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Welcome

It has been about three months, and another issue is ready. This issue focuses a bit on fantasy consoles with a small article explaining what they are and 10 fantasy console game recommendations. Of course, there's a lot of news about new indie games, open-source projects, and homebrew. A top 10 and a new top game per type: paid indie, open-source, homebrew, and demake.

I hope you enjoy reading.

News

Open Source game news

Naev 0.13.4 (2026-03-31)

Gameplay

Gameplay

A 2D space top-down shooting and trading game.

With a nice accumulation of bug fixes since the last release, it’s about time to release Naev 0.13.4. Most of the fix relate to small mission bugs, however, some of the larger changes include fixing escort mission buggering out, faction hits being larger than necessary, and a very rare crash that could happen with NPCs are jumping out.

Link

Shamogu 1.5.0 (2026-03-30)

Gameplay

Shamogu is a coffee-break roguelike game with a focus on tactical movement and careful timing of totemic spirit invocation and comestible consumption. Visibility and noise stealth mechanics also play an important role.

New Content:

  • The Orb may now interfere with teleportation about half of the time.
  • New early guardian: chaos megabat.
  • New portal guardian: dragging alligator. Alligators often appear as a pair of mid game portal guardians in place of the blazing golems.
  • New Stealth help topic that explains monster mindstate behavior and how it changes.

Game Link

Empty Clip 2.0.4 (2026-03-27)

Gameplay

Gameplay

Gameplay

Top-down shooter action RPG

Changes:

  • Added fog to Caves and Hell level
  • Added -mod argument for setting the game's working directory
  • Fixed compiler warning
  • Fixed cursor on Steam Deck

Link

Unvanquished 0.56.0 (2026-03-25)

Gameplay
Gameplay

Ugly Monster
Ugly Monster

Unvanquished is a real-time strategy game played as a first-person shooter where evolving aliens and heavily armed humans fight for their survival.

Changes

[Link](https://unvanquished.net/

Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup 0.34.1 (2026-03-15)

Gameplay
Gameplay

An open source roguelike adventure through dungeons filled with dangerous monsters in a quest to find the mystifyingly fabulous Orb of Zot.

  • Fix the Lua error handler causing slowdowns seen in vaults like Pan’s Disco Hall.
  • Properly mark unidentified talismans evil/chaotic as appropriate.
  • Allow deconstructing forgecraft allies while wielding a ranged weapon.
  • Fix Freezing Cloud not having a self-damage warning prompt.
  • Fix the force_more prompts for dancing weapons of distortion.
  • Fix banished Orb Guardians not activating the Boundless Tesseracts.
  • Fix Duel/Banishment on top of a portal entrance expiring that entrance.
  • Prompt for wearing any talisman that would lower max HP by more than 10%.

Link

Jump 'n Bump 1.70 (2026-03-09)

Gameplay
Gameplay

Jump 'n Bump, play cute bunnies jumping on each other's heads – Modernization fork.

  • build: Avoid globals.pre and provide FHS game data dir via macro (requires SYSINTALL=1)
  • build: Move appdata file to metainfo directory
  • build: Packaging fixes and cleanups
  • menu: Port to Python 3 and GTK+3
  • menu: Not installed by default, use make install -C menu

Link

Tux! Version 20260228 (2026-02-28)

Battle Mode
Battle Mode

a 3D platform game featuring Tux made by LucKey Productions using Dry and other open source software.

While not quite complete yet, the game now has a Battle Mode in which you can compete locally with up to four players. There are three modes to choose from: Free-for-All, Capture the Flag and Distro War.

Get Here

Widelands 1.3.1 (2026-02-22)

Gameplay
Gameplay

Widelands is a free, open source real-time strategy game with singleplayer campaigns and a multiplayer mode. The game was inspired by Settlers II™ (© Bluebyte). This point release fixes a severe multiplayer desync found in Widelands 1.3. Note that it is not possible to combine the versions 1.3 and 1.3.1 in a network game.

