At the “Tokyo Game Show 2026,” held at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to 20, 2026, the “SELECTED INDIE 80” exhibition featured 80 titles selected from over 1,500 submissions.
This time, I tried out three titles that caught my eye from that lineup, so I’ll share details about their gameplay and features.
“Mask” news images to create headlines that grab people’s attention: ‘MASK IT’
First up is ‘MASK IT,’ a black humor adventure that generates buzz with its “mosaic” effect.I was drawn in by the key visual—a man’s exhausted face—and the phrase “black humor,” but true to its name, the content was indeed “black.” That dark tone becomes apparent almost immediately upon starting the game. You cannot begin playing unless you black out the “no” in “disagree” to indicate “agree.”
The protagonist is a news editor who has just joined “Toudai-sha” as a new hire. His job is to slightly “blur” news images and edit them into visuals that attract more attention. He moves the mouse while thinking about which parts to hide to make the image better.
In the blink of an eye, an ordinary image is transformed into one with a different meaning. Having turned it into “sensational” news in this way, the protagonist’s first day of work comes to an end. Although a senior colleague praises their work, the protagonist looks somewhat somber. It seems they have mixed feelings about being involved in this kind of work.
In this way, the game allows you to investigate details not only in the news but also in other areas by hovering the cursor over them and highlighting them. After editing the news image, the protagonist goes home, wakes up in the morning, gets ready, edits again, returns home, eats dinner, goes to sleep, and then heads back to work… While going through the motions of their job, the protagonist remains plagued by doubts.
However, it seems not only the protagonist but also his senior colleague has their own agenda. As they go about their work, I find myself wondering where exactly they are headed.
The guilt of altering images while wondering “What parts should I hide to make it more exciting?”; the question of what kind of information we actually glean from the images we see every day; the question of where the meaning of an image changes when certain parts are obscured; and the question of where we can actually find a way to verify the facts…As I played, the game made me reflect anew on our modern era, where manipulating and generating information and images has become so effortless.
Enter others’ dreams and search for the host. *INTERSCAPE*
The second title is the action-adventure game *INTERSCAPE*, where you dive into other people’s dreams.The protagonist, “K,” a Dream Diver, plunges into dangerous dreams to save his partner “En,” who has fallen into a coma during a mission. Corridors that seem to stretch on forever, a city where the distinction between heaven and earth is blurred, and a monochrome world… Even in the brief demo, the game offered a variety of visual experiences to enjoy.
As soon as you start playing, you immediately find yourself lost in a building with an otherworldly structure. I found myself captivated by the fantastical scenery—a sprawling building with afterimages, reminiscent of a deliberately blurred photograph. It would be even more fun if there were a photo mode.
At one point, you’ll encounter a spot you can’t climb because you’re not tall enough. When that happens, hold the large “key” in your hand over the glowing spot to make a platform appear. Since the platform disappears when you put the key back in your hand, you’ll need to be careful about when you use it.
As I continued forward, creating a path as I went, K found himself sucked into yet another dream. The dynamic presentation of the rapidly shifting scenery was impressive, and my anticipation grew for what kind of sights I would encounter next.
The dream he eventually reached was a monochrome world. To escape this dream, he must find the “Dream Host,” the master of the dream. The Host is apparently a peculiar-looking figure wearing an animal mask on his head. K chases after the Host, sometimes hiding and sometimes fighting along the way.The noir-style black-and-white townscapes and artwork, with their subtle play of light and shadow, evoked the feel of a nostalgic film and created a very stylish atmosphere.
At this stage, the Japanese localization felt a bit stiff. On the other hand, the visual richness displayed every time you dive into various dreams came across clearly even in this short demo. For players who enjoy these fantastical landscapes, this looks set to be an irresistible title.
A collection of mini-games that warms the heart: “Goodbye, Backup”
The third title is “Goodbye Backup,” a collection of mini-games centered on the theme of farewell. While Japanese isn’t currently supported, we were able to play the demo in Japanese, so we can look forward to Japanese support in the future. It features distinctive art and visuals with soft, gentle color tones.
This title is a collection of 11 mini-games, though the demo allowed us to play three of them. The first, “The First Goodbye,” is a mini-game depicting the moment of departure on an airplane. As you gaze out the window, memories from your childhood flash by one after another.
Clicking on the yellow-glowing spots changes the image, so you click along with the flow. However, the pace gradually accelerates until your clicking hand can’t keep up. Seeing the passing of time and the sadness of departure expressed with almost no words made me realize, “So this is what a mini-game themed around farewells is all about.”
The second mini-game, “The Waving Game,” is a game where you move the mouse to wave your hand. This time, the visuals are in a paper-cutout style, and it’s interesting how the artistic style differs from one mini-game to the next. As the train moves forward, you keep moving the mouse to wave, never stopping even as the figure grows increasingly distant.
Then, the text “When you’re ready, stop waving” appears on the screen. That’s when I realized that the moment I stopped waving was actually the end of the game. It expresses the feeling of wanting to keep waving forever through the simple act of waving.
The third mini-game, “Crossroads,” depicts the endless stream of feelings and thoughts that surge up as you wonder what to say before parting—expressed through a series of lines that appear one after another. Pressing the space bar slows your pace, evoking the time as the farewell draws near and you find yourself wishing, “I still want to be together.”
Packed with a variety of ideas centered around the theme of “parting,” this title offers more than just a somber, sad atmosphere; it’s a mini-game that also radiates kindness and warmth, making it the perfect choice to soothe a weary heart.
We’ve introduced three games here, but there are plenty of other promising indie titles lined up as well. Be sure to check out the special website and add any games that catch your eye to your wish list.
