Author: Dave Pizza

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Cuphead Easy Mode Is Possible With This Celeste-Like Mod

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Is there really a Cuphead easy mode? The legendary game Cuphead, as we know it, harks back to a potent generation of ambitious indie breakthroughs. Yes, back in good old 2017, it was released on Steam and Xbox with others after for our joy–and perhaps torment. Incidentally, this is the main, if not the only, game to ever really nail down the vintage hand-drawn style with such success. The first time I’d ever seen it, I imagined it not just as maybe being one of the greatest games ever made, but also as a fulfillment I’d desired for years of… Read the rest

Xbox Game Pass Is a Casual Gamer’s Paradise

Posted on by Dave Pizza
I’m not attempting to upsell you the service–although I’d certainly take credit, simply because it’s truly one of the best gaming services out there and sells itself. You need Game Pass if you play major game titles or even indies, it’s just a must to keep up. You can play day-one releases as well as past releases from Bethesda, EA, as well as tons of mid-tier indies. The setup is easy so I’ll just make a quick reference here if you’re wishing to try it out. Xbox Game Pass is a service from Microsoft’s Xbox that makes available 100+ video… Read the rest

Bear & Breakfast is a Game With All The BEAR Necessities of Life!

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Finally, I sat down with the tremendous Bear & Breakfast, a game I’d wanted to try since last year. Now, my personal quest has resumed with a plunge headfirst into this BEARY good game. Here are my thoughts on all the vast building and crafting systems, quests, and exploration features that make this game so good. Not to mention the fantastic hand-drawn woodland setting and the game’s humble (and hilarious as it were) creatures involved. This review was played on PC. It is also available on Nintendo Switch. First Impressions of Bear & Breakfast There are certain things about Bear… Read the rest

Wanderful is a Cozy Puzzle Demo from Steam Next Fest

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Daedelic Entertainment is a huge high-quality game publisher featuring a range of developers from small to major, including the new Gollum game and also Wanderful from the German developers Tiny Roar. I have my eye on this publisher as an unbiased indie gamer because while, yes, the smaller indie community is my foundation, I also like really good games. So, when you can, there’s a great game you need to try from them called Wanderful, the cute cozy tile game demo that brightened my day. Played on Steam. How to Play Wanderful Explore and Discover New Tiles Starting Your Journey… Read the rest

Why I Intentionally Slow my Game Download Speed

Posted on by Dave Pizza
In this tutorial, I’ll quickly explain how to throttle bandwidth in popular apps like Google Chrome, Steam, and Xbox Game Pass. Most folks just want to download games and videos as fast as possible. However, if you are on a network that contains home devices, background apps, streaming services, and multiple people, this can slow everything down. I’ll share a few quick tricks to throttling bandwidth using a few settings in your Google Chrome browser and Steam app that will help fix this. I’ll also highlight some popular clients like Xbox Game Pass that also have bandwidth throttling features. Throttle… Read the rest

Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition is Excellence Beyond the Veil (I Finally Tried It)

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition touches my heart in a way that’s genuine and welcome. It’s one thing for a game to speak of the hereafter as a storyline, but another to make one truly wonder as this game does. It is also an excellent example of intentional gameplay that makes you want to keep going deeper and reveal all its fruits. I’ll share with you why Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition combines the deep spiritual context of its story with a dynamic visual representation that won’t cheapen your spirit, nor your time. This review was played on PC. (Available on other platforms.) Spiritfarer:… Read the rest

Nintendo Screenshot Transfer Guide For Those Who Want to Know

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Most devices with USB capability have almost complicit plug-and-play, the Nintendo Switch mostly does too–almost. In this brief tutorial, I’ll tell you how to transfer switch screenshots via USB with no problems. This includes videos captured onto the Switch as well. Let’s get started. The ability to transfer screenshots from the Nintendo Switch can be ironically confusing with all the support for social media the console has. There are a lot of content creators out there, and when it comes to finding media, this is one reason these Switch screenshots can be almost crucial. Note: I have learned that if… Read the rest

Beginner Guide – Walkthrough, Tips, Tricks, and SECRETS – Stardew Valley

Posted on by Dave Pizza
This article is my Stardew Valley Beginner Guide. Along with some quick beginner tips on the game, unravel the narrative a bit, and in the process, let me share some helpful lessons learned from playing the game. Whether you’re just starting out, or returning to the game, I’ll show you how life in Stardew Valley pans out from parsnips to star drops. So, without further ado, buckle your overalls, because we’re headed to the ultimate cozy game Stardew Valley. Let’s have some fun, shall we? Stardew Valley Beginner Guide: Starting With NOTHING First of all, Stardew Valley is a great… Read the rest

Cult of the Lamb Appeals To My Shadow Self

Posted on by Dave Pizza
I’ve been waiting way too long to try Cult of the Lamb. From its conceptual uniqueness to its popularity, I’ve been waiting (shudder.) I like to ask why people do certain things–like why everybody from a certain culture believes in the same thing but others don’t. OR: Why does this cute indie game exist about a tiny lamb who is forced to destroy hordes of cultists and collect woodland creature followers to build a powerful cult of his own? Isn’t that a bit… much? But this isn’t an anthropological midterm, it’s just the type of indie quirk I love. So… Read the rest

