Welcome to our Wholesome gaming news!
This week, we have news that Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Complete is out, Family Time DLC is coming to Everdream Valley, and 3 New Steam Bundles highlight the Top Indie Games of 2024. New Creator Packs and Radio Station arrive in Cities: Skylines II, Tales of the Shire Wallpaper and Slopecrashers, the snowboarding racer, is out! The Wholesome Snack: Game Awards Edition Bundle 2024, Cattle Country is announced and 3D Platformer Ruffy and the Riverside is coming. Go on a holiday adventure with Rascal’s Escape, a festive update for Amber Isle and Open World RTS City Builder Airborne Empire is coming in January.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Complete is Out!
Last week, on November 26th, Animal Crossing Pocket Camp closed its doors (or rather, the server shut down) after 7 years. I must say they made the most of it, with farewell messages from the animals, a reel with special moments over the years and special presents for the player.
On December 2nd, a day before the expected date, Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Complete is available in the mobile stores! The new game is available for a one-time cost of $9.99. However, if you’re joining after January 31st, 2025, the price will double to $19.99. Of course, I downloaded it as soon as the reminder came in, and downloaded the saved data from the old game. It was like I hadn’t been away, but at first glance, I really miss social interactions…more than I had foreseen!
Family Time DLC Coming to Everdream Valley
Fans of Everdream Valley can look forward to new content. The Family Time DLC launches on Steam on December 6th, 2024. This expansion introduces new Story Quests which unravel fresh tales and challenges that deepen the magic of Everdream Valley. There are also new NPCs, new animals and there is new furniture.
The Family Time DLC is heading to consoles in Q1 2025, so you won’t have to wait long to enjoy the same adventures. And console players can also look forward to multiplayer functionality arriving soon, allowing you to share the Everdream Valley experience with friends.
If you are diving into Everdream Valley for the first time, our beginners’ guide might be helpful!
3 New Steam Bundles Highlight Top Indie Games of 2024
It’s the perfect season to stock up on great indie games. Steam has introduced three new bundles featuring some of the best indie titles of 2024:
The Peak Pals Bundle features three accessible but challenging climbing games: Valley Peaks, Surmount and Bread & Fred.
The aptly named Call Your Mom, It’s the End of the World features 4 of the best narrative games of 2023 and 2024. In the bundle are: Venba, Goodbye Volcano High, Thirsty Suitors and 1000x Resist.
For families, younger or cozy games, check out this bundle featuring Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, The Plucky Squire and Little Kitty, Big City.
New Creator Packs and Radio Station Arrive in Cities: Skylines II
Paradox Interactive has released an exciting new DLC for Cities: Skylines II. The “Urban Promenades” Creator Pack introduces mixed housing with stylish rooftop terraces and expanded sidewalks for urban promenades, while the “Modern Architecture” Creator Pack adds sleek, contemporary buildings for services, transportation, and more.
Additionally, the new “Soft Rock Radio” station brings a soothing soundtrack to your city-building sessions. These DLCs can be purchased individually or bundled together in the Modern City Bundle for $17.99| €17.99| £14.99.
If you already own the Cities: Skylines II – Waterfronts Expansion Pass or the Ultimate Edition, these new additions are included at no extra cost and ready to download.
Tales of the Shire Wallpaper
While we wait for the release of Tales of the Shire on March 25th, 2025 we can already enjoy some lovely wallpapers. The social accounts of Tales of the Shire alerted us to these beauties, which you can find here!!
Slopecrashers Snowboarding Racer is Out!
Slopecrashers, a high-speed, arcade-style snowboarding racer, is now available on Steam! Developed by Byteparrot and published by Neonhive Games, this chaotic and fun-filled game invites you to shred the slopes solo or race against up to 8 friends. With vibrant physics, wacky animal snowboarders, and quirky gear like frying pans, Slopecrashers is inspired by classics like SSX and Snowboard Kids but amps up the action with customizable characters, epic courses, and outrageous stunts.
James reviewed the game and liked it a lot, saying:
Slopecrashers is a love letter to the arcade-style snowboarding games of yesteryear. It’s accessible, fun, and packed with options for solo players and multiplayer chaos, local or online. While it doesn’t reinvent the snowboard, it’s a nostalgic ride down memory lane with a modern twist.
