[National Harbor, MD] Nov. 8, 2024 – MAGFest, in partnership with retro-focused independent developer and publisher Mega Cat Studios, is thrilled to announce the finalists for the seventh annual Indie Retro Homebrew Showcase, celebrating the most innovative and promising indie homebrew games developed for retro consoles.
The Indie Retro Homebrew Showcase, which in past years has featured hits such as the critically acclaimed Astebros and Shadow Gangs, among many others, shines a spotlight on the creativity and dedication of independent developers who breathe new life into beloved classic consoles. This year’s finalists represent a diverse array of genres and gameplay styles, showcasing the incredible talent in the homebrew community.
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Banana Bash! (NES – Releasing in 2025)
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A super charming single-screen platformer in the spirit of Snow Bros., Zupapa, and Bubble Bobble, Banana Bash isn’t monkeying around when it comes to its fast and fluid action and superb sprite work that helps bring the on-screen action to life.
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Children of Magia (Game Boy – Releasing in Q4 2025)
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Taking its inspiration from The Legend of Zelda and The Secret of Mana, Children of Magia is an ambitious action RPG for the Game Boy. Its visuals look great with its large sprites and varied environments, and exploration looks to be a thrill, both in dungeons and the game’s overworld, thanks to fun-looking mechanics such as the ability to glide through the sky with a parachute. Throw in someexceptional chiptune arrangements, and it’s easy to see why Children of Magia deserves the attention of any GB RPG fans – especially if they have a soft spot for Nintendo and Squaresoft’s classic adventures.
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Coloco DX (Genesis/Mega Drive – Releasing in Q1 2025)
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Coloco DX is a multi-directional shooter in the spirit of classics such as Choplifter, Mr. Heli, and Subterranea, tasking players with navigating underground caverns and rescuing stranded commuters who’ve crash-landed their second-hand rockets in inhospitable locales – all while monitoring their rapidly dwindling fuel supplies!
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Crater Song (NES – Now Available)
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From the mind of John Vanderhoef, Crater Song is a short, single-player co-op adventure puzzle game for the NES set in the sci-fi world of Orebody. What makes Crater Song stand out is its unique dual-controller scheme, which allows one player to control both characters simultaneously.
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Cronela’s Mansion (NES, SNES, GB, GBC, GBA – Releases in 2025)
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Developed by Spanish solo developer Straynus, Cronela’s Mansion is a spiritual successor to Maniac Mansion. While the production values are top-notch, what’s perhaps most notable about this title is that Straynus is developing it for five different retro platforms. The various versions take advantage of their target hardware differently to make them feel unique rather than mere pixel-by-pixel ports.
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Deadeus (Game Boy – Now Available)
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Created by the lo-fi horror maestro IZMA, Deadeus is a spine-tingling adventure that will shred your sanity. The game centers around a young child who has a prophetic nightmare telling him everyone will die in 3 days and that he has to investigate his village to see how he can save them. This non-linear adventure features 11 different endings and a chilling chiptune soundtrack courtesy of Stuart Busby.
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Discrete Orange (Game Boy Advance – Releasing in 2025)
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A turn-based puzzle platformer with discrete movement is an incredibly interesting hook and one that makes Tardigrade’s Discrete Orange stand out among other offerings for the Game Boy Advance. This wholly unique premise, combined with some irresistible visuals and excellent use of color, come together to make Discrete Orange one of the most a-peeling entries we received for the Indie Retro Homebrew Showcase this year.
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Former Dawn (NES – Releasing in Dec. 2025)
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Now on Kickstarter, Former Dawn is a hugely ambitious 8-bit sci-fi RPG. It takes advantage of the NES’ hardware in ways that can only be described as programming sorcery. The game features silky-smooth animation, multiple layers of parallax scrolling, simulated Mode 7 rotation and scaling, and other effects that rival and even surpass those of many games of the 16-bit era.
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FX Unit Yuki (Genesis/Mega Drive, Dreamcast, TG-16 – Now Available)
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Initially released in 2019 and ported to various retro platforms since then, FX Unit Yuki is a spectacular celebration of the TurboGrafx-16 and PC Engine’s rich history. Developed by SaruPro founder DJ Medina, it features a selection of stages that take their inspiration from classic games from NEC’s 8-bit powerhouse, such as Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, Lords of Thunder, Cotton, Bonk’s Adventure, Valis, and more.
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Gladmort (Neo Geo, Dreamcast – Releasing in Q4 2024)
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Combining the challenging gameplay and spooky aesthetics of Ghosts ‘N Goblins and Magician Lord with the zany humor and over-the-top sprite work of SNK’s beloved run-and-gunner Metal Slug, Gladmort looks to be a glorious return to form for the fantasy side-scroller genre that was so popular in the early 90s. The game features jaw-dropping bosses that fill the screen and a cool inventory system that offers more strategic options as you hack and slash your way through its five challenging stages.