Easy Way to Install Cheat Engine for Astroneer & Other Games

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Cheat Engine is a utility that allows loading “cheat tables” for personal use in offline gameplay for games that don’t have integrated cheat codes. If you’re nostalgic like me, think “Game Genie.” Using mods and cheat tools is not unethical or lazy and you should have no insecurity about wanting to use them! I’ll show you the best way to install Cheat Engine safely so you can experiment with this fun program too. (I’ll say this once though: DON’T USE IN ONLINE GAMEPLAY–you could be banned #obvious.) I also believe the developer is very talented in creating software to do… Read the rest

How to Install & Launch SMAPI in Steam for Stardew Valley

Posted on by Dave Pizza
I’ll show you how to install and launch SMAPI in Steam for Stardew Valley as well as a few other tricks like installing a cheat code mod. SMAPI and its compatible mods not only make the game have longer replayability but actually can save you a ton of time if you’re a casual player. Using mods is a great way to make the best use of your playtime. So, let’s jump right in and get started. By the way, if you’re looking for a beginners guide to Stardew Valley, check out my article : Stardew Valley Beginner’s Guide – Useful… Read the rest

Nordic Ashes Takes on the Enemy Hell Genre With Viking Warriors

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Nordic Ashes: Survivors of Ragnarok is a ride and a vibe–or whatever these new Midgardians call things. It was a great time trying the early access on Steam, and I’ll tell you about it. This is a passive auto-combat… roguelike–it’s a Vampire Survivors type game basically. Overall, these are good fun, and anybody can play them with a little familiarity with the genre. In this one, you play a Viking warrior (is that a redundant term?) It’s all about piling on the mobs and vanquishing them here. There are several upcoming characters, skills, and weapons on the horizon for its… Read the rest

“Grey Block” Daringly Intermingles Conspiracy and Paranoia

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Grey Block is a new psychological interactive fiction. This is a story about Theo Church, a young man who is involuntarily committed to a place called the Green Valley Psychiatric Hospital. Within the framework of a mysterious conspiracy, he tries to escape with the help of a hired assassin, who Theo tells a nurse was originally hired to take Theo out but instead rescued him. She is the primary secondary character outside of Theo who provides the information Theo needs to escape Green Valley. Together they navigate the watch of green-lit security camera spotlights, collecting security badges and hacking unattended… Read the rest

Have You Tried Terrene? Check Out This Indie Bit-Art Space Dev

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Hey, thanks to JustWall Games for letting me try Terrene: An Evidence of Life. This is an indie open-world space exploration game with some sweet pixel graphics and the types of deep-cut quirks that make me play indies, seriously. I didn’t know what to expect at first, to be honest. I suspected some kind of multi-faceted character-based system, but that is only part of it. Actually, there are so many open-ended exploration features that I could see exploring the vastness of space could be relaxing and interesting. If you like games like Starbound or Terraria, be sure to check this… Read the rest

DreamCell Is a Dark But Not Scary Rogue-Like, and I Got To Name Some of the Characters

Posted on by Dave Pizza
DreamCell: Lost in Nightmares is a 2D action twin-stick rogue-like that landed on my desk today. I have been hooked on the rogue-like/lite genre quite a bit lately. You may want to navigate to my YouTube channel for proof with the video below. Despite that, games like DreamCell: Lost in Nightmares give enough content to chew on for a regular day’s gaming. The game is currently in a demo stage, scheduled for release on November 25 2022 on Steam. It’s a challenging but ultimately amusing rogue-like that I could see evoking repeatable gameplay. It has challenging but anticipated enemies, and… Read the rest

If You Like Starship Troopers and Anime, Check out Stories From Sol

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Stories From Sol: Part 1 Gun-Dog is a new game entering onto the scene. It’s a hard space sci-fi story, a genre not without a plentiful fandom, although this sneak peek led me mostly through sharp comedic timing and even a romantic interest? Looks pretty cool. Please note that not only is this a demo, but it also’s part one of the whole story, so if you enjoy it, make the dev know so with a comment on their ItchIO. Or drop by our tweet on Twitter as well. Let’s take a look.This game is available on Itch.IO Genre: Visual… Read the rest

NeuroNet: Mendax Proxy is a Stunning New Visual Novel

Posted on by Dave Pizza
“Dream Harvest,” the developers of NeuroNet: Mendaxy Proxy have provided a demo that gives a special preview of this futuristic fiction that showcases a highly visual and highly interactive story experience. The synopsis goes something like this. Wake up, you’re the newest programmed artificial intelligence developed by a very prominent corporation in the high-tech metropolitan Catena. Take it into your own hands in the bizarre POV of the AI, who is named Arc after a few calibrations in the prologue, or “beta” if you will. As you evolve, you’ll be given various responsibilities that will make you think and test… Read the rest

Kraino Origins Spins My Spooky Indie Wheels

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Here we go with Kraino Origins. Add this to your Halloween Indie Game countdowns, because it’s got enough spook for the whole community. This game feels like it was made from the plucking of my own seasonal heartstring, with its borderline creep-fest color scheme and environment. Slash your way through constant monsters, zombies, and ghouls in this 2D platformer that spans 8 bosses–now out on Steam! Kraino Origins – What Is This Magic? So, the idea here is: “what would happen if you took the classic indie game Shovel Knight and filtered it through grim undertones and replaced the knight… Read the rest

Why Are Indie Games Popular Now? – The Truth

Posted on by Dave Pizza
First of all, indie games are my favorite “genre.” I think this is an important cultural phenomenon–and also a fun one–but for argument, let’s scrutinize it. So, indie games usually have fewer details, less polished graphics, and are often focused on the simpler things, so why are indie games popular now? And additionally, I might even ask, are they? I’ve been playing and writing about indie games for a couple of years now and I have seen so many genres and concepts that make the games I used to play seem unnecessarily photorealistic and expensive. Knowing what goes into game… Read the rest

Choices Matter Every Time in the Visual Novel “OVERBOARD!”

