Another Nintendo Showcase has concluded, but this time the focus wasn’t on blockbuster franchises or major third-party announcements. Instead, the latest Indie World Showcase centered on smaller, more personal titles designed for the Switch and its successor, the Switch 2. This event was a refreshing deep dive into the unique and often surprising world of independent game development.
Mina the Hollower
From the creators of Shovel Knight, this is an action-adventure game with a retro 8-bit aesthetic reminiscent of classic Game Boy Color titles like The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. You play as Mina, a whip-wielding inventor, who can also “hollow” or burrow through the ground to move faster and dodge enemies. The showcase gave this highly anticipated game a definitive release date: October 31, 2025. It will be released for both the original Nintendo Switch and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. A free demo was also made available on the Nintendo eShop immediately following the showcase.
Glaciered
A timed console exclusive for the Nintendo Switch 2, this is an action-adventure game set 65 million years in the future after a new ice age. You play as a Tuai, an evolved, intelligent underwater race descended from birds and dinosaurs. The game combines fast-paced, real-time combat with exploration in a beautiful but dangerous frozen world. It’s set to release this Winter.
Herdling
A new adventure game from Okomotive, the studio behind the acclaimed FAR series. In this game, you embark on a grand expedition up a mountain, herding mysterious and adorable creatures. You’ll encounter strange obstacles and dangers as you try to reach the mysterious summit. The game received a release date of August 21, 2025, for the Nintendo Switch.
Neverway
This game is a “nightmarish life-sim RPG”. It blends cozy life-simulation elements like farming, fishing, and making friends with a dark horror story and fast-paced action RPG combat. You play as Fiona, a young woman who moves to a remote island farm but becomes the “immortal herald of a dead god,” caught between her tranquil life and eldritch nightmares. It was given a release window of 2026 for the Nintendo Switch.
Well Dweller
A dark fantasy Metroidvania from the developers of Crypt Custodian and Islets. You play as Glimmer, a tiny bird armed with a matchstick, on a mission to burn a wicked queen and save his family. The game features charming characters, an underbelly kingdom to explore, and a classic Metroidvania structure. Was announced for a 2026 release on Nintendo Switch. The trailer introduced Glimmer, the small bird protagonist, and the game’s charming yet dark world.
Little Kitty, Big City (The Picture Purrfect Update)
This is a free content update for the popular game about a mischievous cat. The update adds a new pet customization feature, allowing players to create a cat modeled after their own pets. It also expands the game world with new areas, characters, and quests.
Content Warning
The viral online co-op horror game is coming to Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. In this game, you and your friends descend into the “Old World” to film scary things to upload to a fictional video-sharing platform, hoping to go viral. The goal is to get famous, or die trying. Is coming to both the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026.
Ball x Pit
A fast-paced fantasy roguelite that combines brick-breaking mechanics with base-building. You must plunge into a seemingly bottomless pit, battling hordes of enemies with ricocheting balls. You’ll collect resources to expand your homestead and recruit new heroes to aid in your quest. It received a release date of October 15, 2025 for the Nintendo Switch. It was also confirmed to be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 sometime in “fall”.
Ultimate Sheep Raccoon
This party game is the spiritual successor to Ultimate Chicken Horse. It’s a chaotic bike-racing game where you and your friends build the race course together by placing obstacles and traps. It features local and online multiplayer for up to four players. It was announced for a release in Winter 2025 for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
Winter Burrow
A cozy survival game where you play as a mouse trying to survive a harsh winter in a snow-covered forest. You must forage, craft, and restore your childhood burrow while searching for your lost family. The game aims to balance the challenge of survival with a charming, wholesome aesthetic. Coming to Nintendo Switch in Winter 2025.
Undusted: Letters from the Past
A cozy and heartfelt cleaning game. You play as Adora, who returns to her childhood home after her mother’s passing. As you clean and restore old mementos, you uncover fragments of a forgotten past and piece together the family’s history. Announced for an October 2025 release on Nintendo Switch.
Tiny Bookshop
A cozy management game where you run a mobile second-hand bookshop. You’ll travel to different locations, catering to the reading preferences of the locals, recommending books to customers, and customizing your shop to attract more business. Was announced to be available today on the Nintendo eShop.
Caves of Qud
A critically acclaimed science fantasy roguelike RPG. It’s known for its deep, simulated world, complex character creation with mutations, and an open-world structure. You can play with permadeath or a more forgiving “Roleplay” mode. Set to launch Nintendo Switch in Winter 2025.
Strange Antiquities
A “dark and cozy” puzzle adventure game and the sequel to Strange Horticulture. You are the custodian of a shop dealing in occult artifacts in the gloomy town of Undermere. You’ll identify arcane objects and use them to help the townsfolk with their unusual problems. Received a release date of September 17, 2025, for the Nintendo Switch.
OPUS: Prism Peak
A narrative-driven adventure game where you play as a weary photographer who finds himself trapped in an ethereal mountain realm. Using your old camera, you must explore this fading world, uncover its mysteries, and find your way back home. Your choices will shape the story and the bonds you form with the spirits you encounter. It will be a timed console exclusive for both Switch and Switch 2, coming in Fall 2025.
Go-Go Town!
A life-sim and city-building game where you are tasked with rebuilding a rundown tourist town. You’re responsible for the layout, managing resources, and satisfying a wide variety of tourists with unique preferences, including robots, dinosaurs, and werewolves. It was announced as a timed console exclusive for the Nintendo Switch and will be released in Spring 2026.
UFO 50
This collection features 50 retro-style games spanning various genres, including platformers, shoot ’em ups, and RPGs. The games are presented as the lost library of a fictional 80s company called “UFO Soft.” Was released on Switch today.
Is This Seat Taken?
A charming and cozy logic puzzle game. You must correctly seat a group of “shape-people” in various locations, with each person having their own specific seating requirements (for example, wanting to sit by a window or next to a friend). The game has no time limits, so you can take your time to figure out the right arrangement. Is now available on Switch, Steam and mobile phones.
