PAX Aus has come and gone for an additional yr. This yr’s turnout exceeded 85,000, a powerful turnout over three days of gaming, cosplay, workshops, theatrics, and extra.
Right here at Pure Nintendo, we love exploring the indie dev space of the showroom flooring, which appears to develop in measurement annually. That’s as a result of there’s simply a lot expertise on show, with devs from throughout Australia gathering to indicate their wares.
PAX Aus 2025 packed an actual punch, highlighting some high titles. We met with an entire lot of devs to speak about their thrilling video games. Under is a abstract of the video games we sampled. It’s not all the pieces from the occasion, so if we missed you, please attain out and tell us! Should you have been on the present, tell us your fave titles on show.
Proper, let’s get to it!
Chessplus (Chessplus)
Chessplus is not any stranger to PAX Aus. We’ve seen the bodily board sport on show and on sale over the previous few years. It presents the traditional 64-square sport of chess with a twist: you possibly can merge items to create new hybrid varieties!
For instance, pawn + knight = knawn. This new piece can transfer and assault like a pawn and knight, supplying you with extra choices. You too can break up items to plan the right assault. It provides an entire lot of technique to this traditional boardgame.
PAX Aus 2025 introduced us a pleasant shock after we stumbled upon the Chessplus group within the indie dev space, displaying off a digital model of the sport. Gamers have been inspired to check and even break the sport – we did a little bit of each whereas chatting to enthusiastic developer, Josh. Colour us impressed when Josh promptly up to date the sport in a single day so we may attempt to break it once more the subsequent day. This is among the many explanation why we love PAX – and why we actually love indie devs.
The Chessplus Video Sport is greater than only a digital model of the board. It encompasses a new deckbuilding roguelike mode, permitting gamers to unleash game-changing playing cards and grasp variants. It provides quite a lot of selection to the sport, and we cherished what we noticed at PAX.
The corporate’s slogan is easy: It’s not chess, it’s higher! This enjoyable tackle the traditional sport is because of hit early entry on Steam quickly, and you’ll wishlist Chessplus now. We’re wanting ahead to listening to whether or not a Swap model may be within the works, too.
Discover out extra about Chessplus on their web site.
Citadel Cab (Royal Reign)
Citadel Cab’s colourful, fast-paced motion actually stands out once you stroll previous the show on the showroom flooring at PAX Aus. The group at Royal Reign has created one thing distinctive and enjoyable with Citadel Cab, placing you into the horseshoes of a noble steed from the center ages. Your aim? Run round city hitched to your trusty cart, finishing quests and inflicting chaos.
It’s a blast to play, with guards chasing you as you destroy all the pieces in your path with a neat twister transfer. Your horse is customizable, and everyone knows that horses carrying hats are merely one of the best. It additionally options as much as 4 gamers in multiplayer mode.
Citadel Cab is slated for launch in 2026 on Steam. A Swap model has additionally been introduced, although timing is but to be confirmed. Within the meantime, you possibly can wishlist Citadel Cab on Steam.
Elasticritters (Yooreekaa Video games)
Don’t let the cuteness idiot you, Elasticritters is a tough little title! It entails cute critters formed like balls who bounce by way of varied platforming ranges. This sales space was standard throughout the weekend, however we saved an eye fixed on it and took benefit when the queue died down so we may chat with the 2 builders on the stand.
The aim of Elasticritters varies, with each racing and capture-the-flag modes accessible. We tried each and had a blast. The controls are comparatively easy, together with your critter bouncing routinely. All you really want to do is transfer them in the suitable path, although you can too carry out a much bigger soar by urgent the related button.
The sport is 3D, so rotating the digital camera view is crucial whereas navigating tough platforms and big followers. It was irritating (for this reporter) at first, however as soon as issues clicked, I used to be smiling all the time. I even gained seize the flag!
Elasticritters is slated for launch on Steam in quarter 4 of 2025. We want the group properly with the upcoming launch – and our fingers stay crossed for a Swap model sooner or later!
Silk Soar (Stout Coronary heart Video games)
Silk Soar (to not be confused with Silkmusic) is a physics-based sport that encompasses a caterpillar making an attempt to ascend by way of a tree trunk. How? By catapulting your self increased and better on to totally different platforms, in fact!
You may management the trajectory and energy of your shot, making it really feel a bit of like a 2D golf title. It’s a kind of video games that’s fast to select up and difficult to place down. The controls are straightforward and intuitive, however oh boy is it difficult!
