PAX Aus 24 wrap up: the Aussie indie devs to watch

PAX Aus 2024 was all about the indies. Sure, SEGA and Ubisoft were there, too, but when it comes to Nintendo Switch, the real stars are the indie devs who work tirelessly on bringing their games to life, often on their own or in small teams. PAX Aus gives these dedicated people a chance to shine, to show off their wares, and catch our attention.

The below list is a summary of some of the talented devs we met at this year’s PAX Aus event from October 11-13, 2024. While they may not have dedicated Switch release dates just yet, they’re all keen to port to Nintendo’s hybrid, and we can’t wait to see how they go. In the meantime, you can support these indie developers by wishlisting on Steam.

Let’s get into it!

Rat Trap (Squash & Stretch)

Rat Trap is a metroidvania from developer Squash & Stretch. The neat side-scrolling style involves a rat who escapes from a lab in search of freedom. We spoke to Beau at PAX Aus 2024 about the game, which features a unique fuse and splt power.

You play as the titular blue rat – don’t worry, he’s cute – as you work your way through dangerous rooms gaurded by droids and lasers. Along the way, you collect parts that combine into a dynamic mech suit. There’s a strong puzzle element at play, forcing you to think outside the box to trigger buttons by temporarily leaving your mech suit.

The team is based in regional Victoria, and is working towards a Steam release in 2025. Beau is keen for a Switch version in the future, and having played the game, it makes perfect sense for the hybrid console. There are strong Metroid vibes, along with the likes of Yars Rising.

Find out more about Rat Trap on Steam.

Hues of the Void (Grimm Bros)

The talented duo of Jess and Adam at Grimm Bros (not to be confused with the Brothers Grimm) have come up with a cute-yet-dark strategic-puzzle outing called Hues of the Void. In the game, players control a mage at the top of the screen while sending monsters to fight an incoming horde of evil knights marching from the bottom of the screen.

As the name implies, color is an important aspect here, as matching hues between monsters and knights results in eliminating your foe. As the knights march closer and closer to the top, things get hectic, with various monsters on offer to help combat them before they reach you.

Hues of the Void was built on the same platform as Brotato, meaning it could make its way to the Nintendo Switch in the future. The team is certainly keen. Our hands-on time with the game was a fun experience, and we’ll be keeping an ear out for any news on a future version on a Nintendo device.

Find out more about Hues of the Void, including where to find a playable demo.

Box Knight (WeMat)

Box Knight is another indie game that caught our eye over the weekend. This action RPG comes from South Australian team, WeMAT Studios. 

So, what is Box Knight exactly? Well, if you take a little bit of Hades, add a healthy dose of The Office along with The Lord of the Rings, and finally add just a smidge of South Park, you’ll be close to understanding the vibe of Box Knight.

In Box Knight, you play the role of an employee in an office. Your co-workers have become monsters due to an unhappy workplace. It seems the boss has banned Friday night drinks, among other things. You must wield your cardboard sword and free your co-workers! 

The team is also heavily involved in movies, animations, and other digital solutions. What made them try their hand at gaming? It turns out Box Knight is a passion project for the team, being worked on between other projects. It’s been kicking around for four years, with a closed beta test planned for Steam in the next few months. Although nothing is set in stone for the Nintendo Switch, the team would love to port it across in the future. We’ll be keeping an eye out for when that happens. 

Find out more about Box Knight and watch the trailer below.

Aussie Bogan Hero (Snag Swag Studio)

You can’t get more Aussie than a hero named Davo sporting a singlet. Aussie Bogan Hero comes from a Sydney-based solo developer at Snag Swag Studio. The story goes that this builder had some spare time during COVID lockdowns and decided to teach himself how to code. With some music and artistic background, four years later Aussie Bogan Hero is now in a playable state and heading to Steam. Talk about inspirational!

