Farming, cooking, and selling your wares to the locals. What was once a typical day in the life of a peasant in the Middle Ages is now a welcome respite from the technologically-dominated life of a modern citizen of the internet. It used to be that making bread was a way to stay alive; now it's a hobby that you take up when you're bored of eating the bread other people made for you.
Wholesome Games is dedicated to showcasing the games that make us feel all toasty inside when the real world leaves us cold and sad. Although there was a full-size Wholesome Games Direct back in May, we just had what the team is calling a "Wholesome Snack": a smaller teaser of upcoming indie games just in time for the holidays. Here are all of the games featured that will be coming to the Nintendo Switch:
Calico
A cute little community simulation game, in which you can ride bears, befriend huge red pandas, and run a cat café that you decorate yourself. Calico was, in fact, released on December 15th during the Nintendo Indie World Showcase, so you can get it right now!
Kitaria Fables
A rather pretty RPG and farming sim that gives us big Rune Factory and Dragon Quest vibes, only you play as a cat-person. The enemies and townsfolk are equally cute, so it's going to be hard to know who to kill and who to trade with, but that's a problem for another time. The trailer says "coming to PC and consoles in 2021", which includes the Switch! We featured this in our very own Indie Spotlight a while back.
Here Comes Niko!
Billed as a "cozy 3D platformer for tired people", which includes pretty much everyone in 2020, Here Comes Niko! includes most of the wholesome games tropes: fishing, farming, friendship, frogs, and yes, more felines. (Did cats take over games while we weren't looking?) Here Comes Niko! is listed only as "coming soon", so we'll have to wait a while longer to know when it'll be on the Switch.
Potion Permit
Finally, a game that represents the section of players who prefer dogs to cats. As the doctor/witch of a small town named Moonbury, it's up to you to fix the various ailments and issues of the locals with the help of your cauldron, your foraging knowledge, and your companion pooch. And... what's that? You can maybe date the townsfolk? Isn't that a breach of doctor-patient ethics? Ah, who cares. It's cute! Potion Permit has a vague release date of 2021, but it's already looking quite polished. This was another game we featured during our own indie spotlight.
Onsen Master
Last but not least, it's Onsen Master, a "Spirited Away meets Overcooked" game about corralling customers into various hot tubs to fix their problems. It's not as simple as it sounds - with the addition of yokai, the mischievous spirits who want to make your life hard, and a range of different onsens that require a little more management and puzzle-solving. Described as "short and sweet", and featuring a couch co-op mode, Onsen Master will be out some time in early 2021.
[source youtu.be]
Comments 12
Calico looks like a bad Dreamcast game.
Id love to snag Calico, but... Dicey Dungeons, Grindstone, and Synthetik demanded my attention more.
Animal Crossing made bank. Nintendo have read the room.
A surprising amount of cat centrism, but nonetheless a good looking bunch of colorful indie games. I look forward to giving Kitaria and Potion Permit a try in the near future.
I really like the sound of Potion Permit. I usually pick healer for rpgs if I can
OMG !! 😮
I almost forgot about Kitaria Fables. 😀
Kitaria Fables and Potion Permit look great!
I downloaded Calico, looking forward to trying it out! It looks so chill, which is what I'm looking for in games these days. I'm really into cat games these days too (especially since I got my cat in August).
Keeping an eye out for more info on Kitaria Fables and Potion Permit. Those look awesome!
I wish we'd hear more news about Witchbrook.
The overall vibe to me is one of imitation in this busy genre. Presumably this feeling emerges from the rather bare Unity style assets, this cribbing can diminish the impact of artistic stylings. Still early to establish which are being inventive, but Cozy Grove looks like it has the potential to deliver on story and character.
@KateGray I think you are missing Cozy Grove as there are no references to its presence in the montage.
Oh, Wow!
I didn't realize if Potion Permit was indie game made by Indonesian peoples from Bandung ! 😲😀
That's from my country.
Do you guys read these comments? There is still a game being left out of this list inexplicably, which will no doubt lead to confusion when it's announced else where and not corroborated with this Direct edition of theirs.
@KateGray
that Here Comes Niko! game looks like a paper mario clone
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