There are powerups and collectibles all through the sport, and a useful (non-obligatory) net to catch you in the event you fall. We actually wanted this security web in our playthrough!
You may attempt the demo for your self on Steam. The group is making an attempt to get onto the Nintendo Swap, however hasn’t had a lot luck with Nintendo at this stage. Fingers crossed the Large N will enable them to port their sport throughout, as it will go well with the hybrid gadget completely. We’ll watch in anticipation!
My Arms are Longer Now (Toot Video games)
If there was an award for “Most Hilarious Indie Title” at PAX Aus, this could be it. My Arms are Longer Now, from Victoria’s Toot Video games, sees gamers management a squiggly, elongated arm because it slithers its manner by way of varied environments. The aim? To trigger chaos.
The gameplay is foolish however enjoyable, with the arm – belonging to you because the participant – inflicting all kinds of havoc because it winds its manner by way of a prepare within the demo. Highlights embody taking somebody’s bike with out them noticing and slapping the ticket inspector when he boards the prepare.
The brilliant, colourful graphics are coupled with some terrific voiceover work from native Aussie comedians. The group has additionally added in customizable arms to make it really feel extra such as you’re the one in charge of this elongated mischief maker.
Should you’re searching for one thing edgy, keep watch over this one. It’s not out on Steam simply but, however you possibly can wishlist My Arms are Longer Now proper now. Hopefully we’ll see this one snake its manner on to the Swap sooner or later, too.
Fox and Shadow (Paper Cactus Video games)
Fox and Shadow had an awesome location at PAX Aus – there’s no “unhealthy location” actually, however this was actually in a terrific spot. It allowed loads 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 story entails scavenging for assets in a damaged metropolis to keep up your crumbling bunker. As you progress, you unlock playing cards used to face off in opposition to enemies in satisfying turn-based battles. One of many standout options is the power to mix playing cards between battles, bettering your skills.
We tried this one and had a blast. Whereas the sport has no launch date proper now, you possibly can wishlist Fox and Shadow on Steam. There’s additionally a demo accessible. Will it additionally come to Swap? Time will inform.
Hey World (UltraPlayers)
We really tried Hey World at PAX Aus 2024. We’re comfortable to report that this cell sport has improved considerably over the previous 12 months, with improved efficiency and graphics.
UltraPlayers is not any stranger to sport growth, with earlier releases together with Gumballs& Dungeons, Ares Virus, and Tremendous Snail. They’ve gained a number of awards alongside the best way, and so they’re ramping up for extra positivity with Hey World (we simply love the title, by the best way).
In Hey World, gamers are transported to a mysterious world stuffed with historic creatures. The distinctive premise sees you combine with these creatures to turn out to be tremendous highly effective, with mutations and all kinds of craziness throughout your time with this roguelike journey.
The group was as soon as once more tremendous comfortable to be at PAX Aus, interacting with everybody and asking gamers for suggestions. This yr, the group had stickers and a leaderboard to assist promote the sport. Did we make it onto the board? Sure. Sure, we did. That’s as a result of we spent a prolonged period of time on this one.
The total model continues to be pegged for launch on cell gadgets initially, so we’ll proceed watching with curiosity. Our fingers stay crossed that this journey ultimately makes its strategy to the Swap, too.
Cow Chess (lablab)
Cow Chess intrigued us from the start, largely due to its title. However don’t be fooled; the sport has little to nothing to do with precise chess. We spoke with the duo who developed the sport and cherished the humorousness on show (even when our want for seeing cows taking part in chess was left unfulfilled).
Cow Chess is a multiplayer artillery outing that resembles Smash Bros. crossed with Worms. The sport has been in growth for a few years by the NSW group, and it’s shaping as much as be a super-fun time. We examined it out with some fellow avid gamers and had a blast – actually and figuratively.
The aim is easy; blow away your opponents to knock them out of the sector à la Smash Bros. And destroy the setting whilst you’re at it, à la Worms. It’s chaotic enjoyable, with every spherical lasting mere seconds. Between rounds, gamers can select 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 main focus squarely on the gameplay. The characters are cute – and really marketable. This reporter was lucky sufficient to buy the final frog pin on the stand.
You may play the Cow Chess demo on Steam. The group can also be very a lot hoping to carry the title to the Swap sooner or later. We are able to’t wait!
Have been you at PAX Aus this yr? Tell us your favourite second! You too can examine hands-on impressions of Metroid Prime 4: Past, Kirby Air Riders, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.
We chatted about all the pieces PAX associated on this week’s Pure Nintendo Podcast, so remember to tell us your ideas!