Aussie Bogan Hero is a metroidvania with side-scrolling elements set in Australia (of course). you can expect plenty of Aussie humor and cultural references that add a light-hearted touch. With recognizable native animals, water sections, sprawling cities, and more on offer, there’s a lot of depth to Davo’s adventure.

Although the team doesn’t have firm plans for Nintendo Switch just yet, they’re keen to port to the hybrid console in the future once the dust has settled on the Steam version. In the meantime, check out the trailer below and wishlist Aussie Bogan Hero on Steam.

Daemon Masquerade (Callum Page)

Daemon Masquerade is another solo project, this time from developer Callum Page. We spoke to Callum about the game at PAX Aus 2024 and spent some time playing it.

This mystery game is inspired by the likes of Death Note and Ace Attorney. Given this inspiration, and its point-and-click style detective gameplay, this would be a perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch. In the game, you create a conspiracy board to help make deductions. The anime style of the story is neat, and it’s even more impressive given its all made by the one person.

We hope to see Daemon Masquerade make its way to the Switch in the future. For now, the game is releasing on Steam later this month, making it an exciting month for Callum.

Find out more about Daemon Masquerade or view the trailer below

Dungeons and Dining Tables (Catalyst Games)

You know what’s cute? Axolotls. You know what’s even cuter? Playing as an anthropomorphic axolotl in a game. Add to that the goal of defeating enemies within procedurally generated dungeons to earn furniture for your little axolotl house, and you have an idea of what Dungeons and Dining Tables is all about.

This game, still in development with a TBA release for Steam, was on display at PAX Aus 2024. We chatted with Catalyst Games about what could be the cutest game on display over the weekend. It seems the original protagonist was a fox. That character just didn’t seem to work out, so the character of The Axolotl was born.

The game is described as a cozy adventure in a dreamy fantasy world of magical furniture. The land has been caught under the spell of a prickly mage, shrouding everything under grumpiness, monsters, and a terrible lack of comfort.

We had some hands-on time with Dungeons and Dining Tables, enjoying the thrid-person combat, colorful style, and the ability to decorate our own virtual house. The furniture even comes boxed and delivered to your house, waiting to be opened and placed inside.

If this title doesn’t make its way to the Nintendo Switch, we just don’t know what’s wrong with the world.

Find out more about Dungeons and Dining Tables and watch the trailer below.

Dark Umbra (Crypt Rat Studios)

Dark Umbra is an action roguelike from Crypt Rat Studios. The team is located in Tasmania, and we managed to get some time with their game during PAX Aus.

The first thing that struck us about the game was the music. It’s quite lovely, and adds to the atmosphere of the side-scrolling action. During our playthrough, we were able to slash through hordes of monsters and even a boss fight as we collected gold in an ever-shifting landscape.

Dark Umbra doesn’t have a release date just yet, but is coming soon to Steam. We can only hope the team commits to a Switch release in the future.

Find out more about Dark Umbra or watch a developer video below to see the game in action.

Hello World (UltraPlayers)

Hello World was a popular game at PAX Aus 2024. It comes from UltraPlayers, the Mebourne-based award-winning developer. The team has previously created games like Gumballs& Dungeons, Ares Virus, and Super Snail.

In Hello World, players will be transported to a mysterious world full of ancient creatures. The unique premise sees you integrate with ancient creatures to become super powerful. There are hidden surprises and Easter eggs to discover as you explore this roguelike adventure, with randomly generated maps. This means each playthrough promises to be refreshingly unique.

The team was excited to be at PAX Aus, enthusiastically asking players for feedback on their trial play. While the full version is headed to mobile devices initially, that’s still a little ways off. We’ll watch the development with interest and keep our fingers crossed that this adventure eventually makes its way to the Switch, too.

Were you at PAX Aus this year? Let us know your favorite moment! You can also read about Nekograms and Snow Cone from Hungry Sky, as well as Which Way Up from Turtle Flip Studio, and Servonauts from MAXART Games.

We chatted about everything PAX related on this week’s Pure Nintendo Podcast, so stay tuned for our latest episode.