PAX Aus 25 wrap up: the Aussie indie devs to watch
PAX Aus has come and gone for another year. This year’s turnout exceeded 85,000, an impressive turnout over three days of gaming, cosplay, workshops, theatrics, and more.
Here at Pure Nintendo, we love exploring the indie dev area of the showroom floor, which seems to grow in size each year. That’s because there’s just so much talent on display, with devs from all around Australia gathering to show their wares.
PAX Aus 2025 packed a real punch, highlighting some top titles. We met with a whole lot of devs to talk about their exciting games. Below is a summary of the games we sampled. It’s not everything from the event, so if we missed you, please reach out and let us know! If you were at the show, let us know your fave titles on display.
Right, let’s get to it!
Chessplus (Chessplus)
Chessplus is no stranger to PAX Aus. We’ve noticed the physical board game on display and on sale over the past few years. It presents the classic 64-square game of chess with a twist: you can merge pieces to create new hybrid types!
For example, pawn + knight = knawn. This new piece can move and attack like a pawn and knight, giving you more options. You can also split pieces to plan the perfect attack. It adds a whole lot of strategy to this classic boardgame.
PAX Aus 2025 brought us a nice surprise when we stumbled upon the Chessplus team in the indie dev area, showing off a digital version of the game. Players were encouraged to test and even break the game – we did a bit of both while chatting to enthusiastic developer, Josh. Color us impressed when Josh promptly updated the game overnight so we could try to break it again the next day. This is one of the many reasons why we love PAX – and why we really love indie devs.
The Chessplus Video Game is more than just a digital version of the board. It features a new deckbuilding roguelike mode, allowing players to unleash game-changing cards and master variants. It adds a lot of variety to the game, and we loved what we saw at PAX.
The company’s slogan is simple: It’s not chess, it’s better! This fun take on the classic game is due to hit early access on Steam soon, and you can wishlist Chessplus now. We’re looking forward to hearing whether a Switch version might be in the works, too.
Find out more about Chessplus on their website.
Castle Cab (Royal Reign)
Castle Cab’s colorful, fast-paced action certainly stands out when you walk past the display on the showroom floor at PAX Aus. The team at Royal Reign has created something unique and fun with Castle Cab, putting you into the horseshoes of a noble steed from the middle ages. Your goal? Run around town hitched to your trusty cart, completing quests and causing chaos.
It’s a blast to play, with guards chasing you as you destroy everything in your path with a neat tornado move. Your horse is customizable, and we all know that horses wearing hats are simply the best. It also features up to four players in multiplayer mode.
Castle Cab is slated for release in 2026 on Steam. A Switch version has also been announced, though timing is yet to be confirmed. In the meantime, you can wishlist Castle Cab on Steam.
Elasticritters (Yooreekaa Games)
Don’t let the cuteness fool you, Elasticritters is a hard little title! It involves adorable critters shaped like balls who bounce through various platforming levels. This booth was popular across the weekend, but we kept an eye on it and took advantage when the queue died down so we could chat with the two developers on the stand.
The goal of Elasticritters varies, with both racing and capture-the-flag modes available. We tried both and had a blast. The controls are relatively simple, with your critter bouncing automatically. All you really need to do is move them in the right direction, though you can also perform a bigger jump by pressing the relevant button.
The game is 3D, so rotating the camera view is essential while navigating tricky platforms and giant fans. It was frustrating (for this reporter) at first, but once things clicked, I was smiling the entire time. I even won capture the flag!
Elasticritters is slated for release on Steam in quarter 4 of 2025. We wish the team well with the upcoming launch – and our fingers remain crossed for a Switch version in the future!
Silk Soar (Stout Heart Games)
Silk Soar (not to be confused with Silksong) is a physics-based game that features a caterpillar trying to ascend through a tree trunk. How? By catapulting yourself higher and higher on to different platforms, of course!
You can control the trajectory and power of your shot, making it feel a little like a 2D golf title. It’s one of those games that’s quick to pick up and tough to put down. The controls are easy and intuitive, but oh boy is it challenging!
There are powerups and collectibles throughout the game, and a handy (optional) web to catch you if you fall. We certainly needed this safety net in our playthrough!
