Indie games have become a larger part of the casual gaming ecosystem in recent years. With the rising costs of triple-A games, many have turned to indie games to have new experiences on a budget. PAX Aus has been championing indie games for several years now with the PAX Aus Indie Showcase. This showcase aims to highlight some of the best indie games currently in development and give PAX Aus attendees the chance to try them out, and this year is no different. The winners of this year’s Indie Showcase have been announced and include six video games and six tabletop games, and we’ll be giving you all the info you need for each game so you’ll be ready to try them out later this year.
We’ll kick things off by going over the six video games that will be a part of the showcase. The first is Lunars by Anubis Arts, which is a party game where you play as plush versions of the zodiac animals. You’ll be competing in rapid-fire minigames and unpredictable board events (like Mario Party) designed for up to eight players (I’m kinda sold on this one just from playing as cute plushies).
The next is Doggy Don’t Care by Rotub Games, and it’s an action-adventure platformer that puts you in control of a mischievous dog on the loose. You’ll be able to explore vibrant environments, break stuff, and dig a lot of holes. Think Untitled Goose Game, but with a dog.
There’s also Memory’s Reach by 100 Stones Interactive, which is a first-person puzzle-adventure that fuses exploration from metroidvanias with mind-bending logic puzzles that will have you scratching your head.
Trivial Deal by Fluent Pixel is the first trivia roguelike game. You’ll need quick thinking and nerves of steel in order to triumph over this harsh tactical deckbuilder, where no two runs will be the same.
PROXIMATE by Cain Maddox is a narrative horror game that takes place in a derelict deep-sea laboratory. Utilising your limited resources, you’ll have to search for clues and use your wits if you want to make it out of this ghastly adventure.
And finally, there’s Dryft City Kyngs by Nonsense Machine, which is an RPG combined with racing, life sims, and punk energy. You’ll be putting the pedal to the metal in this 2D adventure as you rise through the ranks and make a name for yourself (I’m most keen to try this one out).
The tabletop area at PAX Aus is always filled with new tabletop games that grab my interest, and these six winners look to be no exception. Conquest For The Capital by MountainSoul Gaming is a strategy war game for four players. You’ll pick from one of four factions: Dwarves, Orcs, Elves, and The Undead, and utilise their unique playstyles to ensure victory.
Coffee Up! from To To Tam is a co-op memory card game that can fit in your pocket and can be played with two to five players. You’ll be running a brand new coffee shop for seven days, where you’ll be competing with one another to make the best coffee possible (to be fair, I don’t even drink coffee).
If you want some solo tabletop fun, Cartograph – Atlas Edition by The Ravensridge Emporium is right up your alley. This RPG is all about the map-making process and will have you creating your own map while documenting your discoveries in a journal. Who knows, maybe you can use the maps you make in future tabletop games.
Panda Party Game by Cheerfolk is a simple, yet fast, pick-up-and-play card game that is filled to the brim with adorable pandas. You’ll be racing your opponents to have five panda guests come to your party. With over 150 cards, you’ll be hard-pressed to have any repeat games.
From Aethermon Studios, the team behind the game Aethermon (who would’ve guessed), comes Spacewreck Salvage. This competitive inverted-bidding game is all about strategic drafting and making sure you pick the best moment to strike. You’ll assemble your crew and then race against your opponents to snag valuable ship upgrades, cargo, and survivors.
And finally, Potion Society by The Murmuring Mystic is a competitive card game that will have you collect ingredients and mix them together to craft a wide variety of potions. But you’ll have to be careful, as other players can sabotage you in their attempts to earn the most points at the end of the game.
And that’s all 12 Indie Showcase winners for PAX Aus 2025. These games and more will be available to try out during PAX Aus, so be sure to check them out if you’re planning on attending. Be sure to keep checking back here at Couch Soup to stay up to date on the latest PAX Aus 2025 news!
Will you be trying out any of these games at PAX Aus? Which one speaks to you? Any games you think should’ve made the cut? Let us know in the comments where we can talk about all things gaming.
