A hilarious mud-crab Dungeon Master, an anthropomorphic wombat, a lonely stray cat and an alien species leading a world invasion are just a selection of characters that visitors will be able to interact with at the PAX Aus 2023 Indie Showcase.

Creativity is bursting out of the screens and across the tabletops with four tabletop and six digital games selected as part of this year’s Indie Showcase, all of which have been created by independent game developers from across the country.

The pinnacle of indie game development, the Indie Showcase area of PAX Aus is always one of the most popular areas with keen players eager to get their hands on the next big cult game.

The four winners of the Tabletop PAX Aus 2023 Indie Showcase category are:

• Boba Master by Queensland-based Quokka Games celebrates the team’s love of bubble tea, tying nicely in with their PAX Aus 2022 Indie Showcase winner, Yum Cha. Boba Master is an engaging card game about making bubble tea. It’s full of action, easy to pick up and gets rowdy very quickly. Steal from your opponents and force them to make mistakes. Stir up the game by swapping hands or even swapping bubble teas. Be the first to complete your bubble teas and become the Boba Master!
• Alien Frenzy by Victorian game creators, Comet Squid is a card game about an alien invasion. Players are in charge of recruiting a team of crazy characters to help them fend off various aliens as they wander the Earth creating havoc.
• Kingless: Festival of Explosions from Tasmania’s Two19 has players on a quest to gain the most influence so that they can become King. The player with the lowest influence will be labelled ‘the fool.’ Players need to recruit 38 unique dwarf characters to help them to take the crown.
• Saltfish & Almanacs by NSW’s Storybrewers Roleplaying is an RPG where a merchant company goes on their yearly journey through familiar and new places, meeting fellow adventurers and merchants.

Baden Stone from Comet Squid captured the response of being selected as a winner saying, “For a small indie designer, it means everything. PAX is an incredible celebration of creativity, innovation, and passion in the gaming world. To be part of that is truly an honour, and we are extremely excited.”

The six winners of the Digital PAX Aus 2023 Indie Showcase category are:

• Copycat by NSW’s Spoonful of Wonder is a beautiful, narrative game about rejection, belonging and the meaning of home. The game sees a newly-adopted shelter cat become the victim of an elaborate plan when a jealous, stray copycat steals her place in the house. The game follows our heroine cat as she searches for a real family and cherishes the human-pet bond.
• The Dungeon Experience Game by Bone Assembly sees a hilarious (and handsome and symmetrical), mud-crab turned entrepreneur play the role of Dungeon Master in this first person quest. Players are taken on a guided tour by their crabby Dungeon Master, where they get to meet the various dungeon inhabitants. Weird and hilarious, this game will have players gripped by the game and by the giggles.
• The Drifter by Victoria’s Powerhoof is described as a pulp adventure thriller that sees protagonist Mick Carter witness a violent murder, pursued by mysterious men and killed. And that is only the beginning of Mick’s problems. Visit the Indie Showcase to play the game and discover the dark twists and turns that follow Mick’s murder.
• Another winner from Victoria, Crash Course Builder by Wombat Brawler is a crazy rhythm racer that sees players able to fast twitch race their way through unique and wonderful different courses as well as being able to build their own courses and share their courses with other players on the platform.
• Primordials Legends: Hollow Hero by Vic-based Toybox Game Studios is a short series game featuring fantastical creatures living in the fantasy world of Eridol. Hollow Hero tells the tale of Brunt, Oak-Hide, an anthropomorphic wombat, who journeys into unknown lands to save her people. This legend is narrated by “Eldar”, Leader of the Dreg and Brunt’s adoptive father. Eldar is an ancient lore keeper who holds a wealth of knowledge in Eridalian history. This epic, Lord of the Rings-esque storytelling game features exceptional graphics that transport the player into another world.
• darkwebSTREAMER by South Australian developers We Have Always Lived in a Forest captures the stress of live-streaming only made more stressful with ominous occult distractions.

Toybox Game Studios’ Creative Director and Co-Founder, Tyson Butler-Boschma said about being an Indie Showcase winner, “We are honoured and thrilled to hear that Hollow Hero has been chosen for inclusion in this year’s PAX Aus Indie Showcase!

“This is a monumental achievement for our dedicated team, giving us an immense sense of pride and accomplishment. Being part of the PAX Aus Indie Showcase provides us an extraordinary opportunity to showcase our passion project to a captivated audience of gamers, industry experts, and fellow developers, while connecting with like-minded individuals who share our enthusiasm for innovative and immersive gaming experiences.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the PAX Aus Indie Showcase organisers for their support and belief in our creative endeavour, as well as to our loyal fans whose enthusiasm and feedback have helped us push forward to shaping Hollow Hero into the extraordinary game it is becoming.

See you at PAX!”

PAX Aus 2022 takes place October 6-8 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. For more information and badges, visit the official website