7 Completely Different Indie Games on Our Radar for 2026
Amber Stefanson and Nick Foy | April 30, 2026
2026 is a big year in indie gaming. There have already been over 4,000 indie games released in 2026 on Steam alone, with many more having been announced (and the year isn't even half over yet!)
Out of all upcoming 2026 indie game releases, there are a few that the NexiGo team is looking forward to the most. All of them games are coming out in the next 6 months, with some coming out as early as next week.
Each game is a hidden gem, different both stylistically and in play style. Some may make you laugh, some may make you scream, but at their core, each of these games is designed to evoke an emotional reaction out of you.
Fight against convergent evolution in Everything is Crab, or reminisce on the good old days in Mixtape. Whether you're up for a challenge or just want a cozy game to wind down with after a long day, 2026 is bringing a ton of new indie games that you're sure to love.
Interested? Keep reading to see the whole list.
Key Points
- Seven standout indie games are dropping in Spring 2026 across PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation
- Wax Heads is the most widely available title, releasing May 5 on all major consoles — a cozy record store game with original music and hand-drawn artwork
- Mixtape is a coming-of-age narrative game with a licensed soundtrack featuring The Cure, Joy Division, and Smashing Pumpkins (releasing May 7)
- Duck Side of the Moon brings Animal Crossing-style cozy exploration to space, releasing May 7 on PC and Nintendo Switch
- Frog Sqwad is a multiplayer "friendslop" platformer for up to 8 players with proximity chat — a free demo is available on Steam now
- Everything is Crab is a roguelite built around the science of carcinization — demo available on Steam through May 1
- CALX is a mysterious open-world platformer with rhythm-based combat, releasing June 4 on PC with console ports planned for late 2026
- Use the console compatibility table to find which games are available on your platform before you buy
1. Trees Hate You
Trees Hate You falls somewhere between slapstick comedy and ragebait. In this game, you navigate a forest full of trees that do not have your best interests at heart. You get blocked, pummeled, and otherwise bullied by every single tree in the forest.
Full of silly gags and twisting paths, Trees Hate You is the perfect game for anyone who loves to get lost and feed their inner rage monster. The animation style is colorful and cartoony, with customizable characters and wacky hats.
Currently, Trees Hate You is planned to release for PC only, though consoles may be added at a later date.
The game is slated to come out on Steam some time in 2026, although no official release date has been announced. However, the demo is currently available to play on itch.io.
- Release date: 2026
- Available on Steam
- Price: Unknown
To learn more, check out the trailer down below!
2. Wax Heads
Looking for your next cozy game? Wax Heads could be it.
As the newest employee of the record store, your job in Wax Heads is to recommend vinyl albums to your customers based on their personal taste, which you get a feel for over the course of conversation.
"Every character is bursting with personality, quirks, and questionable opinions about what “real music” is. Get to know them and enjoy their banter. They’re the soul of the shop after all!“
–Patattie Games, creator of Wax Heads
With dozens of original tracks across multiple genres and hundreds of lovingly hand-drawn album covers, Wax Heads is a game that celebrates the vinyl-loving community.
Wax Heads releases May 5th on all consoles, but if you want a sneak peek, you can check out the demo right now on Steam.
- Release date: May 5, 2026
- Available on Steam, Nintendo Store, Xbox Store, PlayStation Store
- Price: $14.99
To learn more, check out the trailer down below!
3. Mixtape
Mixtape is a narrative coming-of-age game with a musical twist. When three friends part ways, they begin to reminisce on all their memories together. Play through a series of vignettes from their teenage years, from TPing houses and breaking into amusement parks to skating down the street and talking about life.
“Mixtape draws inspiration from classic coming-of-age movies, bringing together nostalgic aimlessness, mischief, music, the highs and lows of adolescence, and the bittersweet feelings brought about by growth, transformation, and moving on.”
–Beethoven and Dinosaur, creator of Mixtape
Mixtape features an incredible soundtrack, with music from DEVO, Roxy Music, Lush, The Smashing Pumpkins, Iggy Pop, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, and The Cure.
Mixtape will be available on most consoles, including PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch 2. The release date is May 7, 2026.
