In addition to their main Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo now also hosts a livestream for the Nindies, upcoming independent releases for the eShop on the Nintendo Switch. The 11 minute presentation covers a variety of independent titles that will enjoy a Switch release this year.
Notably included is West of Loathing, the smash hit RPG from Asymmetric. Done in the style of their free multiplayer online game Kingdom of Loathing, the free roaming Western-themed adventure was lauded by critics and fans for being incredibly clever and creative. Explore a variety of Old West towns filled with memorable characters, and complete some impressively complex puzzles wrapped in some impressively silly jokes. The Switch port will be a console exclusive and will feature “more than 50 hats to collect and liberal use of Oxford commas.”
Also featured is Reigns: Kings and Queens, a seemingly simplistic decision based game where you are the monarch of a kingdom and you make your decisions by swiping left or right on a sort of medieval Tinder. Each decision affects the four pillars of your kingdom: the church, the military, the people, and your wealth. Balance your decisions to keep all of these pillars standing and see how long your reign will last. This release is a combination of the original Reigns and Reigns: Her Majesty, a later release with a female lead and improved narrative.
There are plenty of other titles like the challenging and colorful platformer Light Fall, the Norwegian-inspired co-op puzzler Pode, and a remastered version of Klei entertainment’s critically acclaimed stealth game Mark of the Ninja.
You can watch the full showcase below and take get a look at all of the titles making their debut on the Switch this year. It is a pretty sizable and impressive list, and a great sign for independent developers. As more big studios take notice of successful indie games, more unique and creative titles will make their way into the larger market.