Checking out all of the new indie games is always my favourite part of PAX AUS. There are scores of upcoming and newly released games to demo from wonderful indie developers, including dedicated sections showcasing games made in our own corner of the world. Here’s a roundup of the games we loved and think you should keep an eye on from PAX AUS 2026.
Bravecart
Bravecart is a puzzle game about an abandoned trolley by Sydney-based Hojo Studio. The two-person development team, who have been making games together for 10 years, were inspired by the abandoned trolleys littering the Sutherland Shire. After all, we’ve become so accustomed to seeing them on the side of the road that we’ve learned to pretend they don’t exist. But what if we told the story from the trolley’s perspective? What would it feel like to be abandoned and repurposed as a makeshift rubbish bin? We spoke to Rick Salter of Hojo Studio about the game at PAX.
The game follows the eponymous Trolley as it revolts against two major supermarket chains, Alphabarn and Omegamart, to free its fellow trolleys. The puzzle gameplay revolves around the simple mechanic of trolleys continuing to roll until they hit an obstacle, which makes for some surprisingly tricky level design. Salter explained that finding the sweet spot between a satisfying ‘aha!’ moment and a frustratingly difficult puzzle has been one of the biggest challenges.
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There are 100 levels across five chapters, but players can also create and share their own through a fully featured level editor. And before you ask, Salter insists the supermarkets aren’t inspired by any Australian companies. They’re just popular colours. Sure, Rick.
There’s also a surprisingly wholesome message behind all that trolley rebellion. Hojo Studio has partnered with Keep Australia Beautiful to donate 10% of every game sale towards causes tackling corporate waste. They’re also developing a Trolley Tracker for the mobile version, allowing players to photograph abandoned trolleys and report their location to the nearest collection service. A game with a social conscience? Definitely one to watch. You can wishlist Bravecart on Steam.
Middle Management
I actually saw Middle Management at PAX AUS 2025 and was excited to finally get my hands on a proper demo this year. The game has come along nicely since then, with a few new features that had me chuckling.
Middle Management is a building management game where you’re a pink manager blob tasked with making your office workers as productive as possible. Spread your tentacles, mess around with your workers’ brains, and mould them into the perfect corporate employees. You know, your usual workplace shenanigans.
A demo is scheduled to drop sometime next year, according to Headplug Games. Solo developer Jack Moon also recently received funding from the New Zealand Centre of Digital Excellence (CODE), allowing him to work on the game full-time and expand the team. Hooray! You can wishlist it on Steam now.
Rain98
I spent 70 minutes playing C#4R4CT3R’s demo of Rain98 at PAX this year. While this was a longer demo than I bargained for, I did get a cute pin out of it. And I understood why it needed 70 minutes.
Rain98 is set in 1998 Tokyo, where you’ve travelled through time and met Reina, a strange girl intent on destroying the world. It’s beautiful, unsettling, and firmly on my wishlist. C#4R4CT3R has also recently released a new three-hour demo, which starts from the beginning of the game (unlike the PAX demo I played, which dropped me somewhere further along). If you’re curious, there’s plenty of game to sink your teeth into. Check it out on Steam.
No Humanity – Internship
No Humanity – Internship is a physics-based space survival game that supports both single-player and multiplayer. It’s absolute chaos. You’re a disposable intern aboard a corporate drill-ship on the hunt for humans. Fly around in your jetpack, swing ropes to take down enemies, and die. That’s probably the most important part. You will die. Often.
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It’s an interesting and wonderfully unhinged experience, but what else would you expect from the makers of Tingus Goose? You can join the playtest on Steam and see for yourself. The game is scheduled to release in December 2026.
Tiny Transit
We stopped by the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) booth and stumbled across Tiny Transit, a game reminiscent of Go-Go Town. Developed by AIE graduates and students who have since formed local studio Lab Grown Games, you play as a delivery seal tasked with restoring Tiny Island to its former glory and becoming… a prince? It’s a cosy, cute little adventure where you can also drive recklessly across the landscape. What’s not to love? You can wishlist it on Steam now.
