Denshattack! and the Indie Game Wave at Steam Next Fest

The latest Steam Next Fest, running from February 23rd to March 2nd, 2026, is showcasing a diverse range of upcoming indie titles, with several demos already available. Among the highlights is Denshattack!, a unique action game drawing comparisons to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, but with a high-speed train as the player’s vehicle.

Denshattack!: Tony Hawk Meets Japanese Trains

Denshattack!, developed by Undercoders, presents a quirky premise: players accept on the role of Emi, a train courier who enters the competitive world of Denshattack – a contest where individuals race trains and perform tricks. Early previews describe the game as a “Dreamcast gem that never got its spotlight,” praising its insane speed, crisp cel-shaded art style, invigorating music, and Tony Hawk-style tricks. The game is set on a stylish island with levels blending tropical, urban, and zany scenery. Hands-on previews highlight the game’s inspiration from titles like Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio.

Other Notable Games from Recent Showcases

Several indie game showcases took place on Thursday, February 20th, 2026, revealing a wealth of upcoming titles.

Black History Month Showcase

The Black History Month edition of the Black Voices in Gaming Showcase featured trailers and interviews for games like Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator, Aerial_Knight’s DropShot, and Relooted. The showcase also highlighted Erased, an open-world fighting game with cyberpunk aesthetics, dance battles, and parkour elements.

Convergence Showcase

The Convergence Showcase offered a glimpse into Mouse: P.I. For Hire, revealing one of the game’s bosses. Release dates were also announced for Gecko Gods (April 16th, 2026, on Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PC) and Wax Heads (May 5th, 2026, on PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and Nintendo Switch). A demo for Wax Heads is currently available on Steam Next Fest.

Indie Fan Fest

Playstack’s Balatro publisher announced Raccoin, a roguelike deckbuilder in the form of a coin pusher, slated for release on March 31st, 2026. A demo is available now on Steam Next Fest. GridBeat, a rhythm-based dungeon crawler from Ridiculous Games, is coming to Nintendo Switch and Steam on March 26th, 2026, with a Next Fest demo also available.

Quebec Games Celebration Showcase

The first Quebec Games Celebration Showcase featured Surfpunk, a co-op action RPG reminiscent of Hades with surfing elements. An updated Steam demo offers around five hours of gameplay. Croak, a precision platformer inspired by Celeste, also garnered attention, and Tears of Metal, a hack-and-slash roguelite, has a Steam demo available. Silent Planet, a gothic sci-fi Metroidvania, was also highlighted.

New Releases

Several games recently launched, including Under The Island, an action RPG with a visual style reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Demon Tides, a 3D open-world platformer with shapeshifting mechanics, is also available on Steam. Skate Bums, a 2D skateboarding game, launched on Nintendo Switch and is available for a limited-time discount. Love Eternal, a psychological horror platformer, is out now on multiple platforms with a launch discount.

Upcoming Projects

Woe Industries is hosting the Adventure Game Aptitude Test (AGAT) on February 28th, 2026, a standardized gaming test for an ‘80s adventure game. People of Note, a musical narrative adventure, is coming to multiple platforms on April 7th, 2026, with a 90-minute demo available on Steam Next Fest. Titanium Court, a surrealist roguelike strategy game, is slated for release on Steam “imminently.” Finally, Become, a third-person linear adventure where players control a sperm, is expected to launch on Steam later this year.