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I originally planned to play 56 demos, but I only got through some of them. Here is the list of what I played, and I’ll introduce some of the good ones below.

The List

Map Map - A Game About Maps

The gameplay is very innovative, blending the experience of GeoGuessr with map-making. In the game, you need to mark specific objects on the map. However, there’s nothing on the map to start, so you have to measure distance and angle yourself in order to find the exact location. The game still has a lot of room for improvement — for example, the levels in the demo felt samey, and not much new happened over the course of it. The instructions are also often unclear: what exactly is a “cartoglyph,” and where is the “rabbit hole”? Other issues include rough translation and some annoying character voice lines. Still, the concept is innovative, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where this game goes.

Batomon Showdown

Although this auto battler is solid rather than groundbreaking, it’s well refined. This demo was a great experience, and this kind of synergy-driven gameplay is exactly what I always want to make myself. The aesthetic clearly evokes Pokémon, and the game translates that inspiration well. For example, “shining” results in a monster with better stats, and merging identical monsters echoing the evolution system in Pokémon. I especially like the mechanic where merging three monsters grants you an item; it makes inventory management more strategic, since you might want to hold onto some unused monsters just to collect the bonus items.

Witch the Showdown

Fancy UI, interesting gameplay. I first saw this game’s demo at Tokyo Game Show 2025, but I had to leave before I could play it, so this was my first real chance to try it. There’s a lot of information on screen, and it can easily overwhelm new players. Parrying while also tracking which card you’re about to play is genuinely difficult, and it reminded me of One Step From Eden and Mega Man Battle Network. That said, once you get used to your deck, the game becomes really fun to play.

IRON NEST: Heavy Turret Simulator

What an amazing demo — the best I played this Next Fest! You follow instructions: measuring, loading, and firing. You hit the target as the mission demands, but a friendly hospital gets hit too, and it feels intentional. The feel of operating the turret is solid, and the narrative twist lands in an unexpected way. The sound design is perfect down to every detail.

STUNTBOOST

This game does two things brilliantly. First, it recommends mouse and keyboard controls, which makes the experience feel more like actual finger-skateboarding, since you use the mouse to steer direction. Second, some puzzles require you to look at specific objects on the map to open a door. This design forces players to pull off “tricks” in unexpected ways. Together, these two elements make the demo both enjoyable and challenging.

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