For the first time ever, we’ve just sat through the Frosty Games Fest, a curated showcase made by a small team of locals with a focus on all of the most exciting video games coming out of Australia and New Zealand.
This little showcase that could officially makes up part of the Summer Game Fest festivities, which is a great coup that’s sure to get a lot of eyes on some of our homegrown talent.
Here’s a rundown of everything that was shown off during the first-ever Frosty Games Fest at Summer Game Fest.
My Arms Are Longer Now
It’s felt as though this one has been within arm’s reach for a while, however, it seems as though it’s not out until 2026.
Mars First Logistics
It’s kind of Death Stranding on Mars, except the porters are rovers and the cargo is even more awkward. It’s leaving early access, at last, on September 26.
Letters to Arralla
Deliver letters across the beautiful island of Arralla as a cheeky little turnip, what’s not to like?
Toroa: Skycall
This looks like a relaxing flight across the Pacific, playing as an albatross finding its way home. It looks to be steeped in Maori culture, which sounds like a joy.
Junklands
A heartfelt little platformer for all the eco warriors out there. This one is launching in 2026.
Bones: Wandering Soul
This one looks to have rather novel puzzle-solving elements, such as removing your own skull to creep through vents or popping off everything from the hips-down to zipline through the world.
Matchmaker: Dungeon Heart
It’s part dating sim, it’s part match-three game, and it’s out today on PC.
Nullstar: Solus
Wreck, refine, and perfect in this precision platformer full of ancient dangers.
Cast N Chill
This gorgeous, cosy idle fishing game is like a Dredge without teeth. It’s idyllic and full of vibes.
Canvas Street
Canvas Street looks like a perfect “Unpacking-like” for people who love browsing real estate listings for the floor plans.
Tea, Please!
This little slice-of-life game about balancing a busy office life, the monotony of everyday existence, and a nice cup of tea. It’s out next year.
BraveCart
Add this one to your cart. That is all.
Anticitizen: Red
This game posits an Australia under American rule, the trailer has neat glimpses of a cyberpunk Sydney complete with several notable landmarks.
Key Fairy
Another one we were extremely fond of from last year’s PAX Aus, this pacifist bullet hell adventure game is one to buck the mould.
Finely Diced
Some say people hate taking their work home with them, but this ex-chef turned their old profession into a roguelike full of inventory management and dice-building.
REAPRIEVE
This cute, but morbid, indie recontextualises the grim reaper’s lot as a pretty mundane desk job where deleting souls is the gig. This is definitely one to watch.
CORPOREAL
This narrative-investigation game has shades of Immortality, as the horrors unfold as you piece together a cursed family photo album. This is yet another memorable game from last year’s PAX Aus.
Dredge (Mobile)
Dredge is a thrilling, eldritch adventure about the perils of deep-sea fishing. It absolutely ruled on console, and now it’s her for mobile players everywhere.
Sub-Verge
The next handful of games were a part of a sizzle reel covering games released within the last six months. Sub-Verge is out now.
Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days
Unaccessible
Power Sink
Tempopo
Which Way Up
Apothecary of City X
This strategy sim, from the developer of Hand of Fate, Anna Zou, is about running a cosy apothecary in a dark, dystopian city. It beats the climate change drum, and it’s out this year.
Winnie’s Hole
Look, if we had to look at this game about Winnie’s Pooh hole, then so did you. Enjoy.
Slumbering Woods
Solve puzzles and manage the land in this hand-drawn woodland adventure. Hard not to pick up on very mild Cult of the Lamb vibes here.
Isopod: A Webbed Spin-Off
I’m not even going to play into the Zoolander meme, this is a game for ants. It’s out in October.
Soggy Beans
Of all the idle games to have emerged, I do think Soggy Beans might be the cutest.
Tryhard
This tactical role-playing game focuses on an underdog rugby club in New Zealand, and there’s an actual dog that gets into the scrum. Consider me sold.
Burger Bois
This food truck simulator encourages experimentation and tinkering with your recipes to create chargrilled perfection.
Foodomina
We’re clearly in our food era here. Foodomina is a role-playing game that pits food against mold. An age-old battle, to be sure; however, casting mold as the villain when penicillin is a thing is a bit rough.
Doggy Don’t Care
A game where I can piss on absolutely everything while ripping up someone’s flower garden? Say less.
Microvania
This is the most retro-coded Metroidvania I’ve seen in ages.
End of Ember
This over-the-top action-horror game feels like The Binding of Isaac, only overcome by memes. Shirtless Jeff Goldblum appeared on screen at one point, for crying out loud.
GHOST CAM
The core conceit is a tale as old as time. Being able to see spectres through a camera’s lens is a horror trope that will scare the shit out of me no matter how many times I see it.
Your Holy & Virtuous Heretic
I’m ready to give myself over to whatever Satan this game’s artist is worshipping. This game is hot.
Malys
Malys is the sophomore release from Summerfall Studios, the team that brought us Stray Gods. Although it was announced quite recently, it’s expected to launch this year.
Jupiter Junkworks
A junker match ’em up is exactly what I need in my life right now.
Match & Mastery
Out of the food era and into the matching era, it seems.
Schrodinger’s Cat Burglar
On paper, this seems like the kind of loopy co-op game Josef Fares might make. This adaptation of Schrodinger’s Cat hypothesis is a lot of fun and should make for a fun set-up to a puzzle game.
SPiNG
Once an Apple Arcade exclusive, one button is all it takes to swing through this beautiful game from SMG Studio.
Misc. A Tiny Tale
This cute little pint-sized adventure is set for release on July 22 for both Nintendo Switch and PC.
Innkeep
This indie casts you as an innskeeper in a lawless land where robbing your guests and using “creative” ingredients in your cooking is all a part of the trade.
Shape Sender Deluxe
The following handful of games were all apart of a size reel featuring games that had put out demos within the last handful of months.
Snow Cone
Rollick N’ Roll
Cyber Paradise
Enter the Chronosphere
Draculesti
Allogloom
How Was Your Day?
Total Chaos
Parasensor
This neat quasi-horror game features a genre-trademark fixed camera perspective and a really cool style.