Link

0 A.D. Release 28 "Boiorix" (2026-02-18)

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

0 A.D. is a historical 3D real-time strategy game developed by Wildfire Games. It takes place between 500 B.C to 500 A.D. and focuses on economy and war management. 0 A.D. offers a variety of playable civilisations whose characteristics are based on real world history.

Top new features of Release 28

- Gendered Civilians
- Direct Font Rendering
- Support for JavaScript Modules
- New Game-Setup Options
- Lobby improvements
- Engine upgrades and updated platform support
- New quotes and tips
- Various balancing improvements
- … and much more!

Link

Indie game news

This indie WarioWare-like released a teaser just to show off its 'game over' music.

Game Art

It just shows off the game's "game over" screen, which sounds like the sort of thing that wouldn't be all that noteworthy, but the song slaps. Funky synth bass and warped, echoing samples glide over hip hop drums; it's the sort of dance-worthy defeat screen that salves the sting of losing in a frenzied arcade game.

Link

Scarlet Record Preview

Gameplay
Gameplay Gameplay Gameplay

Scarlet Record opens with the introduction of Ruby, a scribe tasked with securing relics from a mysterious hall of dungeons. For a demo, the opening does a solid job of grounding the player in the world. That said, one character mentions a marketplace that you can’t access until after the first boss, which immediately stood out.

Preview

This indie game revives ’90s FMV weirdness

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

There was a weird, brief design trend in late '90s gaming for digitised sprites, as every developer raced to get a piece of Mortal Kombat's success. There was a chaotic charm to FMV games like Pit-Fighter and Primal Rage, and it's a style Obey the Insect God is aiming to bring back;

Link

Sprint City Drops New Trailer With Release Window

Sprint City

  • Developed by SpeedRunners creators, Sprint City brings intense parkour-style racing action.
  • Race, wall-run, and grapple through a solarpunk city with seamless multiplayer and free browser invites.

Link

Check Out This Hilarious Indie Game Where You Are Stuck in Well with Frog

That is a fat frog
That is a fat frog

Deep
Deep

:P
:P

One day, game developer Madi Abdykarimov decided to create a game where the player would be stuck in a well with a frog. Apparently, he thought it was a fine idea for a name as well, so if you're intrigued, check out Stuck in a Well with a Frog on Steam.

Link

Double Fine announces delightful-looking multiplayer pottery game Kiln

Gameplay
Gameplay

Pottery Dance
Pottery Dance

That is an angry pot
That is an angry pot

As its Double Fine founder Tim Schaefer attempted to say five times fast during today's Xbox Developer Direct, Kiln is an "online multiplayer pottery party brawler" that boasts exactly the sort of colorful, clever fun that fans have come to expect from the studio.

Link

Worming from Home makes you a worm with an office job

Worming from Home
Worming from Home

“Would you still employ me if I was a worm?” That’s not quite how the internet meme goes, but Worming from Home is set to pose just that question, turning you into an annelid with a job in finance.

Link

Ratcheteer DX Confirmed For March 2026 Release

Ratcheteer DX

  • Explore 250+ rooms, master eight tools, battle six bosses, and uncover secret challenges.
  • Enjoy a revamped 8-bit soundtrack, multiple visual modes, and support for 10 languages.

Link

New Action Roguelike Chickenauts Announced

New Action Roguelike Chickenauts Announced

  • Battle alien chickens, rescue mutated companions, and build unique loadouts each run.
  • Short, intense randomized runs offer fast-paced gameplay with countless stacking mutations.
  • Unlock new weapons, upgrades, and companions that carry over between playthroughs.

Link

Indie dungeon crawler RPG Erehwon is coming to PC via Steam in 2026

Cool Dungeon
Cool Dungeon Interesting gameplay
Interesting gameplay Stats
Stats

Japanese indie studio Knight of Karate has published a Steam page for their upcoming dungeon crawler RPG Erehwon. The group has also shared a press release stating that this game will be available in 2026.

