Nintendo Switch Indie World Adds Fresh New Worlds To Explore
Despite the technological advancements and raw power of the new Xbox and PlayStation consoles, the aging Nintendo Switch continues to stand strong, especially with a strong selection of games. Most of the media focus, however, has been on big, triple-A titles from popular studios but those are hardly the only satisfying and memorable experiences available on the console. To shine a light on some of the lesser-known games from other developers, Nintendo's Indie World is adding some new titles while showcasing the unique worlds that indie games can offer gamers of all shapes and sizes.
Indie games are often thought of as raw, unpolished, or even ugly compared to bigger titles but that mostly misses out on the point of this class of games. Thanks to their size and resource limitations, indies are able or sometimes even forced to think outside the box, creating unique experiences, mechanics, and narratives that bigger companies are too scared to explore for fear of profit loss. In other words, indie games can be quite an adventure into unknown territory, where presentation may or may not be part of the message.
Nintendo's recently concluded Indie World Showcase puts the spotlight on some of these titles, including new ones on the Switch platform that are immediately available for purchase. Annapurna Interactive, known for its emotional narrative games, has brought Florence and What Remains of Edith Finch to the portable console. FEZ, one of the most acclaimed indie titles, has also made its way to the Switch.
That's just the top of the indie iceberg, though. Nintendo also showcased Road 96, a unique game that blends narrative with procedurally generated road trips along with supernatural game OXENFREE II: Lost Signals. Going beyond the sometimes slow pace of narrative-centric adventure games, Cris Tales takes inspiration from JRPGs old and new in a time-bending action-packed RPG.
To mark the Indie World Showcase and better spread the word about indie games, Nintendo has also kicked off its Spring Indie World Sale. Ending on April 25th, 11:59 pm PT, the catalog includes heavy-hitters like Hades, Ori and the Will of Wisps, and Terraria as well as newcomers Haven and Panzer Paladin.