I Became a Future Sushi Chef or Orchestra Conductor: Intriguing Indies at TGS 2026 “SELECTED INDIE 80” Part 1 [Special Feature]

From Thursday, September 17, to Sunday, September 20, 2026, the “Tokyo Game Show 2026” (hereinafter “TGS2026”), celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, was held at Makuhari Messe.

In Hall 9, the “SELECTED INDIE 80” event—a showcase featuring indie games attracting attention from around the world—was held. From among the many indie games brimming with imagination and creativity, here are the titles our writer has personally selected!

SHIBUYA SUSHI MASTER

This game is set in a cyberpunk Shibuya in the year 2688—a city where glittering neon lights mask a murky night. As Namida, a young sushi chef,
you run a small sushi restaurant atop the Scramble Crossing, which has risen above the rising sea level.The customers who
visit include not only a diverse array of humans but also androids, aliens, and others, each with their own unique stories… It’s an adventure game where you select the toppings and preparation methods to meet each customer’s requests and emotional needs, serving up a plate of sushi.

This game evokes the influence of *VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action*. While it serves sushi instead of cocktails, it’s crafted with meticulous attention to detail.Choose the topping, select the style (nigiri, gunkan, or maki), and adjust the amount of wasabi. The amount of wasabi is visually reflected in the graphics, and if you max it out, it becomes an absolutely massive amount…! Since there are android customers, I’ve even received orders for “semiconductor nigiri.”

By the way, you can make the sushi exactly as ordered—or not. The sushi you make might just determine the future of Shibuya.

I was only able to play the demo for the first three days, but even in that short time, a steady stream of customers came and went. I’m curious to see how much content the full version will have and what kind of characters I’ll meet. And what kind of future awaits Namida and Shibuya…? I’m really looking forward to it!

“SHIBUYA SUSHI MASTER” is scheduled for release on PC (Steam).

Maestro

“Maestro,” a rhythm game where you can become an orchestra conductor, has finally been released on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch! This is great news for me—I’d been curious about it for a while but had to give up on it because I didn’t own VR equipment!

But can a game that was originally a VR title really be enjoyable when ported to the Nintendo Switch…? Since I was a bit worried, I decided to give it a try. By the way, I used to be the conductor for my school’s choir during my student days.

Once I actually played it, I realized my worries were unfounded! The Joy-Cons in both hands felt just like a conductor’s baton, allowing me to fully immerse myself in the experience. It’s also great to hear the audience cheer after a performance. Before playing, I imagined it would be heavily focused on rhythm game mechanics, but I actually found it to be more of a “Maestro” (conductor) simulation.

In addition to classical and jazz, the game features famous movie themes from “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter,” and “Attack on Titan.” Set in Paris, create a grand performance as a maestro!

“Maestro” for Nintendo Switch is now available for 4,980 yen, and a demo version is also available.

XERME

With graphics that captivate at first glance, “XERME” is an exploration and puzzle game set in a fantastical world colored in black, white, and yellow.

Players gather energy from plant-like creatures found throughout the world to progress through their adventure. Sometimes, they’ll even have to sacrifice themselves…

With absolutely no dialogue and a playable character that resembles a sketch model—lacking any facial expressions—the game’s story remains shrouded in mystery. Players are sure to have a wide range of impressions.The puzzles themselves are easy, and exploration is stress-free. Since the character gracefully breaks its fall even when dropping from great heights, I found myself exploring more boldly than intended. However, seeing a stick figure do this is strangely cool and makes for a picturesque scene.

Also, the giveaway I received after the demo was—believe it or not—a seed! How stylish…

Plants and mushrooms leave a strong impression throughout the game, so perhaps the game’s message lies hidden within them. I’m eagerly awaiting the day this game “sprouts” into the world.

“XERME” is scheduled for release on PC (Steam).

There’s no door that can’t be opened with a non-black key

This is a puzzle-action game where you rewrite the rules of the world by adding or removing the word “not” from sentences to reach the goal. Originally released as a free game on unityroom, a Steam version has been developed that expands the content by a factor of 7 (!?).

For example, if the rule is “Doors do not exist,” adding “not” changes it to “Doors exist,” causing the goal door to appear.If you add “not” to the rule “This sentence is high,” it changes to “This sentence is not high,” and it becomes a platform. Furthermore, if you remove “not” from that sentence, it reverts to “This sentence is high,” allowing you to move along with the platform… and so on.

Each stage has its own set of rules, and new rules are introduced just as you’re getting the hang of the game, making it anything but straightforward to complete.
It’s a simple yet deeply engaging title with a subtle, understated charm—the kind of game you’ll find yourself playing intently without even realizing it!

“There’s No Door That Can’t Be Opened with a Key That Isn’t Black” is scheduled for release on PC (Steam).

Finding Polka

Last but not least, I’d like to introduce *Finding Polka*, which won the Platinum award at the “SELECTED INDIE 80 Excellence Awards”—an initiative that evaluates titles selected for “SELECTED INDIE 80” from multiple perspectives, including creativity and polish, to honor the most outstanding ones.

A world drawn with a ballpoint pen—simple, warm, gentle, and full of humor.

The protagonist, Friendly, spends his peaceful days with his beloved dog, Jazz. Today, as usual, they went out for a walk… and spotted a dog on the street that looked exactly like “Polka,” the dog he had as a child. Upon seeing it, Friendly and Jazz couldn’t help but start running after it…

Since I, too, had a beloved dog when I was young, I can painfully relate to how Frendy just had to chase after it… And Jazz, who goes along with his owner like that—what a good boy he is…Watching Frendy and Jazz move around is just like taking a dog for a walk—it makes me smile just watching them. This game also has no dialogue, but precisely because there are no words, what Frendy and Jazz are trying to say comes across eloquently.

The intricate artwork makes it feel like you’re walking through a “Where’s Waldo?” book. Just walking around is enough to get your heart racing.

Will Friendly and Jazz manage to find Polka safely?

“Finding Polka” is now available for PC (Steam).

Also, a dog greeted us at the booth. It was surreal.