You can try the demo for yourself on Steam. The team is trying to get onto the Nintendo Switch, but hasn’t had much luck with Nintendo at this stage. Fingers crossed the Big N will allow them to port their game across, as it would suit the hybrid device perfectly. We will watch in anticipation!
My Arms are Longer Now (Toot Games)
If there was an award for “Most Hilarious Indie Title” at PAX Aus, this would be it. My Arms are Longer Now, from Victoria’s Toot Games, sees players control a squiggly, elongated arm as it slithers its way through various environments. The goal? To cause chaos.
The gameplay is silly but fun, with the arm – belonging to you as the player – causing all sorts of havoc as it winds its way through a train in the demo. Highlights include taking someone’s bike without them noticing and slapping the ticket inspector when he boards the train.
The bright, colorful graphics are coupled with some terrific voiceover work from local Aussie comedians. The team has also added in customizable arms to make it feel more like you’re the one in control of this elongated mischief maker.
If you’re looking for something edgy, keep an eye on this one. It’s not out on Steam just yet, but you can wishlist My Arms are Longer Now right now. Hopefully we’ll see this one snake its way on to the Switch in the future, too.
Fox and Shadow (Paper Cactus Games)
Fox and Shadow had a great location at PAX Aus – there’s no “bad location” really, but this was really in a terrific spot. It allowed plenty of passersby to view the colorful, anime-inspired poster, merch, and sample the game.
The game itself is a sci-fi dual-deckbuilding roguelike. The story involves scavenging for resources in a broken city to maintain your crumbling bunker. As you progress, you unlock cards used to face off against enemies in satisfying turn-based battles. One of the standout features is the ability to combine cards between battles, improving your abilities.
We tried this one and had a blast. While the game has no release date right now, you can wishlist Fox and Shadow on Steam. There’s also a demo available. Will it also come to Switch? Time will tell.
Hello World (UltraPlayers)
We actually tried Hello World at PAX Aus 2024. We’re happy to report that this mobile game has improved significantly over the past 12 months, with improved performance and graphics.
UltraPlayers is no stranger to game development, with previous releases including Gumballs& Dungeons, Ares Virus, and Super Snail. They’ve won multiple awards along the way, and they’re ramping up for more positivity with Hello World (we just love the name, by the way).
In Hello World, players are transported to a mysterious world full of ancient creatures. The unique premise sees you integrate with these creatures to become super powerful, with mutations and all sorts of craziness during your time with this roguelike adventure.
The team was once again super happy to be at PAX Aus, interacting with everyone and asking players for feedback. This year, the team had stickers and a leaderboard to help promote the game. Did we make it onto the board? Yes. Yes, we did. That’s because we spent a lengthy amount of time on this one.
The full version is still pegged for release on mobile devices initially, so we’ll continue watching with interest. Our fingers remain crossed that this adventure eventually makes its way to the Switch, too.
Cow Chess (lablab)
Cow Chess intrigued us from the beginning, mostly because of its name. But don’t be fooled; the game has little to nothing to do with actual chess. We spoke with the duo who developed the game and loved the sense of humor on display (even if our need for seeing cows playing chess was left unfulfilled).
Cow Chess is a multiplayer artillery outing that resembles Smash Bros. crossed with Worms. The game has been in development for a couple of years by the NSW team, and it’s shaping up to be a super-fun time. We tested it out with some fellow gamers and had a blast – literally and figuratively.
The goal is simple; blow away your opponents to knock them out of the arena à la Smash Bros. And destroy the environment while you’re at it, à la Worms. It’s chaotic fun, with each round lasting mere seconds. Between rounds, players can choose a powerup, making further plays even more outrageous.
There’s also something to be said for the aesthetics, with simple, pastel-based hues keeping the focus squarely on the gameplay. The characters are adorable – and very marketable. This reporter was fortunate enough to purchase the last frog pin at the stand.
You can play the Cow Chess demo on Steam. The team is also very much hoping to bring the title to the Switch in the future. We can’t wait!
Were you at PAX Aus this year? Let us know your favorite moment! You can also read about hands-on impressions of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Kirby Air Riders, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.
We chatted about everything PAX related on this week’s Pure Nintendo Podcast, so be sure to let us know your thoughts!
