Welcome to our weekend segment, where we showcase some trending, some upcoming, but always interesting Japanese indie games that share a specific theme. This week’s theme is food and cooking, because we all know that even the most disciplined monk can go feral when there’s nothing in their belly. From sushi to dungeon scavenging, there’s a good chance there’s something on this list that will whet your appetite.
Sushi Claw Machine
If you’ve ever had trouble catching conveyor belt sushi or claw machine toys, then Sushi Claw Machine lets you release your pent-up frustration for points. Instead of carefully aligning the in-game claw as you normally would a real-life claw machine, all you have to do is topple the sushi over to the perfectly sanitary table below.
Different types of sushi have varying prices, which can be seen on the menu at the back of the stage. Your final score is determined by the total amount of sushi you toppled.
Sushi Claw Machine has two modes: Gluttony Challenge and Speed Challenge.
Gluttony Challenge has you toppling as much sushi as possible within a time limit. Special events can occur depending on the number and type of sushi you drop. The Salmon Run event, for example, causes several plates of nigiri to spawn, adding an extra layer of randomness and strategy to the otherwise relaxing mode.
Speed Challenge, on the other hand, has you toppling all the sushi in the level as fast as possible. Unlike Gluttony Challenge, the sushi in this mode defy the laws of physics. Some sushi pieces float while others fly through the air at breakneck speeds. If you’re in the mood for some literal fast food, then Speed Challenge might be your thing.
Sushi Claw Machine’s modes are easy to pick up and play, making the title a great way to unwind after a hard day’s work (that is, unless your job involves working at a sushi restaurant). Developed and published solely by Mihaya, the game is set to release for PC (Steam). A playable demo is available on unityroom.
Mottainai Ghost
We just can’t seem to get away from horror indie games, as Mottainai Ghost tells the tale about a young woman looking to earn a living by renting vacation homes. Soon after buying a secondhand apartment building, the tenants disappear, leaving you to deal with their remaining grudges and… leftover food?
Centered around the Japanese term “mottainai,” which expresses regret over things going to waste, Mottainai Ghost has you exploring the apartment buildings of the missing tenants. As you discover their backstories, you will also be forced to eat their leftovers, lest the titular Mottainai Ghost (which looks like a Pac-Man with teeth) gobble you up.
As you consume leftover cookies, burgers, chicken and the like, your stomach level increases. This allows you to wolf down even bigger portions, which is the key to escaping the apartment building you so righteously own.
Despite its horror theme, developers woof Inc. and sewohayami state that Mottainai Ghost isn’t meant to be violent or grotesque. In fact, they bill it as an introduction to the horror genre, as children can safely enjoy it without too much of a scare. The game is available for PC (Windows and macOS) via Steam, as well as Nintendo Switch.
Drapline
Offering a break from all the self-gluttony, Drapline is a roguelike pet-raising simulator that tasks you with training a dragon girl to prevent the end of the world. You select your dragon girl’s training regimen and diet each week, which ultimately determine what kind of world savior she will become.
As a dragon girl, your new ward consumes everything from meat and fish to lava, houses, and other people. Since her performance depends largely on how full she is, you’ll want to make sure you make ends meet. This is easier said than done, as food is expensive and money is tight.
While you normally pay in cash, there is an option to take out a loan in order to ensure your dragon girl gets the proper nutrition. Should you fail to do either of these things, there are cheaper, less humane methods to give her a proper meal. Take note that eating people can lock you out of certain village features, making you think twice before deciding to consume them.
You can combine over 100 skills to create synergies and raise your unique dragon girl in different ways. Be she an outright bruiser, a poison-focused damage dealer, or a defensive tank, your decisions affect your dragon girl’s skills, appearance, and the game’s ending. Each run lasts about an hour, giving you plenty of opportunities to try different builds.
Drapline is developed by indie game developer Kawano and is available for Windows (Steam). A free demo is also available.
Clean Freak! Perfect Cook!
As if cooking in real life wasn’t hard enough, Clean Freak! Perfect Cook! puts you in the shoes of an extreme germaphobe who is trying to prepare a meal. Every action you perform increases your Dirt Gauge, making each step a test of your sanity. From opening the fridge to chopping up ingredients, you should always keep an eye on your Dirt Gauge and make sure it doesn’t completely fill up, lest your character lose their marbles and fail the level.
Given your unique disposition, holding items firmly is out of the question. Instead, you’ll be forced to fumble awkwardly as you conjure up a dish worth going crazy for. As expected, dropping items onto the floor renders them unusable, making this game more of a test of patience than one of culinary knowledge.
The only way to lower the gauge is by routinely washing your hands at the nearby sink. Even then, the power of soap and water isn’t absolute, as you’ll soon find your hands contaminated with germs.
Clean Freak! Perfect Cook! is developed and published by indie dev Snake Tone. The game is available for Windows via Steam.
Abyss Kitchen
Capping off this list is Abyss Kitchen, an upcoming survival action title where you play as Lop, a chef tasked with feeding a party of adventurers set on exploring the world’s many dungeons. While the rest of your party handles the fighting, you scour the battlefield for ingredients.
Abyss Kitchen’s combat isn’t the game’s main focus. While you can occasionally ask your party members to perform their special moves, most of the action is automated. All you have to do is focus on avoiding the bullet hell-like projectiles that emanate from enemies and collect the various items strewn throughout the dungeons.
It is from these items that Lop can create many wondrous dishes, all of which have unique effects such as curing poison debuffs and increasing attack power. Think of the game as sort of like a reverse Monster Hunter. While Capcom’s franchise has you hunting monsters to make strange hats, Pico Games’ indie title focuses on using their carcasses (as well as anything in the vicinity) to make something sumptuous.
Abyss Kitchen is set to release for Windows via Steam.
Those were five Japanese indie titles that will likely have your mouth watering for more. While some of these games focus on cooking and feeding others, the mere sight of food is enough to get the stomach rumbling.
