Welcome to our weekend segment, where we showcase recent or upcoming Japanese indie games that share a specific theme. This week, we take a look at some promising “outdoorsy” titles. Be it climbing a mountain of random knick-knacks or chilling atop your very own Japanese-style rooftop, there’s something about an open-air setting that just makes you want to wake up, get up, and get out there.

Zako No Ahiru

Roughly translated as “The Loser Duck,” Zako No Ahiru puts you in control of a slippery rubber duck as it attempts to climb a mountain composed of random junk. Spurred by the taunts of the game’s main character, Sugaki Mary (voiced by visual novel voice actress Yamada Gemiko), you spray water from the duck’s mouth to propel yourself from platform to platform.

Climbing trees, buildings, and oversized pizza seems easy at first. That is, until you realize that your duck’s main source of movement draws upon a limited water supply. As you climb the mountain of knick-knacks, be on the lookout for bodies of water that allow you to replenish your reserves. Getting caught without any water will leave you stranded, forcing you to start again.

Similar to climbing games like Jump King and Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy, Zako No Ahiru has no checkpoints. A single misstep can cost you several minutes of progress and a sinister jeering from Sugaki Mary. Considering Mary has “around 800 taunting voice lines,” this seems to be a game marketed for fans of sadistic and bratty girls.

Despite Zako No Ahiru’s difficulty, those who are having trouble with the punishing gameplay loop might not be at a loss. According to the game’s Steam page, a Rescue UFO Delivery Button will allow you to skip certain parts. The mechanic comes at a cost, however, as all your efforts and any sense of achievement will vanish (which likely pertains to certain unlocks and records becoming unobtainable).

Developed by Fukuoka Fighters, Zako No Ahiru is available for Windows (Steam).

Garden Hunt

The upcoming Garden Hunt is a “game of tag” action title that has you sliding through slimes and collecting hydrangeas. As the anthropomorphic slug girl Meina, you are tasked with collecting fresh slimes and flowers from a mysterious maze-like garden to save the Slug Snail Village from invading slimes.

The game’s narrative serves as a backdrop for the core gameplay loop, which involves dashing through corridor-like levels and sliding on slime belly-first to restore your dash ability and move even faster (kind of like those 3D levels in old Sonic the Hedgehog games). Collecting hydrangeas at crossroads will temporarily increase your score as you collect all the blue slimes, which is the ultimate goal of each stage. Although it’s not out yet, it’s worth commending Garden Hunt on having the exact kind of sound effects you’d expect from a slug and slime themed game.

Developed and published by Crea Clan and KamiEna, Garden Hunt is set for a 2025 release on PC (Steam).

Summer Road 10-Minute Auto Roguelite

While some roguelite titles run for upwards of an hour per playthrough, Summer Road 10-Minute Auto Roguelite can be completed in just ten minutes, offering busy adults quick and nostalgic summer vacation-style fun. Featuring auto battles and gear-swapping mechanics underneath a cartoony art style, the game appeals to more casual players of the genre.

After three children come across a cloud-like creature called Mogmo in their countryside town, they form a pack to bring it home. With Mogmo’s special ability to create unique skills and items based on whatever it eats, the children upgrade their equipment to take on the bullies that stand in their way.

Summer Road runs are split into two phases. The Town Phase is where your party can freely explore the environment, chat with the locals, and learn more about the story. The Adventure Phase takes place between settlements and has you managing your characters’ equipment amidst an auto-battle system.

Though you can use enemy drops as is, you will eventually want to feed these items to Mogo to increase their potency. Combining three bats, for instance, will create a stronger bat that can be equipped onto one of your characters. Different item combinations result in different types of gear, so it is in your best interest to mix and max to find the best loadout for your playstyle.

As with any roguelite game, each Summer Road run is different. Routes and events change with each new playthrough, as do enemy drops. Developed by Rebuild Games, Summer Road 10-Minute Auto Roguelite is set to release in 2025 for Windows (Steam).

Mahoroba Cat

Contrary to its name, Mahoroba Cat does not center around a fuzzy feline creature. Instead, you are a photographer tasked with taking pictures for a Japanese travel magazine.

Mahoroba Cat’s unique art style is without a doubt its main draw. By portraying real-life landmarks in Japan through a blocky aesthetic, you are incentivized to explore every corner of the map to complete their unique photography tasks. Aside from popular areas like Shibuya Station and Akihabara, Mahoroba Cat also features hidden gems that may otherwise go unnoticed.

In addition to taking photos, the game will also have you staying at hotels and traveling to your next destination. Each stage can also be flipped on its side, giving areas more details to uncover.

Mahoroba Cat is developed and published by LilyCompany. It is available for Windows and macOS via Steam.

Yume Roof

Taking a break from the wild outdoors, Yume Roof is technically an outdoor title in the sense that lounging on an apartment building roof counts as being outside. While certain sections take place in your indoor apartment, the majority of your time is spent customizing the rooftop of a Japanese multi-tenant building.

Placing different items in your room or on the roof unlocks new items and furniture, as well as increases your Cozy and Nature values. You can also acquire new recipes for items through your dreams as you sleep. These items can be crafted using materials generated from your existing fixtures. If you aren’t in the mood for crafting, you can always buy items from a shady-looking vendor for money.

Unlike the other games in this showcase, Yume Roof is a stress-free, relaxing title where the objectives are to customize your character, apartment, and roof to your liking. On top of the already relaxing normal mode, there is also a Creative Mode where you can freely pick and choose whatever items you want to place on your roof. All items are unlocked in Creative Mode, and you can freely adjust the time of day.

Yume Roof’s customization options include a character dress-up system (complete with swappable clothing options, hairstyles, and eye colors), an emote system, and several color customization options. It also features a robust photo mode with which you can take detailed snapshots of your character and their lovely living spaces.

Developed by Japan-based solo indie dev Rivi, Yume Roof is currently in development for PC (Steam).

Those were five Japanese indie titles that will have you jumping out of your seat and eager to touch grass. Though some of these games are set in places not two feet from your front door, it’s the willingness to go outside that counts, right?