Posted on by Dave Pizza
This article about Overboard is in the June 2022 Issue 4 of ChoiceBeat: The Visual Novel and Interactive Fiction Zine.With eye-catching flat graphics and exciting period-stylized environments, no one could say the game Overboard! doesn’t have class. (Also known as Overboard! Get Away With Murder.) Literary elements and composition create an intellectual environment on the fictional steamship SS Hook, where your task is to resolve speculation on a murder. It’s not just an ordinary mystery though. From the very get-go, it’s made apparent that you, the apathetic yet charismatic, Veronica Villensey, are the killer–of her own husband! It is up… Read the rest

That Time I Binged a Bunch of Indies on YouTube

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Ah, so many new ways of doing things here at Mr. Dave Games. I think probably the most notable change has been the expansion of my YouTube operations. I’ve covered a whole 18 new indie games this month, including one switch game (Vesper.) If you think this is a lot, wait until next month, when things are going to get very serious. I’ve also uploaded three new tutorials to my channel, which are doing great. Woo hoo! Okay, yes, YouTubing showcases has allowed me to cover more content, but this blog is just as important and as I pursue new… Read the rest

How to Find Free Games on Steam

Posted on by Dave Pizza
This is a tutorial on how to find and download free games on Steam. If you’re familiar with the Steam client store or website, you might know the layout can be incredibly open-ended. I use it every day, and it is one of my most useful resources. This allows for some exploration of methods to filter new games posted. Steam is considered one of the most essential clients for finding new game releases for digital download on PC. It is home to tens of thousands of retail, but also free, games. This isn’t a terribly complicated process, however, for the… Read the rest

JoyToKey and How I Use It To Keybind Controllers for Gaming

Posted on by Dave Pizza
This article is about how to keybind your game controller with JoytoKey to play games that require various keyboard keys to play. I use this with browser games on Itch.IO, if there is no native controller support. A lot of platformers and games on Itch.IO and Steam use a keyboard and mouse, but generally, I prefer controller support. Keybinding is a useful ability that can allow you to play more responsively, or even play an indie with your controller–even wireless controllers! Getting Started with JoyToKey There are many programs available on the web for binding keys to a controller, but… Read the rest

Hayai is an Awesome Artistic Enemy Hell With Samurai Action

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Hayai is a pretty cool game. I played another game like it recently called Pizza Tactics, but only in the sense that the main mechanic is drawing a path with my mouse. Really though, Hayai is a full-feature game aimed at casual play. Control one of 5 Ronin, and clear hordes of enemies swarming from the sides of the map by dragging a line between the individual enemies in one long swipe. It could double as a mobile game, but I really enjoyed playing it on my computer. A huge cool feature here though, you can actually play this with… Read the rest

Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue is a Neat 2.5D French Firefighting Game

Posted on by Dave Pizza
The idea behind Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue is in the title, Firegirl. I find myself drawn to this game due to its slight quirk and frank concept. But the game deserves a little more credit than assuming the entire plot is based on a conjunction of the words “fire” and “girl.” Although you are exactly that in the game, Firegirl is the type of game that should have been made, conceptually, at least in the 90s. But three decades later, here it is with a shiny package. Classic nods from many of the old-school NES-style games are here though,… Read the rest

Haiku the Robot is a Surprising New Indie I Played

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Yep, Haiku the Robot is about robots, although you’re more likely to catch on fire before most of its poetics! It’s a dystopic pixel platformer with a variety of routes to navigate through. The tunnels are left from the aftermath of an apocalyptic turn. It does have somewhat of a narrative for the first minute. Mostly, you’ll be in the heat of battle. You are thrown into the general theme of trying to find your way around immediately. Thankfully, maps are available. Collect bits and bobbles to fund your robot hack-and-slash lifestyle. This game is as challenging as platformers like… Read the rest

A Showcase of Vesper: Zero Light Edition (On Switch)

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Vesper: Zero Light Edition is out on Nintendo Switch and PC today! Players can find this new version, plus the big debut Switch release, on eShop and Steam. It’s an innovative platformer with arcane space vibes and shimmering, colorful environments. It also includes a compelling and innovative storyline told through holographic recordings and plentiful checkpoint diversions. I played the first twenty minutes on my Switch for you. I have to say it’s one of the more stylistically compelling platformers I have played a release version of. You might be familiar with one of my other past articles on the game… Read the rest

