This weekend offers a diverse slate of gaming experiences, from a contemplative narrative adventure by Davey Wreden to a vibrant rhythm game and a wildly popular multiplayer hide-and-seek title. These games provide compelling reasons to dive into virtual worlds as the summer season progresses.
Wanderstop, originally released in 2025, hails from Davey Wreden, the creative force behind critically acclaimed titles like The Stanley Parable and The Beginner's Guide. While those games explored themes of player choice and the nature of game appreciation, Wanderstop offers a more direct, yet still introspective, experience. The game follows Alta, a former adventurer grappling with anxiety who seeks a new life managing a tea shop. However, Wreden's signature touch ensures a deeper narrative unfolds, using video game conventions to weave a story that is pensive, funny, and surprising. A review noted the game's ability to make players reflect on their own ability to relax, highlighting its success as an art piece. Developed by Wreden's studio, Ivy Road, which has unfortunately been shuttered, Wanderstop is available on Switch and Switch 2 as of June 23, and is recommended even for those not typically drawn to the cozy genre.
Rhythm Heaven Groove, potentially the last major Switch 1 game from Nintendo, offers an infectious and goofy music game experience. The series, known for its unique concepts and emotional range, stands tall with Groove, earning a permanent place on the Switch. The game's bizarre art and strange text also lend themselves to potential meme generation, a characteristic that may finally achieve widespread online vernacular recognition thanks to the Switch's ease of sharing clips and screenshots.
Meccha Chameleon has emerged as one of the year's breakout successes, selling over 10 million copies in its initial weeks. This multiplayer hide-and-seek game is both inexpensive and highly entertaining, making it a strong choice for weekend relaxation. The Infection mode is particularly popular, pitting one Hunter against multiple Hiders. Hiders can camouflage themselves by posing on surfaces and altering their colors using a palette similar to Photoshop. The game is lauded for its clever, easy-to-learn mechanics and seamless Steam Workshop integration for downloading custom maps.
Additionally, the latest installment of the Undertale pseudo-sequel, Deltarune Chapter 5, recently launched, centering on a town festival. This chapter continues the series' tradition of mixed media, sudden style shifts, and genre-bending concepts, all while building a creeping sense of unease as dark forces at work in the town make their moves. The chapter's twists and turns have already elicited gasps, laughs, and amazement from players.
For fans of tabletop gaming, Leviathan Wilds presents a cooperative or solo experience reminiscent of Shadow of the Colossus. Players climb gigantic creatures to destroy corrupting crystals and save them. Each session features a different creature and challenges, with creature actions and attacks revealed through card draws. The game boasts beautiful art, a brilliant theme, and compelling turn-to-turn choices, making it a potential staple for gaming groups.