Welcome to our Wholesome Gaming news! Whether you’re decorating haunted islands, snapping photos of doughnut-wearing Pikmin, or just looking for a game that fits into your busy life, this week’s gaming roundup has something for you. From free seasonal updates in ISLANDERS: New Shores and Twinkleby, to Pikmin 4’s adorable new camera mode and difficulty tweaks, there’s plenty to explore.
You’ll also find a fresh demo and Kickstarter for Dancing with Ghosts, a new Mac release for Strange Antiquities, and a bundle that’s perfect for multitasking mums. Looking ahead, Little Corners has a release date, Banana of Doom promises party chaos, and Planet of Lana is heading to mobile. Oh, and if you fancy playing as a pensioner, The Bench is out now.
Let’s dive in!
Release Date Little Corners
Mina made a demo impressions article about Little Corners and trying the game made her want more. Good news that we now have a release date!
Little Corners will be released on November 13, and a brand new trailer was released to celebrate!
The Momcore Bundle: Games for a Busy Life
If you’re after a cosy gaming escape that fits around your busy life, Whitethorn’s new Momcore Bundle on Humble might be just the ticket. Available now for as little as $4, you’ll get up to 12 wholesome titles that look perfect for winding down, whether you’ve got five minutes or a free afternoon. You choose what you pay, and every purchase helps fund The Trevor Project’s support for LGBTQ youth.
You’ll find gentle adventures like *Lake (*with its Seasons Greetings DLC), where you swap city stress for peaceful mail deliveries, and Calico (with the Neat Things DLC), which lets you rebuild a cat café with pastel furniture, tasty treats, and plenty of feline friends.
APICO looks like a colourful sim packed with beekeeping minigames and lush scenery, while Onsen Master invites you to run a hot spring and soothe your customers’ ailments in a vibrant, arcade-style setting. The bundle also has Kana Quest, Beast of Maravilla and some more good games.
Demo and Kickstarter for Dancing with Ghosts
If you’re drawn to heartfelt stories and gentle gameplay, Dancing with Ghosts looks like one to watch. Launching in 2026 on Steam, this wholesome interactive narrative invites you to explore life, loss, and healing through the eyes of two unlikely companions. Greg Johnson, the man behind HumaNature Studios, has based this game on his own experience with loss, making it a rather poignant tale. One that you can get a taste of already in the demo on Steam.
You’ll play as Mai, a 15-year-old Thai girl weighed down by grief, and Pim, an 11-year-old ghost who’s lost her memory but not her spark. Together, you’ll uncover why their fates are entwined, and help each other find peace. The game blends chill sim-style village life with emotional storytelling, letting you earn Karma, play cultural mini-games, and support the community.
As the ghost, you’ll drift through villagers’ minds, gathering ‘Heartlights’ and passing on their needs to Mai. It looks like a colourful, thoughtful experience that gently explores themes of empathy, self-forgiveness, and even a touch of innocent romance.
Dancing with Ghosts has a Kickstarter going right now, a Kickstarter that could do with your support!
Play as a Pensioner in The Bench
The game The Bench will land on Steam on 24 October. And in this game, you’re not a feisty young and energetic youngster, but a pensioner who is swapping the retirement home for a park bench and a flock of cheeky pigeons. The Bench looks like a colourful, laid-back adventure where you’ll explore stylised maps, solve puzzles, and stir up gentle chaos with your feathered companions.
With a walking stick and a pocket full of bread, you’ll lead a growing crew of customisable pigeons who’ll pinch items, help with puzzles, or simply keep you company while you fish, doodle, or nap. Each bench brings new memories, mini-games, and mischief, from tossing passersby into the air to disrupting picnics and parties.
If you enjoy hidden object hunts, light-hearted pranks, and cosy puzzle-solving, The Bench looks like a charming mix of relaxation and whimsy. With Twitch integrations and plenty of playful distractions, it’s a gentle reminder that retirement doesn’t mean slowing down.
Chaotic Party Game Banana of Doom Coming
If you loved Death by AI, you’ll want to keep an eye on Banana of Doom, Little Umbrella’s next chaotic party game, launching on Steam in December 2025.
You’ll build decks from hundreds of meme-inspired cards, trigger unpredictable reactions from AI characters, and dive into matches designed for maximum mayhem. Whether you’re playing with friends, family, or streaming to your community, Banana of Doom is built for laugh-out-loud moments and social chaos.
To celebrate the reveal, the studio released a first look at its collectible card sets, including fan favourites from the Discord beta and brand-new “Doom Packs” such as Doomed Zoo, Snack Attack, and Glitch Legends.