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Infinity (Game Boy, Game Boy Color – Releasing in Q4 2025)
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An adventure over twenty years in the making, Infinity was developed by Affinix Software from 1999 to 2001 but ultimately canceled. With the help of some of the original development team, Incube8 Games revived and completed it. It features tactical combat, over 50 areas to explore, and 100 unique items to collect, making it a densely packed adventure for Nintendo’s 8-bit handheld.
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Kirito The Game (Genesis/Mega Drive – Releases in Dec. 2025)
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What’s not to love about Kirito The Game? Arriving on Kickstarter this December, this Genesis beat-’em-up features big, beefy sprites, weighty combat, and comedic, cartoon-inspired character designs that bring its over-the-top bare-knuckle brawls to life.
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Lightseeker (Game Boy – Releasing in 2025)
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Danilo Mattos’ Lightseeker stands as a glowing beacon in the dungeon-crawling darkness with its moody, grimdark visuals and mature writing that should resonate with From Software’s Souls series fans. Throw in some seriously cool monster designs – especially for the boss encounters – and tense and methodical exploration. It’s easy to see how Lightseeker found a spot in this year’s showcase.
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Night of the Living Dead (Game Boy – Release Date TBD)
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A prototype video game adaptation of George A. Romero’s fan-favorite horror film, Night of the Living Dead, brings the undead classic back to life on the Game Boy. Live out some of the most iconic moments from the 1968 horror masterpiece in its appropriately ghoulish green glory in a game that features top-down and side-scrolling action and boss battles as you advance through its story.
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Project Neon (Neo Geo – Now Available)
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A fast and frenetic bullet hell shooter, Project Neon shines brightly on the Neo Geo with its gorgeous graphics, massive, intricately animated bosses, and a driving electro soundtrack to keep you in the bullet-dodging zone. Featuring buttery-smooth 60fps gameplay, two-player co-op action, and a staggering assortment of enemies to battle and weapons to collect, this vertically-scrolling shooter from Fullset fills that spaceship-shaped hole in our showcase quite nicely.
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Super Sunny World (NES – Releases in 2025)
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An irresistibly charming love letter to Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Sunny World shines brightly with its vibrant visuals and fun character and enemy designs, making it a must-watch title for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
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The Eldritch Monarch (Genesis/Mega Drive Floor – Releases in 2026)
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Paying homage to such classic cinematic platformers as The Prince of Persia, Flashback, and Out of this World, The Eldritch Monarch combines stealth, tactical combat, and platforming with puzzles that go beyond your standard switch-flipping fare to create a thrilling Lovecraftian adventure.
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The Storied Sword (NES – Now Available)
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A fast-paced action platformer in the spirit of Tecmo’s Ninja Gaiden, Natsume’s Shadow of the Ninja, and Sunsoft’s Batman, The Storied Sword stands out with its high-energy action with an emphasis on mobility. Offering a considerable challenge, precision platforming, and a variety of sub-weapons to master, it’s a standout title that fans of the NES’ most difficult side-scrollers should love.
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Tryptic (NES – Releases in Dec. 2024)
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Developed by CrazyGroupTrio, Tryptic is an innovative sci-fi adventure that features eight interconnected games within the main game. By interacting with computer terminals scattered around the space station you’re exploring in a point-and-click fashion, you’ll be transported to the platformer, adventure, and shooter areas. By completing these areas, you’ll unravel how each game is linked together and uncover the mysteries behind the derelict vessel.
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Vengeance Hunters (Neo Geo – Now Available)
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A love letter to the classic beat ’em-ups of the late 80s and early 90s, such as Streets of Rage and Final Fight, Vengeance Hunters’ eye-popping, cartoon-inspired visuals, and massive character sprites make it impossible to ignore. With an in-depth combo system and five stages teeming with hidden areas and sublevels, it’s shaping up to be one of the most impressive beat-’em-ups released on retro hardware since WaterMelon Games’ Paprium and Bitmap Bureau’s Final Vendetta.
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You can find the finalist announcement trailer, offering a glimpse at each of these exciting releases, here.
These exciting titles will be showcased at MAGFest 2025, where attendees can experience firsthand the innovative gameplay and unique art styles that the indie homebrew community offers.
Now in its seventh year, MAGFest’s Indie Retro Homebrew Showcase truly celebrates the retro gaming community. Highlighting the most impressive titles from across the indie dev community, the event features a CRT-filled gaming area where players can go hands-on with a massive assortment of new and exciting experiences for their favorite retro consoles.
MAGFest invites all gaming enthusiasts, developers, and fans of retro gaming to join us in celebrating the spirit of creativity and innovation at this year’s event. For more information about the showcase and to register for Super MAGFest 2025, please visit www.magfest.org.
More details on the Indie Retro Homebrew Showcase can be found on its official page.
About MAGFest:
The Music and Gaming Festival (MAGFest) is a four-day celebration of video games and video game music, featuring concerts, panels, a 24-hour arcade, and countless gaming experiences. Since its inception, MAGFest has grown into a vibrant community hub for gamers and musicians alike.