Rotund Zero is a Super Cheap Preview of the Rotund Franchise

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Back with another Indie Game Collective showcase for Rotund Zero. It’s a precision platformer with a Game Boy monochrome style that uses directional keys only to solve puzzle levels made of bouncing blocks. It’s only $1.99 on Steam at the moment and encourages problem-solving in timed runs. You have 5 minutes to complete as many levels as possible, and there are 26 levels, 1 for every letter of the alphabet! You’ll be on your toes to speedrun all of those levels, but the pressure is mild. Watch the YouTube video at the top of this article to see me run,… Read the rest

Starbound – Completing the First Planet (Quick Guide)

Posted on by Dave Pizza
In Starbound, you use Terraria-style mining mechanics to collect materials and progress through the galaxy. This game was released in 2016. It has had some resurgence thanks to a re-release of the game on the invaluable Xbox PC Game Pass platform. I figured since I didn’t find immediate coverage of my own questions, new players may be wondering how to progress in this game. The game takes place in outer space. It has a plotline involving being stranded in space after a cataclysmic invasion destroys the planet. With some basic tools, you’re left to fend for your own. With a… Read the rest

Galacticon Really Plays Like an Old Arcade Cabinet Style Game

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Today, I’m taking a look at the soon-to-be-released, arcade-style title Galacticon from developer Radin Games. It’s similar in style to 1980s arcade games like Defender, Joust, and Jetpac. You might be familiar with some of these from the book Ready Player One; and maybe the film, but I can’t remember, although I know Joust featured prominently in the book. I sat down with the space-themed preview they provided and honestly got really into it. Initially, I wondered how much there’d be to say, but the game has many objectives. There’s also an online leaderboard to compete with, so it is… Read the rest

Jaded – Another Game From My ItchIO Free Game Binge

Posted on by Dave Pizza
I love these platformer games that emerge from the woodwork every single day. Today, that game is Jaded by Shellsnore games, up on Steam. It’s a standard platformer with directional keys, jump, attack, and a special mechanic which is a time warp. Although the time warp mechanic is more of a cacoon slingshot kinda thing, it works pretty well. I was able to bind my controller to the basic keys with no problem. Let me share a tad more here for you. Getting Started with Jaded The demo does mention that the game is still in beta, and there are… Read the rest

Peglin and its Pachinko Goblins – Trying the Demo

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Peglin is a great game where you complete levels by dropping a ball into a destructible pattern of mechanic-activating orbs. You can activate critical strike boosts, or replenish the board. And, before I gloss over too quickly, the purpose of this strategy is to rack up points that can then be used to attack mob health points, in effect winning the level and moving on. I was lucky enough to find the demo on Steam, although the main game has been covered elsewhere. Anyway, I’ll give you a brief rundown of Peglin. Why Peglin? So, it turns out Peglin is… Read the rest

BIOTA the Robot Action Monochrome Indie

Posted on by Dave Pizza
I’m going to try something new here. I have been known to review demos in the past, but they get kind of buried under other projects. I really want to dedicate time to as many as I’d like to. All things relevant, I made a post on Twitter about needing to play for Game Boy-style indies. I got a great tip from cshPinecone of Indie Game Collective about the game BIOTA from “small bros.” It’s a shmup–aka shoot ’em up. Blasting away weird goops of purple eyeballs has its merits, so here it is on MrDavePizza. The game is rich… Read the rest

Labyrinth City – A Family Friendly Where’s Waldo? Type Game

Posted on by Dave Pizza
It’s been some time since a game like this has been featured on MrDavePizza. Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective absolutely belongs. As a game that originated in a book series, the game takes many cues from the visual classics of growing up for me. Incidentally, I was a big fan of books like Where’s Waldo? and Eye Spy, which are similar in scope and content as Pierre the Maze Detective–perhaps you remember too. So, let’s get into this, what is Labyrinth City? It’s a top-down puzzle game with hand-drawn characters in a visual feast of eccentric characters and scenes.… Read the rest

Recommendation: Ducksoup Dungeon

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Let’s jump right into Ducksoup Dungeon. It’s a free web browser playable rogue-lite on Itch.io by developer Richard Lems, also known as Blastmode Games. You might have heard of Lems’ work on the game Mighty Goose. In the game I’m discussing here, Ducksoup Dungeon, you choose one of four heroes. It is playable in a web browser or can be downloaded. Starting with “Slashchicken,” the first hero is a chicken. Gameplay With amazing firepower at your side, you’ll blast your way through and collect coins. Each play’s collection can be used to unlock the other three heroes. Every level features… Read the rest

Dogurai – Heck Yeah, a Doggo Samurai!

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Dogurai by HungryBear is a Game Boy-style indie Metroidvania. I know about it through, a couple of co-creators from Indie Game Collective. Thank you, Jaunty Adventures and Pursuing Pixels. Their taste is superb, as this turned out to be an exciting game. I’ve covered very few Game Boy titles here, aside from Lasagna Boy and… actually, that might be it. It’s a great genre if you want to get into indies. In summary, the designs are aligned with the palette and rendering of old-school Game Boy games. This one in particular is a nice platformer/Metroidvania that takes you through some… Read the rest

I Found the SNES Style “Bumballon” for Under a Dollar, and it was GREAT

Posted on by Dave Pizza
I’ve got a great video up for Bumballon on my YouTube channel because I found this game on a Steam sale for 89 cents! With some investigation, I narrowed down some impulse options for pixel art platformers in the likes of some recent faves like Grapple Dog (which hopefully I’ll get to) and PomPom. Bumballon is a game with unique characters and a traditional SNES-type side-scroller game that puts me into an optimized chill mode. Basically, hop in a cannon, and, after the blast-off, interact as you’re taken for a ride through a colorful world with unique obstacles and fun… Read the rest