This game will let the player create adventurers with applicable custom portraits. This dungeon crawler game will have a specific emphasis on the equipment gear that the party can pick up inside dungeons.

Link

Hozy Confirmed For PC Release in Late March

Hozy

  • Restore your hometown by cleaning, painting, and decorating a variety of forgotten rooms and apartments.
  • No timers, scores, or stress—just pure relaxation, creativity, and satisfying decorating in Hozy’s flow.
  • Select from a curated collection of furniture and décor to create beautiful, harmonious living spaces.

Link

The Posthumous Investigation Launches In Late March

The Posthumous Investigation
The Posthumous Investigation

  • Investigate Brás Cubas’ mysterious death in 1930s Rio, navigating a single day trapped in a time loop.
  • Unravel a web of secrets by tracking 14 unique characters, unlocking new clues and dialogue each loop.
  • Inspired by Machado de Assis, the game challenges players with satirical storytelling and true deduction.

Link

ChainStaff Confirmed For Early April Launch Date

ChainStaff
ChainStaff

  • Master the ChainStaff—transform it into a spear, shield, grappling hook, and much more with one button.
  • Choose unique upgrades by rescuing friends or embracing mutations, leading to different tech trees.
  • Experience ten wild levels, epic boss battles, multiple endings, and a killer metal soundtrack.

Link

Take a Look at This Upcoming Game Where You Play With & Against Yourself

UvsU: You vs You battles with your past self in time-loop puzzles.

Link

Incremental Idle RPG Eldor'Idle Releases Free Demo

Eldor'Idle

  • Break pots to collect coins, unlock upgrades, and chase the ultimate goal: one billion gold coins.
  • Recruit and train gnomes to automate your fortune-building and optimize your coin collecting.
  • Upgrade buildings, play the economy, and grow your Eldor’Idle village into a billionaire’s paradise.

Link

A Glimpse into Dosa Divas

Dosa Divas
Dosa Divas

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Dosa Divas is a spicy and vibrant narrative turn-based RPG that is about love, family, boundaries and mending bonds over a good meal.

Link

Classic Zelda Fans Shouldn't Miss This New RPG Echo Isle You Can Try Free Now

Not Zelda
Not Zelda Still not Zelda
Still not Zelda

This is a mini-adventure game that is heavily inspired by classic games of the 1990s, boasting a vibrant pixel-art style. The game has yet to be released, as seen on its Steam page, though there isn’t a specific date just yet. Even so, you can test it out for free right now.

Link

Become is a Ballsy Indie Game That Has You Play as Sperm

Become

Become is a unique game that takes players and throws them into the role of a spermatazoon, hellbent on beating hundreds of millions of competitors to achieve the ultimate goal, kick-starting a new life. It has a few customization elements, a two-to-three-hour story, and impressive visuals, considering the whole game takes place inside… Well, you know.

Link

Steam Demo Released For Bouncy Frog Platformer “Croak”

Gameplay

WoodRunner Games has made the demo for their upcoming platformer Croak available on Steam. You get to play as a Frog Prince as he adventures through the Feast Fair.

Link

Future Knight – Beta Demo

Future Knight
Future Knight Real Retro
Real Retro Gameplay
Gameplay

Future Knight is a 2D shoot ’em up fusing LCD screen nostalgia with brutal modern combat and a bizarre story about stopping a pyramid scheme cult.

Link

Mouse: P.I. for Hire – The Final Preview

Mouse: P.I. for Hire
Mouse: P.I. for Hire

Like Cuphead before it, I am pleased to report that, as it turns out, Mouse: P.I. for Hire isn’t just all sizzle. There is plenty of steak there too. Just as Cuphead built an incredibly good bullet-hell, boss-rush shooter underneath its hand-drawn, hand-animated exterior, so too – at least, based on what I’ve played so far – is Mouse underpinning its 1930’s-era, black-and-white, rubberhose-animated facade with a mechanically sound first-person shooter.

