PAX Aus has come and long past for any other 12 months. This 12 months’s turnout exceeded 85,000, an excellent turnout over 3 days of gaming, cosplay, workshops, theatrics, and extra.
Right here at Natural Nintendo, we like exploring the indie dev space of the showroom flooring, which turns out to develop in dimension every 12 months. That’s as a result of there’s simply such a lot skill on show, with devs from throughout Australia amassing to turn their wares.
PAX Aus 2025 packed an actual punch, highlighting some best titles. We met with a number of devs to speak about their thrilling video games. Beneath is a abstract of the video games we sampled. It’s no longer the whole thing from the development, so if we overlooked you, please achieve out and tell us! Should you had been on the display, tell us your fave titles on show.
Proper, let’s get to it!
Chessplus (Chessplus)
Chessplus isn’t any stranger to PAX Aus. We’ve spotted the bodily board recreation on show and on sale over the last few years. It items the vintage 64-square recreation of chess with a twist: you’ll be able to merge items to create new hybrid varieties!
For instance, pawn + knight = knawn. This new piece can transfer and assault like a pawn and knight, providing you with extra choices. You’ll be able to additionally break up items to devise the easiest assault. It provides a number of option to this vintage boardgame.
PAX Aus 2025 introduced us a pleasant marvel after we stumbled upon the Chessplus group within the indie dev space, appearing off a virtual model of the sport. Gamers had been inspired to check or even destroy the sport – we did somewhat of each whilst chatting to enthusiastic developer, Josh. Colour us inspired when Josh promptly up to date the sport in a single day so lets attempt to destroy it once more tomorrow. This is without doubt one of the many the explanation why we like PAX – and why we truly love indie devs.
The Chessplus Video Sport is greater than only a virtual model of the board. It includes a new deckbuilding roguelike mode, permitting gamers to unharness game-changing playing cards and grasp variants. It provides a large number of selection to the sport, and we beloved what we noticed at PAX.
The corporate’s slogan is discreet: It’s no longer chess, it’s higher! This enjoyable take at the vintage recreation is because of hit early get entry to on Steam quickly, and you’ll be able to wishlist Chessplus now. We’re taking a look ahead to listening to whether or not a Transfer model could be within the works, too.
In finding out extra about Chessplus on their website online.
Fort Cab (Royal Reign)
Fort Cab’s colourful, fast moving motion indisputably sticks out while you stroll previous the show at the showroom flooring at PAX Aus. The group at Royal Reign has created one thing distinctive and enjoyable with Fort Cab, striking you into the horseshoes of a noble steed from the center ages. Your purpose? Run round the town hitched in your trusty cart, finishing quests and inflicting chaos.
It’s a blast to play, with guards chasing you as you break the whole thing for your trail with a neat twister transfer. Your horse is customizable, and everyone knows that horses dressed in hats are merely the most efficient. It additionally options as much as 4 gamers in multiplayer mode.
Fort Cab is slated for unencumber in 2026 on Steam. A Transfer model has additionally been introduced, although timing is but to be showed. Within the intervening time, you’ll be able to wishlist Fort Cab on Steam.
Elasticritters (Yooreekaa Video games)
Don’t let the cuteness idiot you, Elasticritters is a troublesome little name! It comes to lovely critters formed like balls who jump thru more than a few platforming ranges. This sales space was once fashionable around the weekend, however we saved an eye fixed on it and took benefit when the queue died down so lets chat with the 2 builders at the stand.
The purpose of Elasticritters varies, with each racing and capture-the-flag modes to be had. We attempted each and had a blast. The controls are moderately easy, together with your critter bouncing mechanically. All you truly wish to do is transfer them in the fitting route, although you’ll be able to additionally carry out a larger soar by way of urgent the related button.
The sport is 3-d, so rotating the digital camera view is very important whilst navigating difficult platforms and large fanatics. It was once irritating (for this reporter) to start with, however as soon as issues clicked, I used to be smiling all the time. I even gained seize the flag!
Elasticritters is slated for unencumber on Steam in quarter 4 of 2025. We want the group neatly with the approaching release – and our palms stay crossed for a Transfer model one day!
Silk Leap (Stout Middle Video games)
Silk Leap (to not be puzzled with Silktune) is a physics-based recreation that includes a caterpillar looking to ascend thru a tree trunk. How? By means of catapulting your self upper and better directly to other platforms, in fact!
You’ll be able to regulate the trajectory and tool of your shot, making it really feel somewhat like a 2D golfing name. It’s a kind of video games that’s fast to select up and difficult to position down. The controls are simple and intuitive, however oh boy is it difficult!
There are powerups and collectibles all through the sport, and a to hand (non-compulsory) internet to catch you in the event you fall. We indisputably wanted this protection internet in our playthrough!
