September 2026 proved to be a standout month for indie games, offering a diverse mix of genres from wholesome sniping adventures to nostalgic FPS throwbacks. Despite the avalanche of AAA titles releasing ahead of GTA 6, indie developers delivered a compelling lineup that deserves attention.
Charming Platformers and Puzzlers
Marsupilami 2 Salsa Palombia arrived early in September, filling the gap for a fast-paced, colourful 2D platformer in the absence of a new Donkey Kong Country. It features hidden notes to find, three playable Marsupilamis, and four unique worlds, with no prior knowledge of the first game required.
Sniper Dan offers a colourful, gun-powered twist on Where’s Wally. Players take on the role of a sniper helping residents across six locations by scoping the area and solving problems with well-placed shots. Its low-poly visuals and quirky character actions make it one of the biggest indie surprises of the year.
Retro Shooters and Remasters
Sprawl Zero is a throwback to PS2-era FPS titles like TimeSplitters and Black. The game’s gravity gloves, inspired by Half-Life, allow players to pick up and throw objects, adding a scrappy yet joyful layer to the bombastic combat.
SiN Reloaded, a fully remastered version of the 1998 cult classic, shines with improved controls, cleaned-up textures, and 4K resolution. Built on the same tech that powered Quake 2, it also includes the ability to switch between upgraded visuals and the original SiN Gold version.
Metroidvanias and Roguelikes
Well Dweller, by Kyle Thompson, is a gothic Metroidvania where a humble bird seeks to rescue his siblings. It avoids Soulslike difficulty, offering a charming and whimsical adventure with creepy fairytale-inspired bosses.
Cosmo Tales is a psychedelic roguelike space combat game where players jump between universes to alter their vehicle’s abilities on the fly. Shape of Dreams, now in its 1.0 release on Nintendo Switch 2, offers twitchy, run-based action with nine characters, multiple difficulty levels, and co-op play.
Special Mentions and One to Avoid
Garfield: Escape from Monday proves that licensed games can be surprisingly competent, offering a by-the-numbers yet enjoyable 3D platformer. Lou’s Lagoon, released in August but missed in the previous roundup, is a special mention for its expressive survival-crafting gameplay.
However, The Walking Dead: Streets of Survival is a hard avoid. Despite featuring fan-favourite characters, the game’s sluggish 2.5D brawls fail to improve regardless of the character chosen, making it a disappointing experience for fans of the show.
