PAX Aus 2026 New Zealand Indie Games to Watch: The Order of the Damned, Bashful Adoration, Dungeon Baller
At PAX Aus 2026 the New Zealand indie scene was on full display, with studios showcasing demos and release plans across Steam and Nintendo Switch.
Several teams used the showfloor to confirm development timelines and share hands-on demos: Little Dragon Interactive, KittyWampus, Lazy Bones, Dead Teapot Games, Flightless, Mischief Makers Studio, and the Disc 2 Games team under the Saltworks umbrella all had playable content or demos available.
Little Dragon Interactive and The Order of the Damned
The Order of the Damned is an action-RPG side‑scroller from Little Dragon Interactive set in a dark post‑apocalyptic world.
The team described the player as the last knight of a fallen order resurrected by a spectre and granted supernatural abilities to fight the undead.
Little Dragon confirmed the project has been in development for about 18 months and is targeting a Steam launch in the months following PAX Aus 2026, with console versions planned further down the line.
Developers noted the title emphasizes branching narrative choices and distinctive foreground shadowing against colorful backgrounds.
KittyWampus and Bashful Adoration
KittyWampus presented Bashful Adoration, a narrative-driven 3D platformer described by the team as a romantic comedy set at a wizarding school.
The studio confirmed seven team members have worked on the project for approximately two years.
The demo is available on Steam now, and the team is aiming for Steam and Nintendo Switch release in the first quarter of 2027.
Lazy Bones and Dungeon Baller
Dungeon Baller, from Auckland lecturers Jeremy and Rourke at Lazy Bones, blends roguelite progression with pinball mechanics.
The pair explained the game began as a university conversation three years ago and now has a publisher attached.
They plan a Steam release in roughly five months, followed by mobile and then console targets.
The playable demo was on the PAX floor.
Dead Teapot, Flightless and other standouts
Shape Sender Deluxe from Dead Teapot Games stood out for its accessible puzzle design and mascot Sendy; the team brought a PAX-specific demo and confirmed a 2027 launch on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
Flightless showed Killing Things With Your Friends; the Steam demo is available now and the team aims for early access in January 2027.
Mischief Makers Studio confirmed Burger Bois ran a successful Kickstarter in 2024, launched a Steam demo in June 2026, and plans a full Steam release in early 2027 with a possible Switch version in the future.
Disc 2 Games, formed under the Saltworks umbrella, showcased Canvas City with a Steam demo and confirmed plans for a future Switch release.
These New Zealand teams used PAX Aus 2026 to validate demos, confirm platforms, and outline near-term release windows.
For readers tracking indie launches on Steam and Nintendo Switch, the coming 12 months look busy for these developers.
At PAX Aus 2026 the New Zealand indie scene was on full display, with studios showcasing demos and release plans across Steam and Nintendo Switch.
Several teams used the showfloor to confirm development timelines and share hands-on demos: Little Dragon Interactive, KittyWampus, Lazy Bones, Dead Teapot Games, Flightless, Mischief Makers Studio, and the Disc 2 Games team under the Saltworks umbrella all had playable content or demos available.
Little Dragon Interactive and The Order of the Damned
The Order of the Damned is an action-RPG side‑scroller from Little Dragon Interactive set in a dark post‑apocalyptic world.
The team described the player as the last knight of a fallen order resurrected by a spectre and granted supernatural abilities to fight the undead.
Little Dragon confirmed the project has been in development for about 18 months and is targeting a Steam launch in the months following PAX Aus 2026, with console versions planned further down the line.
Developers noted the title emphasizes branching narrative choices and distinctive foreground shadowing against colorful backgrounds.
KittyWampus and Bashful Adoration
KittyWampus presented Bashful Adoration, a narrative-driven 3D platformer described by the team as a romantic comedy set at a wizarding school.
The studio confirmed seven team members have worked on the project for approximately two years.
The demo is available on Steam now, and the team is aiming for Steam and Nintendo Switch release in the first quarter of 2027.
Lazy Bones and Dungeon Baller
Dungeon Baller, from Auckland lecturers Jeremy and Rourke at Lazy Bones, blends roguelite progression with pinball mechanics.
The pair explained the game began as a university conversation three years ago and now has a publisher attached.
They plan a Steam release in roughly five months, followed by mobile and then console targets.
The playable demo was on the PAX floor.
Dead Teapot, Flightless and other standouts
Shape Sender Deluxe from Dead Teapot Games stood out for its accessible puzzle design and mascot Sendy; the team brought a PAX-specific demo and confirmed a 2027 launch on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
Flightless showed Killing Things With Your Friends; the Steam demo is available now and the team aims for early access in January 2027.
Mischief Makers Studio confirmed Burger Bois ran a successful Kickstarter in 2024, launched a Steam demo in June 2026, and plans a full Steam release in early 2027 with a possible Switch version in the future.
Disc 2 Games, formed under the Saltworks umbrella, showcased Canvas City with a Steam demo and confirmed plans for a future Switch release.
These New Zealand teams used PAX Aus 2026 to validate demos, confirm platforms, and outline near-term release windows.
For readers tracking indie launches on Steam and Nintendo Switch, the coming 12 months look busy for these developers.