- Release date: May 7, 2026
- Available on Steam, Nintendo Store, Xbox Store, PlayStation Store
- Price: $19.99
To learn more, check out the trailer down below!
4. Frog Sqwad
In Frog Sqwad, you and your froggy friends work together to gather food, but the more you gather, the trickier it is to get it all home! Find a big meal? You have two options: drag it home with your tongue, or eat it and roll back as a bloated Megafrog (think Veruca Salt).
As the newest addition to the friendslop genre, Frog Sqwad is a platformer with proximity chat and physics-based puzzles for up to 8 players.
Frog Sqwad is slated to come out some time in June 2026, but you can download the free demo on Steam now.
To learn more, check out the trailer down below!
5. Duck Side of the Moon
Duck Side of the Moon is a cozy exploration game with floaty physics and otherworldly landscapes. In this relaxing adventure, you’re a space-faring duck in search of a new home.
There’s tons of customization in this game; think of it as Animal Crossing for sci-fi fans. You can craft and build a cozy world while making new friends. Along the way, you’ll also collect outfits and decorations for your spaceship to make it feel like home.
Duck Side of the Moon releases officially for PC and the Nintendo Switch on May 7, 2026, but you can already try out the PC demo for free.
- Release date: May 7, 2026
- Available on Steam and Nintendo Store
- Price: $19.99
To learn more, check out the trailer down below!
6. Everything is Crab
Based on Carcinization, the scientific belief that everything eventually evolves into a crab, this fun roguelite encourages you to embrace change as your creature morphs and every round. Odd Dreams Digital, the creators behind Everything is Crab, have described it as "Spore meets Modern Roguelites".
In Everything is Crab, your creature evolves to have different Specializations over time — genetic changes that will bring new advantages or challenges to gameplay.
You have two goals: create a creature that can survive in a cutthroat ecosystem, and fight against convergent evolution by not becoming crab.
Are you up to the challenge? Then keep an eye out for Everything is Crab, releasing on May 8, 2026. It's launching on PC only, but creators have hinted at a possible port to the Nintendo Switch in the future. There's a demo available on Steam only through May 1.
- Release date: May 8, 2026
- Available on Steam
- Price: $19.99
To learn more, check out the trailer down below!
7. CALX
Explore a vibrant but mysterious open world in CALX. This peaceful platformer encourages you to uncover the secrets hidden in the ruins.
“You are alone on Syro, but not lonely. A speck of dust in a vast, mysterious world. There's a quiet melancholy to wandering these forgotten places.” –True Colors, creator of CALX
It's not all quiet exploration though. CALX also features balanced, thoughtful combat. With a combination of melee and ranged attacks, as well as a timing-based dodge mechanic, battles feel like a "movement puzzle" that requires strategy and rhythm to solve.
CALX will be released on June 4, 2026 for PC only, but a console version is planned for late 2026.
- Release date: May 8, 2026
- Available on Steam
- Price: Unkown
To learn more, check out the trailer down below!
Is it available on my console?
Interested in one or all of these games? Check out the table below to see if it's available on your console.
| Title | Release Date | PC | Nintendo Switch 1 | Nintendo Switch 2 | Xbox Series S|X | PS5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trees Hate You | 2026 | ✅ | – | – | – | – |
| Wax Heads | May 5, 2026 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Mixtape | May 7, 2026 | ✅ | – | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Frog Sqwad | June 2026 | ✅ | – | – | ✅ | – |
| Duck Side of the Moon | May 7, 2026 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | – | – |
| Everything is Crab | May 8, 2026 | ✅ | – | – | – | – |
| CALX | June 4, 2026 | ✅ | Later Release | Later Release | Later Release | Later Release |
Not available on your console? Keep an eye out, because they might be released on your console in a year or two. All these games are made by independent developers, and good ports take time.
Currently, CALX is planned for console release at a later date (late 2026). Although no official plans have been made yet, the creators of Everything is Crab plan to bring the game to the Nintendo Switch in the future.
And with any luck, we'll see many more ports of these games in the future.
Thank you for reading. Check out some of our other game recommendations below, and stay tuned for more in the future.
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