Link

**Mixtape, If You Miss MTV and Dunkaroos, This Indie Game Is for You **

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

From what I saw, there's a bit of overlap with other nostalgia-laden narrative games about teens growing up, such as studio Don't Nod's Life is Strange series or last year's Lost Records: Bloom and Rage. But Mixtape avoids the plotty drama of those games in favor of lionizing the humble wonder of teens killing time.

Link

Titanium Court preview: bizarre and confusing, but I’m still enraptured by this indie game

Bizzare
Bizzare

OK...
OK...

Hmmm
Hmmm

Creator AP Thomson describes Titanium Court as a ‘surreal strategy game for clowns and criminals’. Titanium Court is a game that refuses all attempts at definition. When you think you know what’s going on, new layers are revealed, each stranger than the last. I think I have the crux: it’s a game about becoming the monarch of a kingdom, which is beset by enemy forces on all sides.

Link

Bel's Fanfare Zelda's Spiritual Successor Is Officially Coming

Bel's Fanfare
Bel's Fanfare

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Bel's Fanfare, a Kickstarter-funded RPG from Spanish indie studio Chibig. The project has already shattered its funding target, attracting tens of thousands of backers and raising over a million dollars. Inspired by classic Zelda titles, the game is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about indie projects currently in development.

Link

Solo developer indie RPG Monetaria announced for PC via Steam, demo available now

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Dungeon
Dungeon

Monetaria will exhibit a strategic command-based battle system that runs in real-time high speed. In the Japanese press release, koppepan also mentioned several games that serve as inspirations: Shin Megami Tensei for first-person-view 3D dungeon explorations, Slay the Spire for selecting random progression nodes, and Yuji Horii's command-based adventure game The Hokkaido Serial Murder Case: The Okhotsk Disappearance.

Link

This Upcoming Indie UE5 Game Features Living Ancient Egyptian Frescoes

Gameplay
Gameplay

Reminds me of A Link Between Worlds
Reminds me of A Link Between Worlds

Developer Forceight showcased this fascinating demo with Egyptian frescoes brought to life, which is a glimpse of the upcoming action-adventure game Fresco by Kelonia Games.

The mesmerizing effect of living characters was created using decal projections in Unreal Engine 5. If you enjoyed this effect, take a look at Fresco, as it features this mechanic as a core part of its gameplay. You play as an archaeologist exploring a temple in 3D and as a character portrayed on ancient walls within 2D frescoes, switching between the two throughout the game.

Link

Compress(space): A love letter to indie games from Bangladesh

Compress(space)
Compress(space)

Gameplay
Gameplay

Today, Compress(space) stands as a notable example of how Bangladeshi developers are quietly making their mark on the global gaming landscape. Fahim remains focused on completing the game while working on other ideas in the background.

Link

Lucky Tower Ultimate's Full Version Will Finally Climb Out This April

Lucky Tower Ultimate
Lucky Tower Ultimate

  • Experience hilarious slapstick dungeon crawling with randomly generated towers and quirky companions.
  • Experiment with 200+ items and interact with friends and foes who react to your choices in the tower.
  • Escape the dangerous Tower, customize your village home, and unlock the new True Ending at launch.

Link

Attempt Body Modification in the Steel Soul Shaper Public Playtest

Steel Soul Shaper
Steel Soul Shaper

  • Play as a cyberware surgeon fixing and customizing body modifications in a neon-lit cyberpunk world.
  • Engage in a story-driven experience, uncover client secrets, and decide the fate of your dystopian city.
  • Repair, upgrade, and stylize cybernetic limbs, facing moral choices and powerful factions in every job.

Link

Get loud to lead! Microphone-Driven Co-op ‘Over Duck’d’ will soon bring chaos to Steam!

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

2P Games and FuncoreClub announce that Over Duck'd, a chaotic, physics-based co-op game where your microphone is the only controller, will be released soon on Steam. Herd ducks with your friends in a game where your voice is your only weapon, will you use it wisely?

