No Small Games

Cairn, developed by The Game Bakers, is a 2026 survival climbing game that follows world-renowned alpinist Aava as she attempts to single-handedly (well, figuratively, at least) climb one of the highest and most treacherous mountains in the world. Players must familiarize themselves with a unique control schema for climbing and choose their path to ascent wisely as they guide Aava up this formidable peak. In addition to the climbing itself, players need to monitor the supplies she's carrying in her backpack wisely, to make sure Aava never runs out of food or water on her journey. The adventure is harrowing, but so are the emotions that get stirred up on the way to the top.It was an absolute pleasure to get to talk about this powerful and extremely challenging game with Adam Gumbert, of The Tier List and Respawn Aim Fire podcasts. In this discussion we share our thoughts on the climbing mechanics and whether the survival elements supported or detracted from our experience of the game. We also take a close look at Aava's personal journey and ask ourselves which is the "good" ending and which is the "true" ending of this game. Timestamps00:00:00 - Intro00:03:50 - Weekly Boss Battles00:09:42 - Meet our Guest - Adam Gumbert, The Tier List00:21:52 - Cairn Discussion01:23:05 - Game Ratings01:28:02 - One Small Thing Meet our GuestsAdam (he/him)@adamgumby.bsky.socialYou may have read his words on Game Sandwich or heard him on shows like Respawn Aim Fire or his newest podcast The Tier List. Or maybe you’ve attended (or participated in) his live gaming events like this year’s Game-pardy panel at PAX East. We were delighted to have Adam come join us for this episode! Check out Adam's work on:Bluesky The Tier List Respawn Aim Fire Game Sandwich Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Say No! More is a quirky game with a powerful message, developed by Studio Fizbin. You play as a young person, trying to get their footing in a new career, dealing with the pressures of office life. Simultaneously, you're also trying to navigate social pressures, as your roommate keeps asking you to cover their half of the rent, month after month. Everything comes to a head when your new manager steals your precious lunchbox. The solution? Time to bust out modern society's most feared two-letter word: NO! You'll get to see the power and the consequences of saying "no" to a variety of people, in a variety of manners, and discover the collective power we all have when we encourage each other to put our foot down.We were delighted to be joined for this episode by Kanisha and Claire of Date with Us, a dating sim podcast, to discuss this unique gaming experience. We chat about which "no" style fits each of us best, our experiences with saying "no" more in our real lives, and the pressures the world puts on us all to say "yes." Thanks to the Date with Us hosts for joining us in this fascinating discussion! Timestamps00:00:00 - Intro00:07:12 - Weekly Boss Battles00:14:23 - Meet our Guests - Kanisha and Claire, Date with Us00:36:08 - Say No! More Discussion01:41:20 - Game Ratings01:48:05 - One Small Thing Meet our GuestsDate with [email protected] Join internet friends Claire and Kanisha as they come together to gab about games and dissect their fictional romantic relationships in this Dating Sim recap and review podcast. Join them for their digital debriefs about our pixelized paramours. Whether they’re in visual novels, roguelites, or funky indie darlings, they dish on who they’re romancing and if their choices really mattered.Check out Date with Us on:Bluesky Instagram Podcast Apps Claire's Bluesky Kanisha's Bluesky Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Welcome back to the NSG Indie Game Roundup, our monthly series featuring indie games news, plus game demos and new release discussions. We are rocketing into the 2026 gaming showcase season, and the indie game announcements just keep coming!! This month we caught some exciting events like The Triple-i Initiative, Galaxies Showcase, Second Wind Showcase, Top Hat Studios Showcase, and we're just getting started! Summer Game Fest is right around the corner, with even more gaming announcement goodness. But before then, we're anxiously anticipating the premiere of the Six One Indie Showcase this next month in May! To prepare for that event, we got to chat with the one and only Kyle Stephenson of Six One Indie, about their process to put together this showcase and about the current state of indie gaming.Also, huge thanks to our newest Patreon supporters! In addition to other fun perks, members on Patreon get early access to all of the Indie Game Roundup episodes. If you love No Small Games and would like to support us in growing the show, while also unlocking fun, exclusive content, you can check out our Patreon page.You can find our full show notes, including links and shoutouts, on the No Small Games site: Indie Game Roundup - April 2026 Show Notes Timestamps00:00:00 - Intro00:03:09 - Icebreaker Question00:06:45 - Indie Game News00:23:48 - Demos00:41:08 - The Wide Open Sky Is Running Out of Catfish00:45:34 - Titanium Court00:56:50 - She Danced In The Wind Like a Holographic Dream Before The World Died01:01:32 - Berry Bury Berry01:07:10 - A Year of Springs 01:09:40 - Dungeon Bodega Simulator01:18:16 - Rubato01:21:44 - Dice A Million01:31:03 - On-Together: Virtual Co-working01:34:15 - Flock Around01:40:30 - Interview - Kyle Stephenson, Six One Indie Meet our GuestKyle Stephenson (he/him)@mrkstep.bsky.socialKyle is the co-founder and the organizer of Six One Indie, a gaming media outlet featuring indie game news and reviews. Six One Indie also hosts an annual showcase each May and organizes The Indie Game Awards. In addition to his work with Six One Indie, he is also one of the wonderful co-hosts of The Trophy Room - A PlayStation Podcast.Check out Kyle's work on:Six One Indie Bluesky The Trophy Room Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Blue Wednesday, from Korean indie game developers Buff Studio, follows the mostly unremarkable life of Morris, a young man trying to make it big as a jazz musician in the big city. This slice-of-life narrative game gives us a window into his struggles and successes as he grapples with the weight of having big dreams and aspirations. Of course, no narrative game about musicians would be complete without a rhythm game component, so you'll be tickling the ivories alongside Morris in fun and beautiful jazz-themed mini games.In episode 62 of No Small Games, Kate and Emily get to celebrate and compare this emerging mini genre of narrative games with a music and rhythm gameplay element. You'll hear how Blue Wednesday stacks up against some of their other favorites. The two also share about their personal experiences with jazz music and with their own journeys as creators, dealing the thrilling but sometimes uncomfortable experience of pursuing your dreams. We had a lovely time discussing this very sweet and heartfelt game, and we hope you enjoy the episode! Timestamps00:00:00 - Intro00:03:25 - Boss Battles00:17:35 - Blue Wednesday Discussion01:19:00 - Game Ratings01:23:00 - One Small Thing01:27:20 - Next Game Announcement Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

We had an incredible time at PAX East 2026, spending time with wonderful friends and colleagues, chatting with developers and publishers, and getting our hands on awesome indie game demos!Join us for our day-by-day PAX East 2026 recap, where we relive all the exciting and memorable moments we experienced at this year's event! No Small Games was honored once again with the opportunity to cover the show as media attendees in 2026, and we took advantage of every moment. In this recap episode, we're taking you directly onto the show floor for developer and publisher interviews. We're also reflecting on the game demos we got to play, and the overall PAX East experience compared to last year. Come along for the ride as we share all the highlights! Timestamps00:00:00 - Intro00:00:58 - PAX East 2026 First Impressions00:10:22 - Thursday Recap00:22:14 - Interview - DarkStone Digital00:47:54 - Friday Recap01:00:13 - Interview - Yangyang Mobile01:17:09 - Interview - Serenity Forge01:27:23 - Saturday Recap01:35:28 - Interview - Total Mayhem01:59:08 - Sunday Recap02:12:22 - Interview - Perfect Garbage02:22:22 - Interview - Jade Meadows Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com