Today, Nintendo hosted an Indie Showcase featuring more than 20 minutes of announcements and updates on indie games launching on the Nintendo Switch this year. Although Hollow Knight: Silksong did not make an appearance again, there are still plenty of indie titles to look forward to. We’re particularly excited to try Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, SteamWorld Heist II, ANIMAL WELL, and Another Crab’s Treasure.
Below, you’ll find all the games featured in the April 2024 Indie World Showcase.
Little Kitty, Big City
Given the popularity of 2022’s Stray, it was inevitable that other developers would consider making cat adventure games. Perhaps it’s the start of a new genre, but Little Kitty, Big City is giving its own unique spin on the idea. Like Stray, players will take control of a cat, but Little Kitty, Big City’s setting is very different from what’s found in Stray. This lighthearted indie game will feature a vibrant city filled with quests and over 40 delightful hats. Everyone loves hats, and they’re even better when you can put them on a cat. Look for Little Kitty, Big City to launch on May 9.
Europa
This 3D action-platformer, developed by Novadust Entertainment and published by Future Friends Games, takes place on the moon Europa and features an android named Zee who sets out in search of answers behind the mystery of a fallen civilization. Using Zee’s Zephyr jetpack, players will glide, fly, and boost across environments filled with lakes, meadows, and mountains, solving puzzles to uncover the story of the last human alive. Europa is slated for release later this year; however, a free demo will be available later today on the Nintendo eShop.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate
One title we’re excited to play as a group is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. Developed by Super Evil Megacorp, this new title marks the Turtles’ first roguelike adventure, with players traveling through reality-bending portals to rescue Master Splinter. Thanks to random power-ups, shifting room layouts, and boss modifiers, each level in the game has the potential to change. Each run offers permanent upgrades to the Turtles’ powers, enabling players to take on increasingly challenging runs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate can be played solo or online with up to three other players, featuring drop-in/drop-out play. It will be available as a timed console exclusive in July.
SteamWorld Heist II
Launching on August 8, the sequel to SteamWorld Heist takes players on an epic adventure across the high seas. In SteamWorld Heist II, the waters of SteamWorld have turned corrosive, gradually eating away at the metal bodies of its robotic residents. Players will command a rag-tag crew of Steambots in intense turn-based gunfights. The sequel introduces an explorable world map featuring real-time naval combat. Another new feature is a job system, offering extensive character customization options that allow players to strategically design the crew best suited for each mission.
Cat Quest III
By pure coincidence, another title launching on August 8 is Cat Quest III. Like SteamWorld Heist II, players in the latest installment of this casual action RPG series will take to the seas. This time, players will embody a swashbuckling feline privateer, sailing the Purribean in search of the North Star. But beware: the seas are teeming with Pi-rats commanded by the Pi-Rat-King, who is determined to hunt you down. The new world of Cat Quest III can be explored solo or in local co-op, featuring a newly refined combat system and sea battles. A demo will be available later today, with preorders also starting today on the Nintendo eShop.
Yars Rising
WayForward, the developers behind Shantae and River City Girls, has revealed their latest project: Yars Rising. Older gamers may raise an eyebrow upon hearing that the game is being published by Atari. That’s because Yars Rising is a side-scrolling action-adventure that explores Yars’ Revenge, one of Atari’s better-known classic titles. In the game, players control Emi Kimura, a young hacker hired by a mysterious individual to infiltrate the QoTech corporation. Featuring a series of challenging retro minigames that pay homage to Yars’ Revenge, Yars Rising is slated for release later this year.
Sticky Business
Those looking for a cozy business simulation game can look forward to Sticky Business. Developed by Spellgarden Games and published by Assemble Entertainment, this indie title tasks players with running a sticker shop and shipping custom stickers to customers. he game offers more than 400 design elements to choose from, including upgrades such as effect foils. Originally released on PC in July 2023, Sticky Business launches on Switch with an optional paid DLC, Plan With Me, adding 10 more customer stories and over 100 more sticker elements.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
The creators of Sayonara Wild Hearts return with a new non-linear puzzle game called Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. Set in an old hotel somewhere in central Europe, the game centers around a woman summoned to participate in a mysterious project. She is thrown into a game of increasingly nightmarish and surreal illusions, challenging players with over 100 handcrafted puzzles featuring shifting mechanics and perspectives. The game will launch first for consoles on Nintendo Switch on May 16.
stitch.