Link

Project Songbird review

Waking in a messy apartment contemplating good music, this could be a cosy Life Is Strange kind of adventure. It's not.
Waking in a messy apartment contemplating good music, this could be a cosy Life Is Strange kind of adventure. It's not.

widescreen for cinematic effec
widescreen for cinematic effec

A compact, story-driven survival horror, Project Songbird leans heavily on its aesthetics, sound, and a surprisingly personal narrative about creativity and the struggle to make art.

Review

Have a Look at This Upcoming Indie Game Where You Explore & Clean an Island Muri: Wildwoods

Gameplay
Gameplay

Platforming
Platforming

Pelle, a charming protagonist skilled in acrobatics, explores the island and runs, jumps, and climbs through picturesque nature and peculiar structures with a mysterious atmosphere. While exploring, the character uses a watergun to clean corrupted nature, restores the place, and brings back vibrant colors of the Wildwoods world.

Link

This painterly indie game turns a children’s book into a playable illustration Hyper Luminal

Hyper Luminal
Hyper Luminal

Beast Cyclop
Beast Cyclop

Gameplay
Gameplay

If the hand-painted visuals of The Day I Became A Bird resemble something from an illustrated children's book, then you'd be right. This short narrative-adventure is an adaptation of a 2016 French children's picture book written by Ingrid Chabbert and illustrated by Guridi, about a young boy named Frank who falls in love for the first time with Sylvia, a girl in his class, and devises an unusual way to win her affection.

Link

The Darkside Detective: Backside of the Moon Releases a Free Demo

An Bleeding cool article with images?
An Bleeding cool article with images?

That is new...
That is new...

Enjoy!
Enjoy!

  • Step into the shoes of Detective McQueen and Officer Dooley to solve supernatural mysteries
  • The demo offers a taste of the first case and welcomes both newcomers and returning fans
  • Get ready to point, click, and unravel six new standalone cases in this pixel-art adventure

Link

Boomerang Jack Is Scheduled to Release in Late April 2026

In Boomerang Jack, players step into the shoes of Jack, a globe-trotting adventurer wielding a powerful boomerang. His journey revolves around taking down the ruthless Pirate King and saving the world from looming danger. Along the way, players will explore diverse environments, upgrade Jack’s abilities and equipment, and face increasingly difficult enemies, all while uncovering a deeper story beneath the surface.

Link

Explore Vibrant Cube Levels with Fantasy Landscapes in This WIP Indie Game

Zoy
Zoy

Check out Zoy, an upcoming indie sandbox from SpringDing, featuring satisfying gameplay set in peaceful fantasy nature locations.

The game invites you to explore intricate cube-based levels across fascinating forests, lawns, and surreal waterfalls. In these mesmerizing places, seasons shift from blooming spring to vibrant autumn, brought to life with picturesque wind effects that craft an immersive atmosphere.

Link

Work at a Filipino town’s lost and found office in this upcoming indie game

Gameplay
Gameplay

Lost & Found follows Rico, a laid-off artist who returns to his fictional hometown of Luisiana after struggling to find work in the city. Back home, there aren’t that many opportunities floating around either, and he soon finds himself working at the local lost and found office.

Link

This sci-fi racing game's Cars on Mars portal effects are blowing people's minds

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Cars on Mars has a title that sounds as utilitarian as Snakes on a Plane. In case you had any doubt, the game involves driving cars, and it's set on Mars.

In fact, there's a bit more too it than that. Unlike the real Mars, the game's world is 'almost infinite'. It's also dotted by portals that unleash some surprising effects.

Link

Cozy thrift shop management sim Thrifty Business launches this May

Thrifty Business

There’s a new ’90s-inspired thrift shop in town, and you’re in charge! Sort through boxes to find great items, arrange displays, befriend customers, complete their requests, and expand the store in this laid-back management sim. You can also customize the store’s furniture, wallpaper, flooring, and decor.

