove.  It’s a turn-based tactical RPG developed by Chucklefish and it looks simply amazing!  In addition to a full campaign, there are plenty of editing tools available for players to make their own maps and adventures.  I’ve been meaning to pick up a new strategy title at some point, and this one looks perfect, especially since I don’t have to wait that long to play it, as it’s coming out on February 1st, 2019.

Another exciting title out this year is Forager, which I first found out about via a demo that I received in a Humble Monthly.  I loved my brief time with this title and it left me wanting so much more.  Forager is an idle game with crafting elements that got me hooked.  Anything with an idle component built into it is likely to make me happy.  As I’m writing this, I have a clicker game open in another tab!  There’s no release date yet, but I will certainly be playing this as soon as it is available.

There are also a few titles announced that dropped onto the Nintendo eShop today, so if you are looking for a brand-new title to play, there are some options.  For fans of physics puzzlers and bridge construction titles, check out When Ski Lifts Go Wrong.  If goofy simulators are appealing, the wonderful Goat Simulator:  The GOATY is ready to play, complete with all of the currently available DLC.  Finally, friends who want to play co-op together should check out Unruly Heroes.

The biggest bombshell announcement of the showcase is undoubtedly the premiere of a new title in the SteamWorld franchise.  SteamWorld Quest:  Hand of Gilgamech is a turn-based RPG set in the science fiction world that fans know and love.  There’s no release date yet, but I am definitely going to check it out.  I will admit, however, that I have never finished any of the prior games in the series, so I might be a bit behind the times here.

After all of the game announcements, a short sizzle reel played containing some of the titles already available on the eShop.  I am just going to highlight a few of my favorites here.  Farming title Stardew Valley is my go-to when I have had a stressful day.  Wizard of Legend and Darkest Dungeon are two roguelikes that I have discovered recently through a backlog clear and am deeply addicted to now.  Finally, I recently played Donut County around Christmas and found it to be a quirky and enjoyable experience perfect for fans of the Katamari franchise.

Which games from this direct are you most excited about?  Let me know in the comments below!