The year is already packed with intriguing indie games on the horizon, and crafting and simulation games have become all the rage in the indie community sinceAnimal Crossing: New HorizonsandStardew Valleybecame huge hits.Bear and Breakfastallows players to customize and run an inn as a bear while meeting new friends. Similarly,Yokai Innis a slice-of-life game where players cook, craft, and farm while maintaining an inn. Especially for fans who enjoy the parts ofAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsthat celebrate Japanese culture, players should be on the lookout forMineko’s Night Market.
In truth,Mineko’s Night Marketmay seem like it involves more shop management simulation thanStardew ValleyorAnimal Crossing. However, much like the former, there’s a lot more to do in the game including exploration, discovery, crafting, and socializing.
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What Is Mineko’s Night Market?
Animal Crossinghas always been knownfor, firstly, its social simulation elements with the friendly (or sometimes not so friendly) villagers with an array of personalities. While some players choose to collect the cute and sisterly villagers, others choose to go for more entertaining personality types like lazy or smug villagers. InMineko’s Night Market, there are plenty of interesting faces to interact with throughout this adorable adventure.
Mineko’s Night Marketfollows Mineko, a young and curious girl who has just arrived at her new Japanese home at the base of Mt. Fugu, but aside from the shop-selling mechanics, players can expect a story around the sun cat Abe that the townsfolk worship and have spotted recently. ResemblingStardew Valleya bit more, however,Mineko’s Night Marketwill task players with managing their day-to-day cycle of activities, which includes crafting items for the night market and exploring. The workbenches are simply combining ingredients and pressing a button, though.Minekois filled with minigames and night market games like cat racing and stage performances.
It also includes the changing of the four seasonssimilar toStardew Valley, and according toMineko’s Night Market’s Steam page, there are “hours” of exploration to be had around the island of Mt. Fugu. The map is also split into a few distinct areas, including the grounds where the night market is held, forests, and what appears to be a city, as shown in official screenshots. At the night market, players will sell the items they come across through exploration such as flowers and fish as well as oddities that they craft at workbenches. They’ll also be able to barter with the locals to sell “almost anything” while getting to know the area. Other activities include fishing, a favorite among casual gamers, riding cats around town, mining, and what appears to be farming cats.
Games that have taken inspiration from the likes ofAnimal CrossingandStardew Valleyhave seen great success, catering to audiences that enjoy sweet and relaxed titles such asMoonglow BayandWytchwood, both games to release over the last few months. Hopefully,Mineko’s Night Marketcan scratch the itch for another chill crafting experience.
Unfortunately,Mineko’s Night Marketdoesn’t have a release date quite yet. But after being announced years back, it’s set to release sometime this year. And withWholesome Gamespromoting it recently, hopefully, the developer Meowza Games will have a date to announce shortly.
Mineko’s Night Marketis in development for PC and Switch.
