Indie Highlights March 20 2019

Today, another Nintendo Indie highlights was aired, the second one this year. You might remember Paige covered the first one (read it here if you want to refresh your memory).

I was still at work when it was aired, so I watched it just now in the train. At first glance, I wasn’t really overwhelmed. I feel the Switch is getting too much of the same type of games already: retro styled, arcade style platformers, shooters and action game. I had hoped for more casual sim games, like the ones I often feature in my From Steam to Switch articles. But it wasn’t to be.

Check out the content that was offered.

Getting friendly with Microsoft: Cuphead

I must confess that I don’t know Cuphead, and it’s not the kind of game that I’ll buy. What’s interesting though is the cooperation between Microsoft and Nintendo in bringing this game to the Switch. Here’s the official description:

Cuphead is a classic run and gun action game heavily focused on boss battles. Inspired by cartoons of the 1930s, the visuals and audio are painstakingly created with the same techniques of the era: traditional hand drawn cel animation, watercolour backgrounds, and original jazz recordings.

Play as Cuphead or Mugman (in single player or local co-op) as you traverse strange worlds, acquire new weapons, learn powerful super moves, and discover hidden secrets while you try to pay your debt back to the devil!

The game will release April 18 in the eShop.

Neo Cab, story driven in a dark world

NeoCab is a game about survival in a post apocalyptic world that is ruled by automation. This game might be one for me, as it focuses on the story and the characters. It has a sort of management mechanic to it too as you run your cab business. This is on the Nintendo website.

You play as Lina, the last human driver on the neon-drenched streets of Los Ojos. When your friend and only lifeline mysteriously vanishes, you’re on your own in an unfamiliar city. Choose your passengers – and your words – wisely. If you can balance your cash, star rating and emotional health, you might just keep your job long enough to find her.

The game is expected in Summer 2019.

Pine open world adventure

Another one that interests me is Pine. Pine is an open-world action adventure simulation game where you have beautiful biomes to explore, puzzles to solve, and secrets to discover.

Take on the role of Hue, a brave young adult who belongs to the last remaining tribe of humans on the island of Albamare. Find your way through an ever-changing world in which all creatures have lives, goals and quests of their own. Albamare’s factions trade and fight with each other over food and territory, while Hue learns about ways to influence the ecology, in search for a new home for the humans.

Though the part in the indie trailer with the harsh fighting doesn’t appeal to me, it sure looks beautiful. And open world exploring might be for me. the game is expected in August 2019.

Narrative survival game The Red Lantern

The Red Lantern has an interesting concept. You and your team of 5 sled dogs, lost in the wilderness, must navigate the ever-changing events of the Alaskan bush to find your way home. The environment can be harsh, as the trailer shows in the scene with the bear. The way to survive is up to you, and I’m guessing it won’t be easy!

Can you imagine going on a journey like this? For the brave few from around the world, the Iditarod is an incredible feat to overcome, and our friends at Timberline Studio are making this daring adventure a video game reality on Nintendo Switch. The Red Lantern is set in Nome, Alaska, where you play as The Musher as she sets out to train for the grueling Iditarod race. With your trusty crew of dogs, navigate the ever-changing landscape and events in the Alaskan wilderness as you find your way home. Combining roguelike elements into this story-driven adventure game, where hundreds of different events can occur—like fending off bears, resisting frostbite, attending your dogs, or receiving a signature moose-licking. And the Nintendo Switch version boasts gyro controls in Handheld Mode, allowing you to look around your environment with a simple turn of the system.

It reminds me of Flame in the Flood, very challenging but very satisfying too. No specific date is given, just 2019.

Cadence of Hyrule: todays’ surprise

Todays’ surprise for many people no doubt was Cadence of Hyrule. A mix between Crypt of the NecroDancer and Zelda. The game includes both Zelda and Link, but uses the same beat-based gameplay of the original NecroDancer. There’s also new stages and enemies, again based on the Zelda franchise. I don’t know the NecroDancer game, but I’m sure it has the fans exited.

In the latest rhythmic action-adventure from Brace Yourself Games, you can enjoy the gameplay of Crypt of the NecroDancer in the setting of The Legend of Zelda series. As Link or Princess Zelda, players explore randomly generated overworld and dungeons on a quest to save Hyrule, and every beat of the 25 remixed Legend of Zelda tunes is a chance to move, attack, defend and more. From modern-looking Lynels to the Hyrulean Soldiers of old, players must master the instinctive movements of each pixel-art enemy and strategically outstep them in rhythmic combat using an arsenal of iconic items from The Legend of Zelda, as well as the spells and weapons from Crypt of the NecroDancer.

The game is expected soo, this Spring.

Lots more games announced

These weren’t the only games announced, there were many more:

• Overland – Fall 2019
• My Friend Pedro – June 2019
• Darkwood – May 2019
• Katana Zero – April 18, 2019
• Rad – Summer 2019
• Creature in the Well – Summer 2019
• Bloodroots – Summer 2019
• Super Crate Box – April 2019
• Nuclear Throne – Available today
• Ultra Bugs – 2019
• Swimsanity – Summer 2019
• Blaster Master Zero II – Available today
• Stranger Things 3 – July 4, 2019

If you would like to know more, check out the broadcast: