Table of Contents 94e1i
Despite not having a games industry as prolix and full of investments as in other countries, our Brasilzão has many ionate about the art of making games, which results in a good range of independent productions. With the little we have, it takes a lot of creativity and effort, and that's what we're going to see in this list of best brazilian indie games – a list of 10 already sacred classics that were born in our little Brazilian land. With a lot of variety and quality, we bring here games that range from racing genres to RPG, beat 'em up and even virtual reality experiences! 4h2d
To clarify, we already warned you that this list is not organized from best to worst or anything like that - the order of presentation is purely arbitrary. That said, grab your rice and beans and come with us!
Dandara ud3a
One of the best known and most loved titles in the style Metroidvania, this platform game brings a lot of inventiveness, beautiful pixel art visuals and references to Brazilian culture. It starts with the protagonist – Dandara was a great anti-slavery leader, in addition to being the wife of Zumbi dos Palmares, having great importance in the history of the quilombos, and the main character is totally inspired by this historical figure. She ventures into the game world, called Salt, in both the main game and DLC, called Salt. Trials of Fear.
Speaking of story, the game is handing us pieces of it by dropper, with occasional text on the screen and dialogues with NPCs. At first glance, the game shines the most in the gameplay: the interesting mechanics don't allow the main character to walk, she just jumps around the scene, at specific points. To advance, it is necessary to aim the jumps and use these acrobatic feats to advance on the map. Dandara Deals with enemies by shooting lightning and dodging as best you can. Punitive and challenging, the game can be a little frustrating until you get the hang of it, but it's very rewarding in the end.
Developed by the mining studio long hat house, the game is available for PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and cell phones – both iOS as Android.
Horizon Chase Turbo 5qo45
In a totally different way, we have Horizon Chase Turbo, racing game from the gaúcha developer Acquiris Game studio. Initially released for mobile Android e iOS (at the time under the name of Horizon – World Tour), the game gained the attention of Sony, who invited the Acquiris to develop a version for PS4, becoming the first Brazilian game to be sold on disc by the Japanese company.
The gameplay and visuals leave no doubt: there is a lot of inspiration in Top Gear, classic game of SNES. Everything in the game makes reference to the old-school game, from the premise of racing in several countries to the look and way of racing on the track, but the most amazing thing is the soundtrack - which is the work of the same composer of the Top Gear soundtrack, Barry Leitch: and he even proposed to his girlfriend in an easter egg from the game!
The game, in addition to having a section with several tracks in Brazil, has numerous other references to our country, with the pilot's speeches in the midst of races and themed cars, such as our dear VW, a kombi and even the very famous Uno with ladder at the top, called the Firm Car in the game. With that touch of good humor and many fun challenges, the game conquers not only the nostalgic but also new players, whether they are veterans or casuals. The game is currently available for PC, PS4, Xbox One e Nintendo Switch, in addition to versions of Android e iOS.
Celeste's 5f355x
Celeste's is a case apart – despite being the result of a Canadian developer, Matt Makes Games, all his art was made by a Brazilian studio, the miniboss, so the game is largely considered a Brazilian indie, although different from its totally Tupiniquin brothers, so to speak. Like Dandara, the game is of the platform genre, with jumping and wall-walking mechanics, but with the differential of being able to walk around.
Speaking of differential, the most outstanding and celebrated aspect of Celeste's it's your story. Without spoilers, it brings very relevant and well-crafted discussions about mental health and how we deal with it, with the use of many metaphors and also more direct discussions. At first, the protagonist, Madeline, decides to climb the mountain that gives the game its name – the Celeste's – and, there, he faces not only the physical mishaps but also his internal mental mishaps. With no enemies in the levels, but with some bosses, Madeline finds friends and unexpected figures on her way. From there, you'll have to find out for yourself what happens.
Winner of Best Independent Game and Most Impactful Game in The Game Awards 2018, Celeste's is available for PC (Windows, MacOS e Linux), PS4, Xbox One e Nintendo Switch. Good climbing!
Kaze and the wild masks 2p402x
Latest game on this list, released this year 2021, Kaze and the wild masks is more of a platform game, nostalgic in gameplay and visual identity. Developed by studio gaucho pixelhive and published by independent soedesco, the game seeks a lot of inspiration in classics such as Donkey Kong Country, Sonic and the series Super Mario. With relatively simple commands, but which vary according to the wild masks ("wild masks", in free translation) - that give powers of other animals - are collected, you control the rabbit kaze, who seeks to save the Crystal Islands and his friend Hogo from a curse that turns creatures into evil beings.
The game is challenging, especially if your plan is to complete all the proposed challenges, such as collecting crystals and unlocking bonus stages. The visual identity, all crafted in pixel art, is efficient and beautiful, and brings very beautiful moments in its simplicity, being complemented with short snippets of animation, but without lines. The game is divided into sections of worlds and then stages, just like the late Super Mario World. Put the ears of kaze to work, collect the masks and their powers and beat the veggies in rage!
Kaze and the wild masks was released to PC, PS4, Xbox One e Nintendo Switch.
99Vidas - The Game 495344
Created from crowdfunding by the 99Vidas podcast and developed by the Brazilian studio QUbyte Interactive, 99Vidas - The Game is a very Brazilian beat 'em up that pays homage to classics like Streets of Rage, Double Dragon e battletoads. Both the 16-bit look and the game's difficulty take us back to the arcade and video store times, including a lot of metalanguage and references to the XNUMXs and XNUMXs culture of shared video games. The soundtrack, also nostalgic, does not fail to incorporate Tupiniquin elements and is a special touch for all Brazilians who get their hands on the game.
Speaking of Brazilianisms, there are many jokes and references that only we, inhabitants of the South American country, can pick up. In some cases, inside jokes derived from the podcast can leave some gamers lost, but in general you can enjoy the good humor of the game and have a few laughs amidst the rampant brawl, which has a wide range of playable characters among the starters. and unlockables (18 in total). There are also several bonus stages to unlock, skills and combos to buy in the in-game store (with experience points) and an online mode to play with friends, like any good game of the genre.
Initially released for PC in 2016, 99Vidas - The Game also left for PS4, PS3, PS Vita, Xbox One and finally to Nintendo Switch.
Pixel Ripped 1989 and 1995 5r5i7
In our myriad of styles of independent works, we also have Virtual Reality! pixel ripped is a franchise developed by the São Paulo studio TREE Immersive Experiences, already counting on two games – Pixel Ripped 1989 e Pixel Ripped 1995. The concept alone is enough to convince any kid of the 80s and 90s to play: in both games, you play a little boy named David, whose challenges consist of sneaking around adults to play as many video games as possible – both handheld and desktop – just that within the game itself!
In the series of games, the metalanguage comes loose, and you not only have to cope with the challenges of David's world, but also get your hands dirty in the in-game video games, which are very faithful simulacra of the games of the past decades, with the fictional protagonist dots Going through replicas of Streets of Rage, Super Metroid, super mario world, Castlevania, sonic the hedgehog, Star Fox and much more - and much more - at some point, the "real" and "virtual" worlds end up merging, and you have to face the dangers of games in David's world, in his skin.
Despite being linear and simple, the story is very enriched by the mechanics that the game brings, snatching any nostalgic on duty and even young people who want to live the experience of the time.
The ultimate VR homage to the classics Pixel Ripped 1989 is available for PC (Windows, Linux and macOS), PS4 (via the respective VR platforms), and Pixel Ripped 1995 to PC (Windows only), PS4 e Oculus Quest.
Moody: Reverie Under the Moonlight 553d5q
Back to Metroidvania, the fourth game in the series Momodora was developed by Bombservice, created by ing several video game enthusiasts from around the world. The franchise, however, has a curious history: who started it, creating and directing everything, was the Brazilian Guilherme “Rdein” Martins. The first two games are only available on the platform for indies itch.io, then going to the platform Steam in the third and fourth iterations. The help that Martins received to pay tribute to the old games he loves culminated in the aforementioned Bombservice and in the franchise's breakout in its fourth game, which was also released on other platforms.
Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is a 2D platform game, and in it, the protagonist is the priestess Kaho, who is determined to lift the curse on her land by going to the Queen for a conference. With combos, dodges and a bow and arrow, you must defeat a range of enemies with a lot of personality, receiving help from various NPCs and discovering the story unfolding during the events, dialogues and in the descriptions of the items you find.
The fourth game in the franchise Momodora is available for PC (Windows, Linux and macOS), PS4, Xbox One e Nintendo Switch.
Knights of Pen and Paper 3g234x
In yet another bastion of metalanguage, Knights of Pen and Paper figure in our list of national games, developed by Behold Studios and initially launched for cell phones Android e iOS. The game is a turn-based RPG, but it goes far beyond that: its premise is that you are controlling both sides of a tabletop RPG adventure, that is, both the players and the GM. As a GM, you choose where to go, which enemies and how many the party will face, and as a party, well… you will face the challenges! Of course, there's no cakewalk, since to advance it's necessary to defeat a minimum number of enemies in each stage.
To complete the fun of this creative game system, you can customize the master and the players, being able to choose who will be part of the adventure, using different skills and some skins differentiated. The game is also very humorous, full of jokes and unusual environments, since everything that goes on beyond the table is the imagination of what is happening in the game. Being successful, the game won a second edition – Knights of Pen and Paper II – and also a spatial version, called, of course, a Galaxy of Pen and Paper, which takes the roleplaying gang to the galaxies.
Curious to check out the games? All are available for Android, iOS, PC (Windows, macOS and Linux), PS4, Xbox One e Nintendo Switch!
Chroma Squad f564a
And the metalanguage doesn't stop on the list of Brazilian independent games. also gives Behold Studios, Chroma Squad also comes with an interesting and innovative premise: In the game, you are responsible for managing an independent TV studio - created after the actors who are protagonists of the game got fed up with a boring boss and decided to make their TV shows for themselves same. Facing the difficulties that a producer with one hand in front and the other behind would face in its beginning, the focus is on making a super-sentai (like Power Rangers) function as a regular series.
For this, the combat is all designed to take place in a tactical RPG format, but of course, as a simulation that is part of the filming! Hiring actors, improving equipment (which starts with cardboard and masking tape) and doing marketing, you build your team and gradually succeed, until you reach stardom and have to deal with the actors' ego, now full of themselves. With a lot of good humor, jokes and attacks combined, the game is an ode to the Japanese series of the genre, and will leave any nostalgic in awe - and will also amuse newcomers, who will surely have a unique experience discovering this world through the 16-bit lens of the game.
Chroma Squad is available for PC (Windows, Linux e macOS), PS4 e PS3, Xbox One e Xbox 360, iOS, Android e Nintendo Switch.
Dandy ace i66h
Differentiating a lot from the other national games mentioned here, we have Dandy ace – a rogue-like that was released the day before Kaze and the wild masks! The game from the Brazilian studio Mad mimic brings a lot of inspiration from great titles of the genre, such as Transistor e Hades (although the latter came out during its development). This means that the stages are randomly generated and each round is different from the other, requiring the player to make several attempts, usually, to move to the next stage.
Everything is mixed with the game's story and explained through it: Dandy ace is an illusionist magician who becomes the victim of his greatest rival and enemy, the villain Lele, and ends up trapped inside a mirror, along with his assistants Jolly Jolly and Jenny Jenny, which contains a "Palace That Always Changes". Once trapped, the protagonist needs to collect cards (both main and secondary, which bring auxiliary powers) and gather items to buy new skills, which will help him to the levels. This brings a variety of up to 2500 possible combinations of cards and abilities into the combat system, so each kill is sure to be a different experience.
The game's dubbing, done by several Brazilian influencers, was both criticized and celebrated, so you'll have to decide for yourself whether or not you like this addition. Something interesting added to the difficulty levels, however, is the “Twitch Mode”, which causes the deck to be chosen by whoever is watching the stream of the player in question. Interesting, isn't it?
Dandy ace is only available for PC at the moment, with a launch forecast on other platforms later this year.
So, did you like the list? see others indie game recommendations and much more here at Showmetech!