Earth Day Game Pick: Tadpole Tales

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Today is Earth Day, and that’s why my free game pick for the day is Tadpole Tales. I played this last year with a fair amount of amusement at the concept. The art style is juicy and vibrant like a Miyazaki film or perhaps some other manga animation. It’s an arcade-style game. This doesn’t mean it’s confined to an arcade cabinet somewhere, it’s a Steam title that’s easy to start and has a few basic controls and mechanics. Gameplay in Tadpole Tales Plot your way as a tadpole through a polluted river. When you heal corrupted wildlife with a splash… Read the rest

Hivemind 2: Stargrove Scramble is A Sweet SNES Style Indie

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Hivemind 2: Stargrove Scramble is a 2D pixel art platformer part of a 2021 Newgrounds dev jam with an “egg” theme by the dev group Team Bugulon. You play a little cloaked lizard, progressing through various spring-sunset-toned environments, collecting candies that in turn give you eggs that you can use to hurl at enemies and unblock paths. The music is a touch above fun, along with the sound effects, making the game have a polished SNES quality that is so adored in these kinds of games.  Gameplay Stargrove Scramble is a generous product as far as free games on ItchIO go in… Read the rest

Moonstuck is Literally Impossible, Stop Now

Posted on by Dave Pizza
When I posted this game, the dev joked to me that I’d done a really great job, which if you watch this video, you’ll realize is hilarious. The game is literally impossible. What? Why am I writing about that? It’s free, otherwise, there’d be an uproar on Steam. Gameplay Moonstuck is a 2D platformer from CozyGames and Black County Games available on Steam just released today. It utilizes a very difficult mechanic involving rocket propulsion and a scenario where touching the majority portions of the platform can result in being kicked back to the start, or checkpoint if you proceed… Read the rest

Octarina, A Game About an Octopus Trapped in a Sushi Factory

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Octarina is a physics puzzle game about an octopus escaping a sushi factory (don’t worry, you’re on the side of the octopus!) Using your squiggly limbs and momentum, propel yourself around the interior of the factory with the intention of escaping. You can use suction cups to climb structures and hurl objects at switches to reverse conveyor belts and such. Gameplay There are three modes: speed mode, story mode, and “the floor is lava.” Despite the dire situation, the game is pretty pleasant and amusing. The graphics and art style are spot on, making use of mid-range graphics cards, which I… Read the rest

With You is Still Fun For “Single” Players

Posted on by Dave Pizza
With You is from Carol Mertz and Insatiable Cycle, the same publisher of “We should talk.” It’s a simple co-op puzzle platformer that can be played with a keyboard. It can also be played as one player using the respective sides of their keyboard to control the two main characters. How to Play Solve puzzles by figuring out geometric obstacles, flipping around your square and half-circle buddies so that they can fit into the floating sections on the two-dimensional plane behind them, and unlocking the next levels. The game features a cute style, with a pleasant soundtrack, and is described on the… Read the rest

Bunny Bye-Bye is a Cute, Simple Indie Game

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Okay, IN MY OPINION, but it’s cute and it’s the free game today. Actually, I really did like Bunny Bye-Bye and it deserves a break from my sardonic quips. This is a 2D pixel-art platformer about a little alien named “bobe” who needs to clean dust bunnies around a space station using a vacuum called a clean0tron. I can’t promise I have a ton to say about this game, but it’s a neat solo jam that contained enough variety in the description that I spent the morning trying it out. I’m not sure what the limits need to be on… Read the rest

Easter Pick: Super Star Duck

Posted on by Dave Pizza
There’s a really neat ItchIO developer called “eggnog.” They’re publishing all sorts of harmless, fun games apparently. In Super Star Duck: Escape From Nefarious Castle, you’ve got the option to play as Esdee, Flan, or Bean, a duck, hippo, and dog (respectively.) The game is one of many free games on ItchIO that I cover, not because it’s a great place to lurk, but because indie developers love the attention there! Why wouldn’t they? Don’t take this TOO seriously, it’s just a little duck game, but it’s free so why not try it out? It’s not my all-time favorite game ever,… Read the rest

Gummy Shooter Looks SICK (And You Can Play it On Your Phone)

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Mostly created for its novelty probably, Gummy Shooter is an amusing side-scrolling thumb blaster. To be honest, I’ve never tried anything like it before, but I was moved to try the Android category of ItchIO as I was out and it was really quite easy. I don’t always cover games like this, because there is a conflict with how much praise I can gloat over a game versus how simplistic they actually are, but the least I can do is try. So, let’s take a look at Gummy Shooter (for ANDROID!) Gummy Shooter Gameplay Everything here is a purple-orange anime… Read the rest

ItchIO Spotlight: Eats Shoots and Leaves

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Here’s an amusing little platformer over on ItchIO called Eats Shoots and Leaves. The name is a parody of the famous writing device expressing how a simple lack of punctuation makes a sentence mean something completely different, especially phonetically. “Eats Chutes and Leaves” and “Eats, Shoots, and Leaves.” This game takes this idea and literally makes it the theme. If you’ve never played an indie game like this, it’s not a broad blanket experience for the whole genre, but many of us who play these types of pixel art platformers love, love, love this genre. And I assure you I did.… Read the rest

