7 Must Play Switch Games Announced During Nintendo's 2018 Spring Nindies Showcase

Nintendo held its latest Nindies Showcase this week and revealed a wide variety of new indie games for Nintendo Switch owners to look forward to in 2018. Here's a rundown of seven must play games that were announced for Switch during Nintendo's 2018 Spring Nindies Showcase.

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes

Okay, so we know that Nintendo announced this one a little while ago, but we finaly got our hands on it! Travis Strikes Again isn't exactly No More Heroes 3, but the sooner you become OK with that, the sooner you can appreciate it for what it really is: a great excuse for Travis Touchdown to invade a bunch of fun, arcadey bite-sized games on your Nintendo Switch.

The two-player demo we played this week (with the game's creator, Suda51, no less) was a fun and futuristic beat 'em up where players teamed up against waves of video game glitch inspired bad guys using Travis' signature beam katana light sword as well as a set of equally insane special attacks. When your beam katana loses its power after enough use, you'll click down the stick and shake your Joy-Con to recharge it, resulting in you and your co-op partner grinning at the craziness of it all. We only played one of the several games that will end up in Travis Strikes Again, but and this title is definitely shaping up to be something very special (and insane) for Switch owners. — Brian Altano

The Messenger

At first glance, The Messenger is a pretty straightforward Ninja Gaiden inspired 8-bit action platformer. Hacking, slashing, and jumping around in a retro-inspired video game? Yeah, been there, done that. But miraculously, The Messenger is so much more than that! Finishing the game once opens up a path back to the beginning of the game where a significant time jump has happened and the game's graphics are now entirely 16-bit. Magical portals scattered throughout each stage transport you back in time to the 8-bit levels instantly, and suddenly The Messenger allows you to jump between time periods (and console generations) to access areas, fight enemies, and find secrets. It's seriously fun and challenging and everyone from casual players to speedrunners are going to adore it. We can't wait to play the finished version this year. — Brian Altano

Garage

Garage is an upcoming Switch-exclusive top-down shooter inspired by B-movies. Its over-the-top violence is reminiscent of Smash TV or Hotline Miami, but instead of slaying homicidal game show contestants or mob goons, you’re taking down zombies in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Its dual-joystick shooting and melee combat feels great on the Switch and combined with the lo-fi scanlines of its retro-inspired visuals, it does a good job capturing that old-school look while maintaining familiar yet fresh gameplay. — Chloi Rad

Light Fall

If you're a fan of Celeste, then Light Fall definitly needs to be on your Radar! A fun yet challenging platformer, Light Fall's solid jump mechanics and thought out stages provide hours of fun and countless deaths. To further enjoy this game, you'll also have to take in the vast artistic design of each level carfefully crafted by Bishop Games. With those three key components combined, Light Fall is a perfect pick up for anyone seeking a challenging 2D platformer. — Lily Zaldivar

Bomb Chicken

Bomb Chicken is kind of exactly what it sounds like. You’re a chicken. And you lay bombs. Unlimited bombs. It sounds overpowered, but as a 2D platformer that grants you few other abilities, it’s actually used as a clever constraint as well. Because you can’t jump, the only way to reach high places is to stack as many bombs underneath you as it takes to get to your destination — sometimes just one, sometimes a dozen — while making sure to avoid the explosion. As a comically bouncy bubble-shaped chicken, you’re also incapable of attacking, meaning you have to rely on laying and rolling your bombs towards enemies or buttons to navigate its handcrafted levels. With a simple, one-button mechanic and pleasantly rounded and clean pixel art, I can see Bomb Chicken being the perfect game for anyone looking for a fun and casual action-puzzle platformer. — Chloi Rad

Just Shapes & Beats

Just Shapes & Beats is a frantic "musical bullet hell" game that deserves a genre of its own, and that's precisely why we're excited about it. It takes the strongest elements from some of the best "bullet hell" style games we've played in recent years and combines them with the natural human appreciation of music and rhythm. You can play through the entire game solo or with up to three friends, which can make for some hectic yet highly enjoyable good times. The soundtrack is composed by over 20 highly popular chiptune artists like Kubbi and Danimal Cannon, which means that you'll probably be humming this games tunes long after you've completed it. — Filip Miucin

Pode

Heavily inspired by Norwegian art and culture, Pode pits you in control of two unlikely companions as they travel through the insides of a mysterious and magical mountain. With only each other's help, these unlikely travel companions will solve puzzles, riddles, and mysteries while using unique abilities that help overcome obstacles. You can share the entire experience with a friend or simply play by yourself. Regardless of how you choose to play, Pode looks to be one of the most promising family-friendly co-op exploration puzzlers on Switch. — Filip Miucin

For more on all the Nindies announced at GDC 2018, check out all our roundup of all 14 games announced for Nintendo Switch during March 20th's Nindies Showcase.

Filip Miucin is IGN's Nintendo Editor. Find him on Twitter @filipmiucin and every Friday on Nintendo Voice Chat.