Planet of Lana Coming to Mobile
Developed by Wishfully and ported to mobile by Playdigious, Planet of Lana is coming to iOS and Android on December 9th! And that’s great news, as when Kalina reviewed the game for us on Steam, she gave it our highest rating, Two Thumbs Up!
In Planet of Lana, you’ll embark on a poetic journey across a beautiful alien planet. Explore hand-painted landscapes, solve ancient puzzles, and escape dangerous creatures and machines. Play as Lana and her loyal animal companion, Mui to uncover the secrets of this planet. Restore the balance between humans, nature, and animals in this sci-fi universe.
You can now pre-register on Google Play or pre-order it now on the App store to get a special 10% off launch price! ($7.99 instead of $8.99)
ISLANDERS: New Shores Gets a Spooky Free Halloween Update
If you’ve been craving a creepy twist to your cosy city-building sessions, ISLANDERS: New Shores has just dropped a free Halloween update, and it’s live now on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch. ISLANDERS: New Shores was already a game that got a very positive verdict from our writer Laurane, so the free update will add even more fun.
You’ll get to explore a new “Halloween” biome that looks dark, gloomy, and full of secrets (watch where you click!). Seasonal decor like pumpkins, gravestones and eerie candle-lit trees add a haunting vibe to your sandbox builds, while new spooky music sets the tone.
There’s also a fresh Boon called “Replace”, plus four new challenges to tackle. Complete “Ghost Whisperer” to unlock a new Aviary building facade, or try “Clairvoyage” to earn the ghostly “Ghost Vision” camera filter. You’ll find tweaks to accessibility too, including improved gamepad support and a handy “no snapping” keybind.
With six new achievements and plenty of eerie charm, this update looks like a treat for fans of minimalist strategy with a seasonal twist.
Twinkleby’s Hallowtide Event: Spooky Surprises
If you’re decorating your floating islands in Twinkleby, now’s the time to embrace the eerie season. The Hallowtide event is live until 6 November, bringing festive flair, mysterious visitors, and some clever new tools to this cosy diorama-builder that Kalina already liked a lot!
You’ll find seasonal goodies at Molligan’s Antiques, including carved pumpkins, novelty candles and pumpkin pies. Collect the full Hallowtide set and you’ll unlock a special reward. But that’s not all. Decorate with the right Halloween item and you might just attract Countess Q, a mysterious new Neighbour who only visits during the event.
Other spooky additions include:
- The Obbler, a black hole-inspired gadget that lets you clean up outdoor spaces in seconds.
- Overgrown Houses, unlocked by welcoming rare plant-like visitors—each house looks beautifully tangled in vines and flowers.
- Twinkly Neighbours, rare colour variants you can collect and track.
- Evil Doppelgangers, sneaky twins of Theodore, Edith and Dr. Damfino who might show up uninvited.
All Hallowtide items you buy will stay in your inventory after the event ends, but they won’t be available in the shop again, so grab them while you can. A follow-up patch is also planned for November, with more fixes and polish based on player feedback.
Pikmin 4 Free Update Adds Decor Pikmin and Easy Mode
A new, free update for Pikmin 4 is coming to Nintendo Switch this November. Pikmin 4 is a game that I enjoyed so much when it was released, very nice that we get this update now!
It expands your Pikmin experience with adorable Decor Pikmin, a camera mode for taking in-game photos, and two new options to adjust the challenge level of your expedition.
Decor Pikmin: These curious Pikmin, previously seen in the Pikmin Bloom smart device app, are now coming to Pikmin 4. Decor Pikmin wear decorations they’ve found in the world, such as a wind-up toy, a doughnut, a snow hat and many other accessories. Decor Pikmin you collect in the new Pikmin 4 update can also be transferred to your team in Pikmin Bloom, including some variants that are exclusive to Pikmin 4.
Exploration Camera: Take stylish photos of your character, your team and anything else you like with this new camera mode. Choose your camera angle, hide characters, and decorate your photos with filters, frames and stamps.
New Creature Difficulty Levels: Choose a calmer, less hostile experience in the new Relaxed mode, where creatures only attack if you attack them first. If you’re looking for more challenge, you can also opt for the intense Fierce mode. These modes can be selected when starting a new game or later by going into the settings of an existing save.
Strange Antiquities Can Be Played on Mac
One month on from launch, Strange Antiquities has already made its mark, the reception on Steam has been overwhelmingly positive. Kalina reviewed the game for us, and also gave it a Two Thumbs Up.
Great news that it’s now also playable on Steam through your Mac!
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