With 2020 nearly over and The Game Awards come and gone, few expected any more big gaming announcements before the new year. However, Nintendo surprised everyone with the confirmation that it would be hosting yet anotherIndie World Showcasebefore the year was out, delivering on that promise with a 15 minute presentation focused entirely on indie games coming to the Switch.
While the Indie World Showcase events typically don’t have the world-shattering announcements associated with traditional Nintendo Directs, the latest Indie World Showcase did have some big reveals for Switch owners.
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Here are all the announcements from the Nintendo Indie World Showcase.
Spelunky on Switch
The Nintendo Indie World Showcase started things off with the surprise reveal that bothSpelunkyandSpelunky 2will be coming to the Nintendo Switch summer 2021. The originalSpelunkywill have local-op support, whereasSpelunky 2will support both online and local co-op play.
Timed Exclusives
One of two cat-themed indie games announced for the Nintendo Switch,Fisti-Fluffsis a brawling cat game that will be available at some point in early 2021. It will be joined by another quirky party game calledVery Very Valet, also set for launch in early 2021.
A little bit later in the year, Nintendo Switch indie fans can look forward to playingTunche, which was one of the more impressive-looking games shown during Indie World Showcase.Tuncheuses a hand-drawn art style and mimics the look of the Amazon Rainforest, letting players go through the game in local co-op with up to five playable characters to choose from. Available March 2021, the game will also feature Hat Kid fromA Hat in Timeas one of the playable characters, and likeFisti-FluffsandVery Very Valet, it will be a timed-exclusive for the Switch on consoles.
One of the bigger timed-exclusives confirmed for the Switch isSuper Meat Boy Forever.Super Meat Boy Forever’s December 23 release datewas confirmed at The Game Awards already, but its Switch timed-exclusivity was just revealed during the Indie World Showcase presentation.
Cyber Shadow
Yacht Club Games, the publisher ofShovel Knight, is bringing some more retro-inspired experiences to the Switch.Cyber Shadowis an 8-bit style game that’s clearly inspired byNinja GaidenandMetroid. In fact, it looks exactly like an old-schoolNinja Gaidengame mixed withMetroidvania-style progressionand upgrades. InCyber Shadow, players will have to save their clan, collecting new abilities that will help them further explore the game world, defeating over 12 intimidating bosses along the way.
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Cyber Shadowis unique from the other indie games shown during the latest Indie World Showcase thanks to its use of amiibo. While indie games rarely use amiibo in any meaningful capacity,Cyber Shadowis compatible withShovel Knightamiibo, allowing players to bring Shovel Knight himself into the game as a fairy helper.
Cyber Shadowwill launch on June 24, 2025.
Surprise Launches
In its latest Indie World Showcases and Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase presentations, Nintendo has made a habit of surprise-launching games, making titles available for purchase from theeShopimmediately or just hours after the events. This was true for some of the games shown during the latest Indie World Showcase as well, includingCalico, a quirky game where the goal is to run a “cat cafe,” or “catfe.”
Another surprise launch wasGrindstone, the latest title from Capybara Games, the studio behind games likeSuper TIME ForceandBelow.Grindstonewas previously made available on iOS mobile devices, but it’s making its console debut on the Nintendo Switch today, December 15.
More 2021 Indies
Nintendo highlighted some other 2021 indie games that are in the works for the Switch, includingAlba: A Wildlife Adventure. Developed by the award-winningMonument Valleyteam,Alba: A Wildlife Adventureis all about saving an island and its wildlife. Players will be able to explore a beach, castle ruins, and a town, recruiting volunteers to help take care of sick animals and clean up trash on the island.Alba: A Wildlife Adventurewill be available spring 2021.
WhereasAlba: A Wildlife Adventureseems like a fairly optimistic adventure, the same can’t be said for some of the other games coming to Switch in 2021.Gnosiais a creepy-looking visual novel mixed with social deduction and RPG elements, whereasHappy Gameis anything but.Happy Gamelooks genuinely horrifying, and it will be interesting to see more of it come next year.
Indie Game Montage
Near the end of the presentation, Nintendo decided to give a brief look at some more upcoming indie games that are in active development for the Switch. These titles includedWhen the Past Was Around,Kosmokrats,Hoa,Hazel Sky,Trash Sailors, andFinding Paradise.
Among Us
The biggest announcement from the Nintendo Indie World Showcase was the surprise reveal that the hit gameAmong Usis making its console debut on the Switch. Launching later today,Among Ushas made big waves this past year, and so fans of the game now have yet another way to experience the phenomenon.
