CESA, the organizer of Tokyo Game Show 2026, hosted the "Selected Indie 80" special exhibit in Hall 9 at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to 21. Selected Indie 80 features 80 titles chosen through evaluations by the Tokyo Game Show Organizing Committee and industry experts. Shuhei Yoshida (yosp), widely regarded as a veteran figure in the indie scene, served as the head of the judging panel.
The TGS 2026 Selected Indie 80 program saw its fiercest competition to date, receiving over 1,500 submissions. The games selected for Selected Indie 80 received free exhibition opportunities at TGS 2026. Furthermore, they were automatically registered for "Sense of Wonder Night 2026" (SOWN 2026), the TGS pitch contest program where developers can present their games, granting them an extra opportunity to showcase their projects to a broader audience.
During the Business Days held on September 17 and 18, a large number of industry insiders visited to search for promising indie games. Likewise, on the Public Days, numerous gamers interested in indie titles flooded the venue right as doors opened. Among indie titles gathered from around the globe—including Japan, the UK, Spain, Uzbekistan, and Saudi Arabia—Korean indie games turned in an exceptionally strong showing.
QueseraGames, which gained a steady rhythm game fanbase with the release of KALPA in 2021, was selected for Selected Indie 80 with its new rhythm game title, Nientum - Op.ZERO. Set in a mysterious theater, Nientum - Op.ZERO follows two girls who have lost their memories as they raise the curtain on a play. Players explore fields and run through platforming stages to collect musical note fragments scattered across the area to repair stage mechanisms, while the process of performing to gradually recover lost memories is presented through rhythm action gameplay. Building on the rhythm mechanics and appealing character designs honed since KALPA, the game heightens immersion through narrative presentation backed by passionate voice acting. Consequently, numerous fans visited the booth to try out the demo as soon as doors opened.
EasyFox's "Teaching My Sister to Drive," which gained traction through various game streamers' broadcasts, was also well received at the venue. True to its name, it is a game about teaching a novice driver—your younger sister—how to drive. The goal is to give real-time voice instructions to the sister, who responds to your voice, ensuring she drives properly. From an initial beginner training course to actual road driving and unpredictable alleyways full of sudden crises, players must navigate diverse routes and issue fast, accurate commands during unexpected situations. Because gameplay relies on voice recognition rather than direct physical controls, it hilariously captures the suspense of not being 100% sure if she will execute the command properly, reducing player frustration while earning high praise from indie gamers.
Meanwhile, among the Korean titles selected for Selected Indie 80, ROOMTONE Games' INTERSCAPE won a Gold Award. INTERSCAPE is an action-adventure game set in a fictional near-future where humanity is trapped in nightmares caused by a massive sphere that appeared in the sky. Players take on the role of Dive Agent Kay, exploring constantly shifting nightmare realms to unravel the secrets of the black sphere. The game enhances immersion by vividly depicting a surreal world through cinematic presentation and graphics, while offering engaging gameplay as players use various gimmicks to overcome obstacles in a continuously evolving environment. On the strength of these elements, it earned a Gold Award, an honor granted to only seven titles in Selected Indie 80.
Beyond these Korean titles, indie games armed with clever ideas from around the world stood out. Unique titles drew visitors' attention, including Argentina's Proyecto EXO—where players operate a custom console to control a special vehicle on a physical board, activating miners to gather energy; JNR Ueno Station 1979, which simulates actual train lines at Ueno Station; and ANRI, which tracks finger movements with sensors to play music without a controller.
The full list of Selected Indie 80 titles and further details can be found on the official TGS 2026 Selected Indie 80 webpage.