You’ll be able to take a look at the demo for your self on Steam. The group is making an attempt to get onto the Nintendo Transfer, however hasn’t had a lot success with Nintendo at this degree. Hands crossed the Giant N will let them port their recreation throughout, as it might swimsuit the hybrid tool completely. We can watch in anticipation!
My Fingers are Longer Now (Toot Video games)
If there was once an award for “Maximum Hilarious Indie Identify” at PAX Aus, this could be it. My Fingers are Longer Now, from Victoria’s Toot Video games, sees gamers regulate a squiggly, elongated arm because it slithers its method thru more than a few environments. The purpose? To reason chaos.
The gameplay is foolish however enjoyable, with the arm – belonging to you because the participant – inflicting all types of havoc because it winds its method thru a educate within the demo. Highlights come with taking any person’s motorcycle with out them noticing and slapping the price tag inspector when he forums the educate.
The brilliant, colourful graphics are coupled with some terrific voiceover paintings from native Aussie comedians. The group has additionally added in customizable hands to make it really feel extra such as you’re the only in regulate of this elongated mischief maker.
Should you’re searching for one thing edgy, control this one. It’s no longer out on Steam simply but, however you’ll be able to wishlist My Fingers are Longer Now at the moment. Expectantly we’ll see this one snake its method directly to the Transfer one day, too.
Fox and Shadow (Paper Cactus Video games)
Fox and Shadow had an excellent location at PAX Aus – there’s no “unhealthy location” truly, however this was once truly in an ideal spot. It allowed quite a lot of passersby to view the colourful, anime-inspired poster, merch, and pattern the sport.
The sport itself is a sci-fi dual-deckbuilding roguelike. The tale comes to scavenging for assets in a damaged town to handle your crumbling bunker. As you move, you free up playing cards used to stand off towards enemies in enjoyable turn-based battles. One of the crucial standout options is the power to mix playing cards between battles, making improvements to your talents.
We attempted this one and had a blast. Whilst the sport has no unencumber date at the moment, you’ll be able to wishlist Fox and Shadow on Steam. There’s additionally a demo to be had. Will it additionally come to Transfer? Time will inform.
Hi Global (UltraPlayers)
We in reality attempted Hi Global at PAX Aus 2024. We’re glad to file that this cell recreation has advanced considerably over the last one year, with advanced efficiency and graphics.
UltraPlayers isn’t any stranger to recreation building, with earlier releases together with Gumballs& Dungeons, Ares Virus, and Tremendous Snail. They’ve gained a couple of awards alongside the way in which, they usually’re ramping up for extra positivity with Hi Global (we simply love the identify, by way of the way in which).
In Hi Global, gamers are transported to a mysterious international filled with historic creatures. The original premise sees you combine with those creatures to change into tremendous robust, with mutations and all types of craziness all through your time with this roguelike journey.
The group was once as soon as once more tremendous glad to be at PAX Aus, interacting with everybody and asking gamers for comments. This 12 months, the group had stickers and a leaderboard to lend a hand advertise the sport. Did we make it onto the board? Sure. Sure, we did. That’s as a result of we spent a long period of time in this one.
The entire model remains to be pegged for unencumber on cell units to start with, so we’ll proceed staring at with hobby. Our palms stay crossed that this journey in the end makes its strategy to the Transfer, too.
Cow Chess (lablab)
Cow Chess intrigued us from the start, most commonly on account of its identify. However don’t be fooled; the sport has little to not anything to do with exact chess. We spoke with the duo who evolved the sport and beloved the humorousness on show (although our want for seeing cows taking part in chess was once left unfulfilled).
Cow Chess is a multiplayer artillery time out that resembles Damage Bros. crossed with Worms. The sport has been in building for a few years by way of the NSW group, and it’s shaping as much as be a super-fun time. We examined it out with some fellow players and had a blast – actually and figuratively.
The purpose is discreet; blow away your warring parties to knock them out of the world à los angeles Damage Bros. And break the surroundings when you’re at it, à los angeles Worms. It’s chaotic enjoyable, with every spherical lasting mere seconds. Between rounds, gamers can make a selection a powerup, making additional performs much more outrageous.
There’s additionally one thing to be stated for the aesthetics, with easy, pastel-based hues maintaining the focal point squarely at the gameplay. The characters are lovely – and really marketable. This reporter was once lucky sufficient to buy the closing frog pin on the stand.
You’ll be able to play the Cow Chess demo on Steam. The group may be very a lot hoping to convey the name to the Transfer one day. We will be able to’t wait!
Had been you at PAX Aus this 12 months? Tell us your favourite second! You’ll be able to additionally examine hands-on impressions of Metroid High 4: Past, Kirby Air Riders, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.
We chatted about the whole thing PAX similar in this week’s Natural Nintendo Podcast, so you should definitely tell us your ideas!