From Lykke Studios, this adorable game has players creating embroidery patterns by solving puzzles called Hoops. The puzzles vary in difficulty and size, allowing players to complete them in any order they prefer. Once a Hoop is completed for the first time, it becomes available to play in Free Stitch mode. Additional features include challenging limited-time Daily Shikaku puzzles with no hints and weekly Hoops inspired by real-life events, filled with trivia. Look for stitch. to launch as a console exclusive on Nintendo Switch later today.
ANTONBLAST
What do you get when you combine destructive action with hand-drawn pixel art and the devil himself? ANTONBLAST! In this indie game from Summitsphere, the devil has stolen your prized spirit collection, and you’re now on a rampage to reclaim it. Players can choose between Dynamite Anton with his Mighty Hammer or Dynamite Annie with her Massive Mace, laying waste to bizarre worlds and smashing brutal bosses to bits. Look for ANTONBLAST to launch on the Nintendo Switch as a timed console exclusive on November 12. A free demo will be available later today on the Nintendo eShop.
Refind Self: The Personality Test Game
One of the more interesting reveals today is Refind Self: The Personality Test Game. In this exploration-based adventure game, players take on the role of an android created by a now-deceased doctor. Traveling to places from their memories and interacting with other characters, players must make decisions that gradually reveal more about themselves. At the journey’s end, the game reveals one of 23 personality types based on the choices made. Refind Self: The Personality Test Game is set to launch as a timed console exclusive on the Nintendo Switch this summer.
Valley Peaks
Set in a pastel mountain range, this first-person rock-climbing platformer features villagers who are quite literally ribbiting. In Valley Peaks, players take on the role of a new technician assigned to the peaks, free to explore to their heart’s content and tackle seemingly impossible challenges. Between climbs, players can interact with the froggy folk and complete side quests to unlock equipment. Players can also engage in minigames while tending to the needs of the valley’s residents. The game is slated to launch on the Nintendo Switch later this year.
ANIMAL WELL
ANIMAL WELL, the first game published by YouTuber videogamedunkey’s publishing company BIGMODE, arrives on May 9. In this action-adventure game, players are challenged to explore a dense, interconnected labyrinth to uncover its many secrets. This unique 2D Metroidvania platformer aims to deliver a special experience that will have players laughing in fear, surprise, or delight.
Another Crab’s Treasure
This interesting take on the soulslike genre casts players as Kril, a hermit crab who has lost its shell. Embarking on a journey to retrieve it, players must use trash found in the ocean as makeshift shells to withstand attacks from various enemies lurking underwater. Another Crab’s Treasure boasts over 50 types of shells and a range of powerful “Umami Abilities” to combat enemies. The game is set to release on April 25.
SCHiM
Set to launch on July 18, SCHiM is a game that revolves around jumping from shadow to shadow within a relaxing yet lively environment. This unique 3D platformer unfolds the story of a person who has lost their shadow in a beautiful, abstract world. Each level in the game features distinct scenery and its own small stories, as players attempt to reunite their schim with their human.
Duck Detective: The Secret Salami
We love seeing games like Duck Detective: The Secret Salami, a cozy mystery that follows a down-on-his-luck duck searching for answers within a sausage-based conspiracy. Assume the role of Duck Detective in this two to three-hour-long mystery game, launching on the Nintendo Switch on May 23.
BZZZT
After launching on PC in November 2023, BZZZT will make its way to the Nintendo Switch this summer. The game features a tiny ZX8000 robot navigating a pixel-art world. This fast-paced “jump-dash-run” platformer serves as a tribute to classic games inspired by the 80s tech revolution.
