I had gotten a few requests to make one for my personal list of games I’m looking forward to, along with that clearly winning the poll I made on Twitter, so that’s essentially what this is. Any game on this list has been confirmed to be releasing in 2024, at least at the time of writing this (as delays do happen). I do want to point out, in case anyone missed it, that while I am very much looking forward to the new Professor Layton game, that has been pushed back to 2025 and thus, will not be on this list. I just want to make sure nobody thinks I forgot it– it’s just that it won’t be out in 2024. Similarly, if a game is currently in Early Access, it’ll likely not be on this list– it doesn’t mean I’m not looking forward to the full release, but I’ll mainly be only including games that have not come out at all and/or have only had demos even if they may be releasing in early access first.
This list is going to be in upcoming release order to the best of my abilities (many are still TBA 2024 or Q# 2024), but there’s no order beyond that.
- Garlic Builder – When I first saw this game, I was wondering if it’d be kind of like Pushmo, but it’s honestly a lot more relaxing, even if time and resource managements aren’t really my forte. I still had a great time with the Demo though despite my struggles with those things which says a lot for me. (Current release date is scheduled for January 15th)
- Boxes: Lost Fragments – Honestly, having wanted a game that is just a bunch of Puzzle Boxes to solve, this absolutely scratched that itch. The Demo came out right when I had been talking about wanting such a thing and it only made me more excited for the game’s release. (Current release date is scheduled for February 1st, 2024)
- Open Roads – I feel like it’s been so long since I first heard about the game and I’ve been excited with each new bit of footage to release. A road trip as you learn about family secrets and dig into mysteries– obviously, this captured my attention immediately. (Current release date is scheduled for February 22nd, 2024)
- Princess Peach: Showtime! – Princess Peach is probably my favorite Mario character overall and the game just… genuinely looks great? I’m really excited about it, especially the Patisserie and Detective Costumes. It’s one of the upcoming Nintendo games I’m most looking forward to at the moment. (Current release date is scheduled for March 22nd, 2024)
- Spirit City: Lofi Sessions – Taking the Cozy Room genre a step further by adding adorable creatures you can find and befriend by doing certain things and adjusting certain settings in the room. You even can customize your character! There are only a few creatures in the Demo, but I am already very excited for the full game. (Current release date is scheduled for April 8th, 2024)
- Botany Manor – I would be lying if I said I was much of a plant person, but I am very much a puzzle person and I just love the entire aesthetic of the game. I had a lot of fun playing through the Demo as well. (Current release date is scheduled for April 9th, 2024)
- Été – I had already been looking forward to the game from the get-go but fell all the more in love with it as I played the Demo. I specifically cut myself off at one day because I don’t think demo data will carry over and I can already see myself putting tons of time in, but I really can’t say enough how genuinely excited I am for the game and to get further into it. I can be a creative person, but I tend to struggle if I have too much freedom and too many options– I really enjoy the way you can work with things to create in this game. (Current Release Date is schedule for Q1 2024)
- Tracks of Thought – This may be one of the games I have been looking forward to for the longest time. Not only have I played the demo, but I actually have backed it as well. One of the things I’ve always enjoyed doing online are just… personality quizzes. I couldn’t really say why, maybe it’s just constant curiosity, but I’ve always found them really enjoyable. So this cute game on a train where you help people and learn more? Sign me up. I’m not usually one for card-based mechanics, but this one won me over regardless. (Current Release Date is scheduled for Q1 2024)
- Endless Ocean Luminous – A game I did not expect to get another installment of, but am very happy to see. I have very fond memories of the game (despite shark attacks and keeping track of my oxygen always making me nervous) for a lot of reasons. Being able to play with friends is also really exciting too. (Current release date is scheduled for May 2nd, 2024)
- Duck Detective: The Secret Salami – Every detective game that has an animal as the starring role is good. I will accept no arguments at this time. In all seriousness though, the game looks great and gives me the same kind of vibes the Frog Detective series did. Really excited to see more of it and play it for myself once it releases. Edit: A demo has released, and I am even more excited to play more of it after playing through. (Current release date is scheduled for May 23rd, 2024)
- Rolling Hills: Make Sushi, Make Friends – I’ve been waiting for this game for years! It’s so exciting to finally see it getting a release date. Still super excited for it. (Current release date is scheduled for June 4th, 2024)
- SPY X ANYA: OPERATION MEMORIES – While I like Anime, I’ve always been incredibly picky with it compared to most others. Spy x Family, however, has been one I’ve really been enjoying and may be my favorite “more recent” anime in a long while, so it’s hard not to look forward to this game. It just genuinely looks great and I’m excited to hear more on it. I really hope the official Dub will do the English version too. (Current release date is scheduled for June 28th, 2024)
- Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge – When I first wrote this, the game didn’t have any estimated date yet, but was recently announced for mid-2024 and a demo released as well! I’ve been excited for this game since its first trailer. The art style is adorable and if you like Neko Atsume and Frogs, this is a game I’d recommend looking into– it’s certainly more complicated with a lot more features, but I still had a lot of fun as I went through the demo. Alas, the data does not carry over so… my poor frogs… (Current release date is scheduled for mid 2024)
- A Park Full of Cats (And its Haunted Ride DLC) – Honestly, I’m kind of thrown off that this will be releasing before A Tower Full of Cats which has been in development longer at this point. Despite that, I have been enjoying all of their games so I am looking forward to it regardless. (Current release date is scheduled for Q2)
- FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time – If it wasn’t already clear from me completing the first game, I really adore Fantasy Life. The mobile version was not really for me, so I am excited to see it return to console. While I am a little nervous about the Farming job (as I just… am so tired of farming in games and was never much a fan of it in the first place), the game managed to make me have fun even with game modes and jobs I wasn’t particularly into so I’m hoping however it’s done, I’ll be able to still bear it. It’ll also be nice to have a game where I can play with friends too! …Assuming any of my friends play… Hopefully. (Current release date is scheduled for October 10th, 2024)