More ItchIO Binging: Space Adventure by e9k9

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Just a fun little platformer today called Space Adventure. Found this on ItchIO. You play as a small alien crashlanded somewhere, a moon perhaps, wandering around collecting green dots. Works great on a controller, and the music is pleasant. The original language of this game is German, so if you don’t speak German you might not totally understand what’s going on. Everything is pretty intuitive though, including the universal basics of all platformers (left, right, up, down, jump, etc.) Released within the last month. Gameplay in Space Adventure Players of platformers that involve puzzles will love this, but also those… Read the rest

Random Free JAM Games: Daydream (Kowzak)

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Daydream is a simple keyboard controller platformer made for an ItchIO Dev jam. The protagonist is a woman on a bus daydreaming out the window, as you control one of three recurring daydreams, jumping over obstacles and creatures and avoiding water. It varies from creative to bizarre. I know it seems like I’m just picking these games randomly, but the purpose is to provide inspiration for whatever I need to work on next and provide a nice gesture toward all those talented solo devs out there. Gameplay of Daydream is Simple and Elegant Nothing too serious here, just a free… Read the rest

This Game is Basically Cyberpunk Pong

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Exoblast is basically a very extreme version of pong. Made by the French developer DreamIRL Games, it hit Steam last month and is free as of version 1.0. You control a machine slider in charge of one side of the screen playing against either an AI or another player (there seems to be a function for online mode too.) It’s got some great gameplay and as far as pong goes, might be the most industrial pixel art feast for the eyes in all of the pong kingdom. I have no reason to mention it other than I found it pretty… Read the rest

Super Duper indies: Hip Witch

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Hip Witch is a free adventure game released on Steam this week by developer Studio Hip Sword. The environment is handmade, and the storyline involves a lost young witch boarding in a state park, where she begins a quest to investigate odd happenings on the park’s grounds. It is playable with a controller or keyboard and is short but charming and cozy met with positive reviews. Gameplay in Hip Witch: You Got Spells, Man? Hip Witch is a cozy little indie with reminiscence of games like A Short Hike and other outdoor-themed video games. Everything is hand-drawn giving it the… Read the rest

Caves Ablaze Feels like a Super Old School Platformer

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Caves Ablaze is a 2D Metroidvania Platformer. Play as a ball of fire that completes puzzles deep underground by using flames and dashing abilities to unlock paths. Avoid water and slowly make your way to the surface. Playable with an X-Box Input Controller or keyboard. This was the inaugural free games post for the FGV blog. Not a lot documented here, but a perfectly enjoyable game. Caves Ablaze Gameplay Ah, okay, another fore into the world of free games on itchio. Although not every gamer out there has an interest in platformers with cozy intentions and charming non-human characters, I… Read the rest

Village Monsters: A Pleasant Town Sim Borrowing From Made Up Myths

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Village Monsters is a solo dev project from Josh Bosser. It’s a pixel art town sim that departs from conventional titles with an alternative community of friendly monsters. The game plays on similar genre themes as Stardew Valley but the content goes into the outsider/quirk genre of games with its monster acceptance communicated in each character’s unconventional friendliness. It departs from too much comparison by offering a vast amount of exclusive unique story concepts in each character’s backstory and dialogue. Players can also enjoy activities like treasure hunting, fishing, exploring, working, and contributing to the town itself. Village Monsters is… Read the rest

Pompom is A Challenging, Colorful Hamster Platformer

Posted on by Dave Pizza
The recently released pixel platformer Pompom: The Great Space Rescue ran across my desk as a showcase opportunity through my friends at Indie Game Collective. It’s a precision platformer, sort of, with a feature I’ve never seen before this involving time slowing AND improvised platform placement. You can play with a controller, or you can play it with a mouse (or hamster actually, since that is Pompom’s main character you play as.) The game balances innovative gameplay, a moderate learning curve, and generous leniency to keep your gameplay flowing. I’m thoroughly enjoying it, at the level of some other top… Read the rest

Moonglow Bay Tells Tales of the Maritimes in this Great Indie Catch

Posted on by Dave Pizza
I’m a big fan of fishing in games, but even more so a good story involving it. Moonglow Bay has done it. It’s a story about a retired fisher getting back out there. It is also about settling a community’s superstitions and getting back to the foundation of their livelihood. The story takes place in a traditional Eastern Canadian seaboard fishing village in the 80s. It is otherwise perfectly afloat in its conventional timeless qualities. I related to this game on a personal level, but it floats my boat on multiple. Let’s see.The gameplay runs about 22 hours for the… Read the rest

Pupperazzi. Am I The Only Who Loved This Or Something?

