IndieGo #39: Mexican Ninja and Rune Dice
Two Breakout Next Fest Hits Worthy of Adding to Your Wishlist
Steam Next Fest 2026 is bringing a wave of inventive indie demos, but few stand out like Mexican Ninja and Rune Dice. The former blends grindhouse flair with stylish beat-’em-up action in an alternate Mexico ruled by the Narkuza, while the latter turns dice-rolling into a fast, tactical roguelike full of satisfying chain reactions. Both games showcase rich design and plenty of personality, offering the kind of originality that the big publishers are struggling to match.
Mexican Ninja, Madbricks
Mexican Ninja is a side-scrolling brawler set in an alternate timeline where Japan has colonized Mexico, giving rise to the Narkuzas, a ruthless criminal syndicate fusing narco brutality with yakuza discipline. The story is told through comical newspaper headlines, pulling players into a colorful world where you must carve a path through chaos. With PG-13 edge and storytelling that weaves Spanish, Japanese, and English together, the game exudes the kind of spirited charm of grindhouse film.
The gameplay is built around fluid combat built around a tight moveset. You have access to light attacks, a bone-breaking ‘chingadazo’, a jump, and a dash that provides access to satisfying combos like the four-strike rush, jumping slash, and uppercut. Pleasingly, the speed isn’t excessive, allowing you to prioritize targets when ranged aggressors, lieutenants, and basic foes surround you.
Between destructible vending machines offering health pickups and explosive drums that can be triggered to hurt adjacent adversaries, there are plenty of ways to push back against the Narkuza. Meanwhile, branching stage paths keep progression fresh, while multi-phase boss encounters stress adaptability. Guiding the player’s growth is the holy mother, La Virgencita, whose divine roguelike blessings bestow new abilities and perks. I can’t think of a game that combines street level grit and sacred perks as well as Mexican Ninja. The release needs to arrive mañana.
Rune Dice, Smart Raven Studio
Rune Dice is a physics-based roguelike battler that generates tactical dice-building sessions that are short enough to fit into a lunch break. You launch dice across a tabletop where matching values fuse into a more powerful die that hunts for nearby equals, triggering devastating chain reactions.
The bumping feels delightfully energetic, with one well-placed throw able to careen around the table, amassing a combination of dice that’s used to damage groups enemies who line up on the top of playfield. With several classes to choose from, each with their own offensive style, and plenty of opportunities to upgrade your dice, divergence looks promising.
What keeps Rune Dice from becoming a mere novelty is how tightly its roguelike systems intermingle. Relics provide permanent run enhancements, runes can manipulate the battlefield, and ancient altars give you the choice of gambling your dice for upgrades or just playing it safe. Best of all, the pace is quick without feeling rushed, giving you time to read the board for chain reactions and allowing you to easily follow the payout of enemy punishment. The full release is targeting the second quarter of 2026; wishlisting it now seems like the sensible throw.