Link

Cozy medieval manuscript game Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts

They got the art right
They got the art right

Gameplay
Gameplay

Yaza Games and Mythwright have announced that the unique (and often bizarre!) manuscript workshop sim Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts will be released later this month for PC. In the game, you manage a workshop, create weird and wonderful designs, and meme your way through the Middle Ages. The Scriptorium is a cozy and relaxing creative space; there are no timers or pressure.

Link

https://gamingtrend.com/previews/grim-seasons-hands-on-preview/

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Grave Seasons presents a brilliant concept—A supernatural murder mystery farming sim. It seems like every game in the farming sim genre is cozy or wholesome, with any darker plotlines being relegated to bits of side lore.

Link

Chaotic Co-op Cave Adventure 'Pratfall' Launches April 20th on Steam

Gameplay
Gameplay

In Pratfall, players descend into a dangerous cave system to rescue their missing dog, navigating traps, hazards, and the most dangerous force of all: gravity. With physics-driven chaos, destructible environments, and cooperative gameplay, one mistake can send the entire team tumbling.

Link

How Crushed In Time reimagines Sherlock Holmes as a LucasArts-inspired adventure

Gameplay
Gameplay

"On the artistic side, Crushed In Time is a very meta game about video game creation, which doesn't shy away from taking a few detours along the way," Garriguenc concludes. "This gives players the opportunity to discover different artistic directions, some of which are already featured in our official screenshots!"

Link

Eastshade The ethically-sourced wizard school life sim

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

In Glimmerwick, I'm a brand new student at the magical Etchery university. I'm quickly assigned to be caretaker of the school gardens, where I can grow ingredients for potions and learn to play a flute to cast magical spells that help me traverse the world or just do heavy lifting with my hoe.

Link

Indie Cozy Survival Co-op Game Solarpunk Launches in June

Gameplay
Gameplay

Solarpunk’s world is full of floating islands to explore and no combat. This one is about surviving, building, exploration, crafting and discovery. In a technologically advanced open world, you get to explore by first building an airship and then gliding around through the clouds.

Link

Homebrew News

Friday the 13th Revisited for GBC

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Return to Camp Crystal Lake... on your Game Boy Color!

Friday the 13th: Camp Crystal Lake is a tribute to the 1988 NES classic, recreated from scratch for the Game Boy Color with new gameplay mechanics and a portable experience.

Link

SKELOS for GBC

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

In search of your lost family, you descend into a forgotten well. Below lies a haunting retro world inspired by Japanese folklore, where restless yokai roam and long-buried secrets await.

Link

All Hell Unleashed for NES

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Amidst a realm where darkness reigns and evil lurks in every shadow, a sinister cult has unleashed chaos upon our world. Introducing 'All Hell Unleashed,' the NES game that pits YOU against the most infamous horror icons of all time.. Jason, Michael, Freddy, Candyman, Ghostface, Leatherface, Chucky, Pennywise, Pinhead and the Killer Klowns.

Link

Escape 2049 for Genesis/Megadrive and PC

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Gameplay
Gameplay

Escape 2049 is an action shooting / puzzle / platformer game, originally developed for the Sega Genesis / Megadrive, it was ported to PC.

The game is the sequel to Escape 2042. Play Elena in this action shooting game set in 4 different worlds, featuring 12 levels and 12 bosses, challenging puzzles, a stunning intro and full motion videos!

Link


Featured article: Fantasy Consoles

Tic-80

Two issues ago I wrote about emulation, how it is  hardware or software that allows one computer system, called the host, to behave similarly to another computer system called the guest. But does the guest computer system have to be real? An emulator emulates the behavior of another computer based on specs and architecture that the other computer has. So if we came up with some specs and architecture for a theoretical computer, we should be able to emulate that as well. And that is what a fantasy console is. An emulator of a gaming console that has only theoretical specs and architecture. 

LowRes NX

Fantasy consoles are meant to make game development beginner-friendly, focusing on simpler game design enforced by the artificial restrictions of the system and the built-in development tools. The restrictions of these systems and getting around them can make developers creative and come up with unique gameplay ideas.  Portability is a big plus, as the games do not need to be ported themselves, just the emulator running them. Each game developed for such a fantasy system can run on any other system that has an emulator for the fantasy system.