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Dogs dashing, catching, posing, and dogs riding scooters to surfboards throughout the whole game. Pupperazzi is a comedy game with a pretty clean content concept. In all honesty, I initially wasn’t too interested in the game, until I saw it was on Xbox Gamepass where I tried it for free. To my surprise, I found this game very funny, and it had enough achievement-based gameplay that it was actually quite fun. I know games like this aren’t for everybody, but I thought it was a good romp that didn’t require too much brainpower. So, here we go with my complete… Read the rest

Donut County is Definitely Immature and Has GREAT Dialogue

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Forgive, me, because we’re about to “dive into” some game material from the past. All the way back to the year 2018. Which isn’t really that long ago, making the sentiment of that sentence nearly arbitrary actually. Donut County is on its fourth year after release, and I’ve been meaning to play it for about half of that time. Why did I wait so long? I have no idea, but anything that was offsetting about it has vanished from any of my pre-conceptions. Donut County is a hilarious, strategy-based game from Annapurna Interactive, a publisher of some really good indie… Read the rest

Eternia is a Unique Visual Novel About Pets I Played For No Reason

Posted on by Dave Pizza
There’s a short, charming story in Eternia: Pet Whisperer. Even if you’re a cockatoo/border-collie lover like me, or whether you lean more toward the exotic koala/frill-necked lizard, or rat brothers. These animals have a slight backstory, and cute appearance, plus a natural subtle wit. It’s got that solo dev quirk that I love best of all, where the plot derails to form a full loopable plot-line but keeps things manageable; that’s a plus, folks. And I’m not going to spoil it for you, because you deserve that, but also because I think it’s one of the charms of the game.… Read the rest

Moonlighter is a Much Better Game Than I Thought

Posted on by Dave Pizza
The game Moonlighter is a combination of rogue-lite dungeon-crawler mixed with trade simulation and story-rich RPG elements. This timeless, beautifully rendered pixel top-down was released by Digital Sun in 2018, and the game is available on most platforms like PC & Nintendo Switch.Moonlighter is a story about hopeful adventurer Will, a shopkeeper in the small commercial town of Rynoka. Although his family’s shop offers stability and prosperity, it is sustained by the materials found deep in dungeons accessed through gates outside the village. Every night after the shop closes, Will skulks into the darkness to descend into the dungeons before… Read the rest

Showcase: Inked: A Tale of Love Is a New Hand-Drawn Game (Nintendo Switch)

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Well, here I am, back to keep things fresh here with a showcase for Inked: A Tale of Love I have the privilege of receiving a review copy for what was originally a PC game, now out on Switch, Xbox, and Playstation. Today I tested out the Switch version on the handheld mode and made my way through the first couple of chapters to see how well the transition has been (plus promote it to new players!) I’ve seen sketch-style game graphics before, but I was curious to see what this was all about. The developer reached out to my… Read the rest

Mago is a Colorful SNES Style Platformer About a Sorcerer

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Let’s take a look at Mago: The Villain’s Burger. It’s filled with so many fun easy-to-learn but masterable abilities and unique mechanics that you just don’t find in every game. The best way to understand it is most likely visually, but today I’ll be talking about why Mago is a promising look at how its developers are creating something that is, possibly, capable of going big if they wish. So, let’s get started. This game is available on Steam. Mago: The Villain’s Burger is an adventure set in a world populated by fresh NES sprites and joyful playful storytelling. It… Read the rest

Indie Spotlight: Fayburrow – a Super Cozy Student Project

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Today, I plunged headfirst into the free games pile of new releases over on the Steam store. On my arrival, I discovered a cozy little visual novel among the listings called Fayburrow, and I decided to take a look at it. Fayburrow is a free game created by the self-named “Fayburrow Troupe” at VIA University College in Denmark. It just hit the Steam store today. What was first intrigue, turned into a fascination with the conjunction of such delightful graphics with a genre I have not covered in far too long! So, after downloading, I fired it up and took… Read the rest

Dadish 2 is an Amazing Radish-Themed Epic Adventure

Posted on by Dave Pizza
I’m spending time playing a lot of food games lately. While cooking sims are the most obvious manifestation of this, platformers like Dadish 2 are right on board too. Dadish 2 is a continuation of the original Dadish game and both are available on most platforms. You, Dadish, awake from a nap at work one day when your several radish children come to visit you for “bring your kids to work day.” They convince you to leave the chainsaw and cannon-filled office building and set off into this weird world. Dadish 2 has a narrative that is humorously inconsistent but… Read the rest

Playing “Make The Burger” Because It Looked Cool, and it Kinda Was

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Welcome to my post about Make the Burger. This game’s release date on Nintendo Switch occurred this week, although it has a presence on Steam and ItchIO as well. This is a casual food truck sim with catchy and fun pixel environments and a line-up of hungry and paying illustrated customers. Your entire success is dependent on your ability to remember ingredient symbols and who ordered them. Take orders from customers to cook the burgers they want as accurately and quickly as possible. Upgrade your establishment each day by using funds to purchase new ingredients, furniture, and various tools of… Read the rest

Is “Pizza Express” the Predecessor to Good Pizza, Great Pizza?