- Spilled! – While Steam doesn’t currently have a date for the game, it’s listed as November 2024 on Kickstarter so I’m adding it to the list! Pretty much as soon as I played the Demo, I was just completely charmed by it. It’s genuinely just really relaxing and it’s nice to see everything slowly get cleaned and the animals returning as the waters turn back to normal. (Current release date is scheduled for November 2024)
- Nom Nom: Cozy Forest Café – This game was supposed to come out at the end of the last year, but from what I’ve heard it’s been pushed back to this year so! Despite the fact that I’m completely awful at rhythm games, the demo completely enamored me and I was genuinely sad when it ended so soon. While I’m a little concerned on how well I may do with the rhythm game elements in later recipes, I find it too charming to not at least give it my best effort. (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- The Star Named EOS – Made by the same people who made Behind the Frame, I am hoping this game won’t make me cry as much and/or leave me with as many questions (even if those got eventually answered in the DLC which also made me cry). Honestly, I love narrative puzzles, I love the photography and traveling aspects of the game, and I’m already so wrapped up in the story, especially after playing the demo, that it’s hard not to be excited for its release. (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- Townseek – I played through the Game Jam version years ago and enjoyed the demo of the upcoming full version just as much. It’s just a cute, charming game, even if it’s a genre that usually isn’t my cup of tea. Really excited to play it this year. (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- Times & Galaxy – I didn’t know what to expect when I played the Demo, but you’re essentially a cute little Robot (that you get to customize!) who does some detectiving to be a good journalist and the story changes as you go. What’s not to like?(Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- Tell Me Your Story – Two things I really love: Traveling and Puzzles and this just seems like a very cute cozy game that will be combining those concepts. (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- The Plucky Squire – Honestly, this game just looks like a lot of fun and the art style is so cute. While I’m not sure how well I’ll do at the combat portions, I’m looking forward to the puzzle parts at least. (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- Love, Ghostie – You play as a cute ghost and help match-make super cute characters!! Everything about this is super cute, but I feel like it’ll be so hard to decide who to match with who. The Demo was already super adorable and I can’t wait until the full game. (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- Beatieball – If you want a game that considers both the accessbility options for controls as well as difficulty, I really can’t say enough positive things about
Wishes Unlimited Games and Greg Lobanov. Besides the fact that I really should play Wandersong at some point, this is just a really cute game, and the character designs are great. I can’t wait to see what Team I might end up having once the game releases. While I can be really picky with turn-based games, playing through the Demo ended up fully recruiting me onboard. (Current release date is scheduled for 2024) - Townframe – A adorable puzzle game where you put together a town in a frame based off a character’s description. There’s just genuinely something so cute and charming about the graphics and just… I really love puzzles, okay? I love puzzles so much. (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- Cozy Room – You get to decorate a cute room, solve puzzles, and hang out with a cute Cat. What’s not to like? (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- Kind Words 2 (lofi city pop) – I adored the first Kind Words so much. I enjoyed collecting stickers, decorating my room, and responding to messages when I could. I also really enjoyed the messages I received while things have been really rough the last few years. I’m so happy to see they’re expanding the concept to such an extent and I genuinely can’t wait. (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- A Tower Full of Cats – The date has been going back and forth on this one and with some other games coming out from DevCats, I’m wondering if it’ll be pushed back to later in the year? I guess we’ll have to see. Either way, all of their games have been a lot of fun and I enjoyed the demo too. (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- Weyrdlets – Does anyone else remember when you could have a cute little friend on your desktop that would just hang out and maybe react to things? Sure, they still exist, but they’re not around as much nowadays. Seeing this where it can merge into fun stuff in the game and also hang out on your desktop is pretty exciting. I don’t know which pet I will pick just yet, but I am hoping they will be pink. (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- Trash Goblin – You know I’m excited when I even play the demo twice (I heard there is another Demo update too– if the content is exclusive to the Demo, I may even play it a third time). Honestly, it’s just a cute cozy game and doesn’t feel as overly harsh as other Shopkeeper-type/Management games. That said, it can be a little hard managing to do everything I want before it gets too late… (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- Inspector Waffles Early Days – I absolutely loved the original game so knowing a fun Gameboy-inspired prequel is coming out is genuinely really exciting? I didn’t know it would be on Steam initially (I played the Demo on Itch.io, but made sure to wishlist it there as well as soon as I found out. Honestly, I can’t recommend the series enough so if you think the prequel looks interesting, be sure to try out the original game too!! (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
- Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket – As someone who really loves collecting the cards and finds the card art super pretty, the immersion segment was probably what ended up fully selling me, but just opening two free packs a day feels like a nice pick-me-up too. I haven’t collected the cards in real life in a long time (I pick up some favorites from time to time and I do have all the Mega Audino cards, but I haven’t collected a full set since Gym Challenge), but this just feels like a fun way to still collect them in some way. (Current release date is scheduled for 2024)
And that makes up the list! It’s possible I missed some (I couldn’t always find information about a game’s release date) so I may add to this if I see some other games I’m looking forward to (such as Forever Ago, Fishbowl, Tiny Bookshop, Momento, and Restitched) end up also announced for this year, but for now, hopefully this is a look into what I’m most excited for!