Wholesome Snack: The Game Awards Edition Bundle
Wholesome Games has teamed up with Humble Bundle once again for the Wholesome Snack: The Game Awards Edition bundle. This special collection of six indie games is available starting today for USD $22.00, with a portion of the proceeds supporting World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit dedicated to providing meals in response to crises.
The bundle includes Fae Farm, The Ranch of Rivershine, Little Kitty, Big City, Spirit City Lofi Sessions, Minami Lane, and Rusty’s Retirement. If you’re looking to pay less, you can donate as little as $5.00 USD to unlock two games or pay more to give extra to the developers, Humble, and the charity.
You can find more info about the bundle here.
Ye-Haw! Cattle Country is Coming
Cattle Country is coming in 2025, with a blend of cozy, wholesome gaming and Wild West action-adventure. Developed by Castle Pixel and published by Playtonic Friends, this upcoming title is packed with activities like mining, fishing, crafting, and farming alongside thrilling story-driven quests filled with romance, cattle drives, bandits, and robberies.
With 18 romanceable characters, a wide-open frontier to explore, and treasures waiting to be unearthed, Cattle Country invites you to create your dream ranch and build lasting connections with the townsfolk. But watch out—bandits and shady plots might disrupt your peaceful life. Whether you’re protecting your homestead, chasing buried treasures, or mingling at the rodeo, the game offers hours of engaging gameplay.
Releasing digitally on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation in 2025, physical editions will also be available for PlayStation and Switch.
3D Platformer Ruffy and the Riverside
German indie studio Zockrates Laboratories and US publisher Phiphen Games have announced that Ruffy and the Riverside is on track for an early 2025 release on PC and consoles. Alongside its confirmed Steam debut, PC players will now also find the game on the Epic Games Store and console gamers will enjoy it on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
This open-world action game introduces the magical SWAP ability, letting you copy and paste textures to transform the environment. Imagine turning ice into lava or walls into rubble as you explore the vibrant world of Riverside. You’ll join Ruffy on a mission to stop the mischievous Groll from destroying the World Core, meeting quirky companions like Pip the sassy bee and Sir Eddler the adventurous mole along the way.
With seven regions to explore, playful side quests, and the freedom to design your own textures, Ruffy and the Riverside promises a creative, puzzle-filled adventure.
A Holiday Adventure with Rascal’s Escape
Indie game studio The Good Evil is bringing a co-op adventure your way this holiday season! Rascal’s Escape launches on December 11th, 2024, for Nintendo Switch and Steam, offering a cosy journey across Europe from the comfort of your couch.
In this colourful 3D adventure, you’ll play as the nimble Squirrel and the strong Bear on a 10+ hour scavenger hunt to track down Rascal, a mischievous badger who’s left clues and selfies across iconic European locations. From fixing the Tower Bridge in London to putting on a play in Rome’s Colosseum, there’s no shortage of exciting challenges to tackle.
Enjoy fun side activities like learning foreign languages, tasting delicious local food, and collecting unique souvenirs. You can even dress up the characters in stylish outfits or help out with recycling tasks. Bring along a friend for couch co-op and use each character’s unique abilities to solve puzzles and support each other on your journey. Sounds like a good holiday adventure to share!
Festive Update for Amber Isle
A free Festive update is now available for Amber Isle, adding a sprinkle of winter magic to the game. You can enjoy a new timed event, “Snow in the Plaza,” where the town transforms into a snowy wonderland. You can also decorate with over 25 new festive items and capture the season’s charm with winter-themed photo mode borders. Alongside these additions, the update includes bug fixes and other improvements to enhance your gameplay experience. To see what they are, you can find the patch notes here.
Open World RTS City Builder Airborne Empire
From the studio that brought us Airborne Kingdom, we now get a new Open World RTS City Builder called Airborne Empire, coming January 13th, 2025 on Steam in Early Access.
In the game, you build your sky city while exploring a vast landscape. Airborne Empire will combine the methodical construction and management of a city builder, the unique lift, balance, and propulsion needed for a flying city and the compelling characters, dangers, and adventures of an RPG!
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