Posted on by Dave Pizza
My hunger for low-res grounded pixel games lately opened me up to a stellar sale on a game called Pizza Express. Pizza Express is an indie pixel-graphic pizzeria simulator about a fast-paced solo restaurant run by animal friends Gastone the cat and Lucky the rabbit–and also you. The game is fairly simple but incorporates playful dialogue and gameplay that is quirky in the best indie-adhering ways. It is very similar to the game Good Pizza, Great Pizza, but is older and definitely a bit more grassroots. I enjoyed it very much, so I’ve decided to bring this review of it… Read the rest

Necrow Co. is a Fun Little Platformer

Posted on by Dave Pizza
If this headline doesn’t raise an eyebrow, then stick with two, because this article is tapping into some unexplored territory with the game Necrow Co. by creator Zahran Worell. The game Necrow Co. is a 2D pixel platformer, playable with either a controller or keyboard. It’s a light narrative about a crow who starts work for a company of reapers, featuring a cozy skeleton psychopomp grim dispatching you to a national park filled with spookies, squishies, and don’t-touchies (terms coined on our end.) Abilities are basic: move left and right, jump, and shoot a sort-of crow song wave that disables… Read the rest

What Lies in the Multiverse is a New Game With One VERY Interesting *Feature*

Posted on by Dave Pizza
We’ve got a big event going on right now for THE BIG ADVENTURE. Many demos, and many great indies. I set my eyes on What Lies in the Multiverse first. It’s a collaboration between Studio Voyager, IguanaBee, and Untold Tales. Everything you’ll see in this game has a silvery thread of classic games like Fez, Owlboy, etc. But it’s a little more than technicolor flashing pixel animations, it’s dealing with a really awesome powerful mechanic. Changing universes. That’s right, when you click RT you change universes in this game, and, honestly, it’s unique, it’s a seldom-used trope, but a particularly… Read the rest

Remember When I Played Soul Delivery And It Got Like 40,000 Views?

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Alright, folks, I am compelled to write about this. Last night I posted a video of a game on itch.io called Soul Delivery. Yes, it is true, the graphics in this game are so stunning, it’s enough to short-circuit. Though, until now, I’ve never even heard of it. I don’t know who the dev is, and I don’t know anything more than what’s covered on the itch.io page. But, since there’s a demand on this, let’s just take a look at it right now, and I’ll polish this up later once I’ve had a little more time with it–maybe, I… Read the rest

Celeste is Ultimately the Best Game I Have Ever Played

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Celeste. Yes, it’s about time we did this. The renowned precision platformer from Extremely OK Games has been out for approximately three years now (Celeste was released on Jan. 25, 2018, hence the three-year anniversary,) and it has not lost its charm. And why would it? The game sold over a million copies by the end of 2019. Whether you’re hanging out in your game room or playing on your Switch en destination, this is the kind of pick-up-and-go game dreams is made of. You’ll have to pardon me as I haphazardly introduce a game that’s been out for three… Read the rest

Unpacking is Great For People Who Obsess About ORGANIZING But Need To CHILL While They Organize

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Unpacking is an isometric puzzle game by Witch Beam, an Australian developer, published by our very own sponsor Humble Bundle. You are a third-person clicker, looking down into an empty room with a stack of boxes sitting in the middle of the floor. There’s no direction or impetus, but as you open the box, intuition sets in, and you start to place objects from here and there. Before you know it, you’re an artisanal thing mover. You may take solace in a simulation of this if you’re particularly neat, or simply like no-pressure puzzles. The game starts off in the… Read the rest

Indie Spotlight: Down In Bermuda is a Tropical Hidden Gem on Switch

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Yak & Co released Down In Bermuda catering to the growing indie cozy fanbase in Q3 of 2019. Yes, this game is over two years old, but with the occasional mega discounts, from time to time and continuing interest it’s cognizant to explore. It’s still relevant, fun, and cozy–indeed. The level of a-ha moments in this puzzle platformer is suited to YouTube, Twitch, or wherever you want to turn a gathering into a chill hangout. And even as much on your own, whether it’s the hunt of unlocking a puzzle on intuition alone that interests you or the pastel color… Read the rest

Spotlight: Greak Feels like Hollow Knight But Is… Different (Nintendo Switch)

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Amongst the trove of pale-skinned characters, glowing misty caverns, and punchy character abilities, this one might be new to you. Greak: Memories of Azur is similar to platformers like Hollow Knight and Undertale, perhaps even Ori or maybe Hoa, sure. Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of any of those! What Greak offers is a borderline cozy adventure with very unique, engaging gameplay that is an experience of its own. Greak, Adara, and Raydel Meet your identities (triple) as you take the role, in a rotate-at-will-shift, three siblings as they puzzle and spelunk through the beautiful world of Azur. A… Read the rest

GOOD PIZZA, GREAT PIZZA is the Ultimate Pizzeria Simulator

Posted on by Dave Pizza
In the Fall of 2020 when I was just launching the Mr. Dave Pizza concept, I played Good Pizza, Great Pizza by Tapblaze on an Android tablet, one of the many formats this game is available on. Today I played the official version released for Nintendo Switch to go back and really see what amused me about this game. Pizza, the food, has always been pretty popular, but in the last five years, it’s developed a near cult status. It’s kind of weird honestly, but it’s spun some pretty creative and entertaining ideas. So, after so much traffic from google… Read the rest

The Gunk is Simply a Kinda Random 3D World Game on Game Pass, But I Enjoyed It

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Discovered through Game Pass, I’m rather fond of this new title, The Gunk, from Image and Form/Thunderful Development, which just launched a few days ago. It fits neatly into the category of games I usually enjoy which are casual character development, soft sci-fi, and familiar mechanics of resource-collecting games. And this version of those styles is well presented here. While the game is really very straightforward without much need for introduction, a quality I appreciate, I’ll share some highlights on my experience playing through the first few areas plus what you should know about this game. The Gunk: The Funk… Read the rest