Welcome to our Wholesome gaming news!
This week, we have news about record sales for Stardew Valley, Duck Detective sequel coming, and River Towns is expected from Stray Fawn Studio. Chocolate Factory Simulator is released, photography platformer Batography is coming, and Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip is coming to PS5 and Switch.
Record Sales for Stardew Valley
The cosy farming sim Stardew Valley continues to shine as a wonderful success in the gaming world! According to new figures shared on their official site, the game has sold over 41 million copies globally as of December 2024. This includes an impressive 26 million copies on PC and 7.9 million copies on the Nintendo Switch, which was first launched in October 2017.
Although several of our writers played the game, Lynne realised we never published a review for this farming sim. Are you curious to know what she wrote? Find the review here.
Duck Detective Sequel is Coming
Happy Broccoli Games are making a sequel called Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping, a no-murder mystery adventure set on a (haunted??) luxury campsite. In the game, you can inspect evidence, make de-duck-tions, and waddle your way to the truth!
If you enjoyed Duck Detective: The Secret Salami as much as Mina did, that is good news! Mina gave it our highest rating, saying:
Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is one of the best kid-friendly games I’ve ever played. It seems like something that would be super fun to play with some older kids who are comfortable reading and with deduction. While I had some issues with the game, overall, it was such a fun experience. Duck Detective: The Secret Salami has good music, amazing voice acting, fun interactions, and just a good storyline and feel. I love this from my bill down to my webbed feet!
The game has been announced for 2025, no further news about a date yet. You can watch the announcement trailer here!
New by Stray Fawn Studio: River Towns
In River Towns, you get to solve puzzles by placing buildings and creating vibrant cities. In River Towns each of the three districts in the game features its own set of unique shapes, randomly shuffled to ensure that every playthrough offers a fresh puzzle to solve. As you restore the river and construct vibrant towns, their distinctive architecture forms picturesque landscapes along the water.
Buildings belong to color-coded districts, and you can earn bonus points by connecting them into large clusters. Scoring well on levels not only earns stars but also breathes life into the world, unlocking new levels to explore. Along the way, you’ll encounter objectives like collecting gold, regrowing trees, and rebuilding monuments, adding layers of difficulty and variety to the gameplay.
As you progress, your cities will flourish, turning the once-broken world into a lush, green paradise. Your performance on each level earns you bronze, silver, or gold markers, and accumulating enough points allows you to advance to the next world.
River Towns is made by the people behind Wandering Village and is expected to release in Q2-2025. You can already play a demo on Steam and the game has been on Kickstarter this past month, where it’s already fully funded.
Chocolate Factory Simulator Released
Chocolate Factory Simulator by indie developer Games Incubator is now available on Steam with a free demo. This simulation adventure game invites you into a whimsical steampunk world where you can craft chocolates to your heart’s delight. Kalina is working on a review, which you will find on LadiesGamers soon.
Using intricate gourmet machinery in your clockwork workshop, you’ll design and create chocolate masterpieces to satisfy the unique tastes of your customers. As you take orders and build loyalty, you’ll explore the vibrant personalities of this steampunk universe, adding depth to your chocolate empire.
You can transform chocolate into edible art, from intricate shapes to vibrant colours and dazzling accessories. Packaging and presentation are key, and you will get help from Nougat, your customizable automaton assistant.
Photography Platformer Batography
Melbourne-based developer SporkTank has announced that their upcoming photography platformer, Batography, is launching on Steam on January 29, coinciding with the Lunar New Year. Best of all, the game will be free to play!
In Batography, you play as Bato, a curious bat on a mission to capture a perfect photo of the moon. Glide, climb, and snap your way through a charming moonlit town, helping cheeky animal townsfolk with their tasks and collecting mooncakes along the way. Photography isn’t just a pastime in this game—it’s how you solve puzzles and communicate with the quirky residents!
Created by solo developer Martin Stradling, Batography was inspired by a desire to involve his younger cousins in the creative process of game development. With its cosy aesthetic and bite-sized gameplay, it promises a whimsical adventure for players of all ages.
Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip Coming to PS 5 and Switch
After conquering Steam, Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip will speed onto PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch on February 13. Developed by Super Rare Games and snekflat, this quirky, free-roaming exploration game invites you to explore the tiny open-world town of Sprankelwater, bursting with secrets and eccentric characters.
In Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip, you’ll step into the shoes (or flip-flops) of Terry, a dreamer determined to launch himself into space using a car of his own creation. Along the way, you’ll collect wacky items and TURBO JUNK to transform your humble vehicle into a spacefaring masterpiece. It’s a journey like no other with hilarious interactions, chaotic exploration, and plenty of wholesome fun.
Key features include customizable gameplay, from walking to driving and even paragliding, plus a joyful soundtrack by the composer of Wuppo.
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