Nintendo certainly knows how to cultivate the indie market. With the surprise announcement of an Indie Direct happening this week, Nintendo absolutely brought the goods when it came to reveals. There were a few surprises that nobody saw coming, the most exciting being a co-op expansion for Untitled Goose Game, as well as a lot of shadow drops for games on the Switch. Maybe it's not updates on Breath of the Wild 2 or whatever is happening with Metroid Prime 4, but I'll take it.
If you're currently looking for stuff to play, a ton of games were shadow dropped during this rather brief 20-minute stream. Everything seemed to fly by until the ending, which is both exciting and exhausting in equal measure. Let's stop dilly-dallying around and get into the recap.
Hades
The first game shown off during the stream was an announcement for Supergiant's Hades. Currently available on PC in early access, this roguelike dungeon crawler will be heading to Switch sometime later this year. In a really nice move, players of the PC version will be able to transfer their saves over and continue progress on the go.
Hypnospace Outlaw
Up next was a trailer for Hypnospace Outlaw, a 90s-focused adventure game for PC and consoles. The game seems to be cut from the mold of classic text-based titles and will task players with navigating an old-school internet to solve mysteries. A demo is currently available on the eShop with the full release hitting Switch on August 27, 2020.
Spiritfarer
Thunder Lotus will be shadow dropping its cozy management sim Spiritfarer on all platforms today. We'll have our review up shortly, but this is one to keep an eye out for. If you aren't quite sold, the game will be available on PC and Xbox One via Game Pass.
Garden Story
The rather Harvest Moon inspired Garden Story will be coming to Switch next year. This one doesn't seem to be a timed exclusive, so you should be able to grab it on your platform of choice.
Subnautica & Below Zero
Both Subnautica and its sequel/expansion Below Zero will be heading to Nintendo's platform next year. Now we just need an underwater case so you can play this deep sea adventure while exploring an actual deep sea.
Takeshi & Hiroshi
Available later today, Takeshi & Hiroshi (which launched on Apple Arcade earlier this year) is a quaint RPG that puts players in the role of a game dev. You'll be creating the perfect game for your brother, who seems to be sick with some illness. It's likely to be a heavy game, but one that has a charming art style and quirky atmosphere.
Raji: An Ancient Epic
Raji: An Ancient Epic is a rather interesting looking action/platformer based on Indian mythology. Developed by an Indian dev team, the title will be available later today on the eShop. It will be a timed exclusive on Nintendo's console.
Bear and Breakfast
Thunder Lotus isn't the only team on the block with a management sim. Bear and Breakfast looks to combine classic Sims style gameplay with a unique art style and tons of humor. It will be launching in 2021 as a timed exclusive for Switch.
A Short Hike
Last year's indie darling A Short Hike is trekking over to the eShop later today. From everything I've heard, it's an excellent trip that's worth taking.
Card Shark
The insanely creative looking Card Shark puts players in the role of an 18th-century French nobleman that is trying to cheat their way through a game of cards. If you screw up, you'll be challenged to a duel and could potentially die. It will be shuffling over to Switch in 2021 and is definitely one to keep an eye out for.
Torchlight III
Players looking for their next Diablo fix will be happy to hear that Torchlight III is coming to Switch this year. It will be ready for Fall 2020.
Manifold Garden
The delightful indie puzzle game Manifold Garden is now available on PS4, Xbox One, and Switch. A title 10 years in the making, it's certainly worth checking out for its unique art style and gravity bending physics.
Evergate
Evergate is a platformer about exploring the afterlife and fighting off bad spirits. It will be available later today on the eShop for download.
But Wait, There's More!
This is the part where the stream shifted into overdrive and announced a ton of titles in a sizzle reel. It would be crazy to list individual trailers, but here is a list of all of the smaller titles heading to Switch over the next few months.
- Haven - Q4 2020
- Going Under - September 24
- The Red Lantern - Fall 2020
- Unrailed! - September 23
- Struggling - August 27
- Inmost - August 21
- She Dreams Elsewhere - Early 2021
- Grindstone - Fall 2020
- Gonner2 - Fall 2020
Finally, rounding everything off was the announcement of a free co-op update to Untitled Goose Game. Available for every platform, players will be able to team up with a friend on September 23, 2020. That date is the same day Goose Game will head to Steam, which is perfect for those that were avoiding the Epic Games Store.
Source: Nintendo Indie World Showcase