Screenshot of Pong implemented in CHIP-8
Screenshot of Pong implemented in CHIP-8

The first fantasy console was probably the CHIP-8. It was officially called and interpreted programming language. But the purpose was the same: emulate fictional computer hardware and create games for it that could run on any computing system that could emulate the CHIP-8 system. These days countless CHIP-8 emulators exist for almost every system imaginable

Tetris game on MegaZeux
Tetris game on MegaZeux

Another early fantasy system is the MegaZeux, labeled as a game creation system, and it was first released in 1994 and is still being developed today.  It can run on a few systems but not as many as the CHIP-8. MegaZeux comes with its own built-in development environment. A programming language called robotics and tools for editing graphics and sound.

The aforementioned PICO-8 is the first modern fantasy console. It recreates simple graphics and audio capabilities similar to 8-bit computers and gaming systems. It uses Lua for programming, but it also comes with tools for editing music, sound, sprites, and maps. The original version of the indie game Celeste was most famously developed for the PICO-8. The emulator is not free, it costs about $15 to pursue. Though there are free and open-source recreations of the emulator. Like tac08 and Retro8.

After the release of the PICO-8, fantasy consoles became more popular, and since then several systems have been released. Some noteworthy systems are: 

TIC-80

A fantasy computer for making, playing, and sharing tiny games. It supports multiple programming languages:  Lua, Moonscript, Javascript, Ruby, Wren, Fennel, Squirrel, Janet, and Python. And has built-in editors for code, sprites, world maps, sound effects, and music.

Link

LowRes NX

LowRes NX

Lets you program in the classic BASIC language and create sprites, tile maps, sound and music with the included tools.

Link

Vircon32

Vircon32

Vircon32 is a 32-bit virtual console: it is meant as a standard that could be implemented either in software or hardware.

Atto

Ss an open-source fantasy computer created by DeviceFuture. It recreates elements of 1980s and modern computers. It use BASIC as an interface to program and load software.

Link

For more fantasy consoles check this link.


Fantasy Console Game recommendations

1. Celeste Classic 2 for PICO-8

Celeste Classic 2

A PICO-8 platformer about hiking around a mountain, made in three days for Celeste's third anniversary.

Link

2. PakPok for PICO-8

Puzzle platformer for PICO-8

Link

3. NanoMan for PICO-8

Basically, a fan game heavily inspired by the early Mega Man series

Link

4. Fetch Quest for PICO-8

Gameplay

Gameplay

You were playing fetch with your best friend when he suddenly vanished. You're on the trail, you're going to get him back. Hurry!

Link

5. Everdawn for PICO-8

Gameplay

Welcome to Everdawn, a tiny island where the sun and moon have ceased to move through the sky. Explore it, learn its history, and unlock the secrets behind its strange curse.

Link

6. 8 Bit Panda for TIC-80

8 Bit Panda is a classic-style platformer for the TIC-80. You can move, run, jump and get powerups (and occasionally fly planes!). It has 17 levels distributed across 6 major areas (isles). Each area has different enemies and difficulty. The game is saved every time you complete a full area (after level 3 of each isle).

Link

7. Star Wars Vector Tie Wave for LowRes NX

Welcome to my absurdly ill-advised new project. This is my interpretation of the 1980’s Star Wars vector arcade game. Well- this version is still very much a work in progress. Most notably, it’s just the tie fighter battle on an endless loop. Of course my goal is to have all three phases and increasing difficulty, but we’re not there yet.

Link

8. SMZX Tetris for MegaZeux

It's Tetis

Gameplay

Link

9. Blips for Vircon32

Blibs

Blips is a remake of the dos bips original, gold and platinum game made by Bryant Brownell, its a sokoban style puzzle game but with exploding dynamite, special boxes and collecting coins

Link

10. Blockdude for Vircon32

Gameplay

Blockdude is a remake of the well known TI Caluculator game from Brandon Sterner as well as the blockman game from Soleau Software. This version of the game for the vircon32 fantasy console is based on the Playdate port which was in itself a port of the GP2X port of blockdude i made over a decade ago.

