The recent Busan Indie Connect 2024 showcased a variety of casual games that offer unique gameplay experiences for players of all levels. Here’s a more in-depth look at some of the standout titles:
GREAT TOY SHOWDOWN
This strategic casual shooter combines simplified Battle Royale mechanics with adorable animal toy characters. Teams of eight players compete to win their owner’s affection through cooperative monster fighting and intense battles against rival teams.
Players can choose to confront other toys directly or focus on team cooperation and growth. The game involves fighting monsters to gain experience and level up, with strategic role allocation being key to team success. An interesting feature is the Chick Drone, which players can use to explore hidden areas and hunt for loot guarded by monsters.
As matches progress, teams encounter three other toy groups, leading to intense confrontations. Even when knocked down, players can respawn as long as teammates remain in the game. Victory is achieved by being the last surviving team.
With matches lasting about 10 minutes, GREAT TOY SHOWDOWN offers a balance of relaxed gameplay and competitive tension, making it an ideal choice for casual multiplayer sessions with friends.
Keep It UP
Keep It UP is a challenging rock climbing puzzle game featuring intuitive tap controls for conquering perilous peaks. Players must strategically choose support points within a circular area around their character and plan their climbing routes carefully.
The game emphasizes the importance of rest and rhythm during climbing, encouraging players to advance steadily through careful planning. As players progress, the difficulty increases, continually improving their skills and testing their patience.
An added layer of challenge comes from avoiding obstacles like flying birds while climbing. Despite its simple controls, the game’s increasing difficulty creates a strong desire for players to keep pushing themselves. Keep It UP’s design tests patience and stimulates strategic thinking, making it an addictive climbing adventure that balances simplicity with a high level of challenge.
Color Lim
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this side-scrolling platform adventure follows a small slime named Lim on a quest to find color. In a world where color represents everything, players must absorb and use different colors to overcome obstacles and defeat enemies.
The core gameplay mechanic revolves around strategic color usage. Players must use the corresponding color to defeat enemies, while enemies of the same color cannot be harmed. This forces constant color switching to navigate levels successfully. Despite Lim’s small size, he possesses various abilities that players must cleverly use in conjunction with environmental elements.
Color Lim offers a high level of strategy and challenge through its color absorption and usage mechanics. The game’s background and graphics are praised for their detail and imagination, showcasing a unique post-apocalyptic world. Each level requires critical thinking about how to use Lim’s abilities and the environment to solve problems, maintaining a balance of fun and challenge throughout the game.
Tiny Cafe
In this warm simulation game, players help a mouse named Dolce run a mini café in a city full of cats. Starting as an inconspicuous little shop, players work to evolve the café into a beloved chain brand with aspirations of global recognition.
Gameplay involves creating a variety of drinks and desserts, from drip coffee and espresso to lattes and various sweet treats. Players can experiment with new recipes and upgrade their equipment to expand the menu and meet the diverse needs of their feline customers.
An engaging aspect of Tiny Cafe is the interaction with various cat customers. Players listen to their stories and comfort them with heartwarming beverages and desserts. The game features soothing background music, providing a serene and pleasant gaming experience.
With its cute art style and relaxing gameplay, Tiny Cafe offers a soothing experience for fans of management simulations. The process of running and upgrading the café provides a sense of progression and accomplishment, making it easy for players to lose track of time while immersed in this charming virtual world.
These titles demonstrate the diverse range of casual games on display at Busan Indie Connect 2024, from action-packed multiplayer battles to relaxing simulations. Each game offers its own unique mechanics and challenges while remaining accessible to a wide audience, showcasing the creativity and innovation present in the indie game development scene.