Everyone has their own unique relationship withindie games.Some people don’t play them at all. Others dive into the most popular ones for a break from triple-A titles. Still others will try every indie game that piques their interest until they find thatdiamond in the rough.
Independent games are often full of passion and creativity, pushing the games industry forward in ways that triple-A developers won’t do, because it’s just too unpredictable. This is as true for kids' games as it is for other genres! Some developers may be targeting younger audiences specifically, while other games just happen to be appropriate for all ages. Either way, they’re often agreat choice to stimulate a young child’s mind(and at least they won’t have microtransactions).
Platforms
Microsoft Windows
100 Hidden Frogstakes the “Where’s Waldo” premise to another level!It offers you an uncolored illustration, and your job is to find all the frogs that are blending into the scenery. They turn green when you click on them, so you can keep track.
It’s an incredibly easy game that doesn’t take long to finish, but that’s okay consideringthe price: free!Plus, if you enjoy it, there are other games in the franchise, including 100 Hidden Cats, 100 Hidden Turtles, and 1000 Hidden Snails.
Microsoft Windows, GeForce Now, Nintendo Switch
Dorfromantik is a strategy building and puzzle game. You’re given a stack of tiles andbuild them up into a larger and larger land mass!It’s a lot likethe board game Carcassonne.
You get points, and more tiles, by connecting edges with the same feature on them or completing quests that ask you to gather a specified number of features in one group. The game continues until you run out of tiles, sothe challenge is to constantly beat your own high score.
E10+ for Everyone 10 and up
Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
Slime Rancheris a beloved simulation game where youraise livestock on a mysterious planet: slimes!There aremore than two dozen slime variations that can be discovered,some of which are more profitable than the others.
Farming is only the half of it, though;you’ll also need to do a lot of exploring!You’ll solve some environmental puzzles to get access to new areas and more resources. As you go, there are messages left behind by the scientist who was studying the region before you and provide clues to its deepest mysteries.
PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux
Super Turbo Championship Edition
Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Guacamelee! was first released in 2013 by indie developer DrinkBox Studios and quickly became a hit! You play as a humble farmer, Juan Aguacate. However, after being sent to the land of the dead, he’stransformed into a luchador(a lucha libre wrestler)!
It’s a2D Metroidvania brawler,so you traverse side-scrolling levels and take on your enemies with your incredible new wrestling abilities. As you go, keep an eye out for hidden trials that will provide a secret ending if they’re all completed!
Stardew Valleyis a farming simulator that is all made by one person: Eric Barone (or ConcernedApe, as he’s better known). The player has just moved to the Valley after quitting their big-city job tolive on their grandfather’s old farm.
There’s a little something for every kind of player here! If you play with others,everyone can pursue their individual passions.Some may decidethey loveinvestigating the local mine;no one knows how deep it goes, but there are dangerous creatures lurking inside. Others can’t get enough of theirfishing pole, andgo out every day to catch every fish in the game, including the allusive and punishing Legendary Fish! If you’re a lover of stories by nature,you canget to know the townspeopleand watch as their unique personalities and relationships unfold in cutscenes.
You’ve heard about kids running awaytothe circus, but have you ever heard ofa kid running awayfromthe circus?That’s exactly howPsychonautsstarts; Razputin is a boy who’s left his family to joina summer camp for kids with psychic abilities. Though the adults insist on calling his parents, Raz proves to have a gift for psychic powers almost immediately and joins the classes.
Psychonauts isa cult classicthat was released in 2005. Though the developer, Double Fine, is now owned by Microsoft, it was independent at the time. It didn’t get a ton of press, but those who did play itadoredit (except for the notorious final level, which was made easier in a later update by adding more checkpoints).
If you’re craving more once it’s over, you can also try outPsychonauts 2,which,thanks to popular demand from dedicated fans, was released 16 years after the original.