Link


Free Game Python Mythix Part 3

The game can be found here

Mythix 3


TOP 10

Top 10 indie games of all time based on votes Bside gaming community.

Note: Downvotes are ignored and only games that are directly linked to the community, links to game reviews or news on another site are not counted.

1. Noita

Gameplay

Noita is a magical action rogue-lite set in a world where every pixel is physically simulated.

2. ANIMAL WELL

ANIMAL WELL

Explore a dense, interconnected labyrinth, and unravel its many secrets. Collect items to manipulate your environment in surprising and meaningful ways. Encounter beautiful and unsettling creatures, as you attempt to survive what lurks in the dark. There is more than what you see.

3 Tiny Glade

Gameplay

Tiny Glade is a small diorama builder where you doodle whimsical castles, cozy cottages & romantic ruins. Explore gridless building chemistry as the game adorns your glades with procedural detail. No management, combat or goals: just kick back and turn forgotten meadows into lovable dioramas.

4. Shattered Pixel Dungeon

Gameplay

5. Tunic

Gameplay

Gameplay

Explore a land filled with lost legends, ancient powers, and ferocious monsters in TUNIC, an isometric action game about a small fox on a big adventure.

6 CSS Clicker

A game made entirely in HTML and CSS about building a website you can actually customize in-game

7. Planet of Lana

Planet of Lana

A young girl and her loyal friend embark on a rescue mission through a colorful world full of cold machines and unfamiliar creatures. Planet of Lana is a cinematic puzzle adventure framed by an epic sci-fi saga that stretches across centuries and galaxies.

8. Tuxemon

Tuxemon

Tuxemon is a monster-collecting RPG created in Python using Pygame. Gameplay involves catching various monsters and training them to battle each other in a style similar to the Pokemon games.

9. Sea of Stars

Sea of Stars

Sea of Stars is a turn-based RPG inspired by the classics. It tells the story of two Children of the Solstice who will combine the powers of the sun and moon to perform Eclipse Magic, the only force capable of fending off the monstrous creations of the evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer.

10. CARRION

Gameplay

Gameplay

CARRION is a reverse horror game in which you assume the role of an amorphous creature of unknown origins, stalking and consuming those that imprisoned you.


TOP Game per type

The most upvoted game per type: Paid indie, Open source, Homebrew and Demake the last 3 months.

Paid Indie

Tunic

Gameplay

Gameplay

Explore a land filled with lost legends, ancient powers, and ferocious monsters in TUNIC, an isometric action game about a small fox on a big adventure.

Open Source

Super Tux 0.7

Gameplay

Cave
Cave

SuperTux is an open-source classic 2D jump'n run sidescroller game in a style similar to the original Super Mario games.

Homebrew

Lykia - The Lost Island (C64 + Plus/4)

Lykia - The Lost Island

It’s Nora’s 16th birthday - but this was to be a birthday like none other!

Sent to pick apothia fruits by her mother something very strange and magical happened when Nora touched the fruit - an ancient spell was disturbed that affected all the people and animals throughout the land!

Demake

Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Game Boy Demake

Gameplay
Gameplay

This demake is the entire first case of the original game “The First Turnabout”. It was created as a technical demonstration of the capabilities of GB Studio and how next to zero knowledge of coding can take you.

Corner of Fun

Jokes

  • What did Mario say when he broke up with Princess Peach? “It’s not you, it’s-a me, Mario!

  • I tried to start a band with a bunch of gamers, but it didn’t work out. Apparently, we couldn’t find a good “keyboard” player.

  • What’s a gamer’s favorite song? “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen… in multiplayer mode!

Memes

Meme Meme Meme

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[–] falseprophet@piefed.social 3 points 2 weeks ago