Dr. David’s Indie Roundup: Nidhogg, Yuji Naka’s new game, To the Moon, and more

A new year is upon us, and with it comes a handful of announcements and releases. If you're a fan of indie games, don't let the shiny, new 2014 calendar year fool you into thinking that there's nothing going on in the world of video games. On this edition of the Indie Roundup, we're going to take a look at a few news stories and reveals that kicked off the 365 days of the new year. We've got sales, upcoming projects, and even a nice freebie for you to enjoy.

Happy New Year! Let's talk indie games!

Nidhogg takes a stab at the PC on January 13

The first big announcement we're going to take a look at actually hit the good ol' Internet on January 1. Not one to wait around for too long, developer Mark Essen announced on New Year's Day that Nidhogg would hit Steam on January 13. This is essentially the first big indie game coming in 2014, and it's less than two weeks away.

Nidhogg delivers  frantic two-player sword duels, tasking players to take each other out in colorful, pixelated lands. It's the type of local multiplayer gameplay experience we don't see very often even despite the awesomeness of playing with friends right next to you. Seriously, we need more games like this.

Check out the launch reveal trailer below.

Sonic creator Yuji Naka releases a game about whales

Yuji Naka is kind of a forward-thinking dude. He did, after all, help launch Sonic the Hedgehog into stardom. The iconic developer's studio Prope has just released its latest title, and it's pretty different from what you see available on mobile platforms. Titled Real Whales, the iOS and Android game is all about exploring the deep blue sea and taking pictures of whales. That may not sound like much, but it's the kind of serene, unconventional experience that could just work to provide you with something a little different.

Real Whales is available as a free download on iOS and Android. Check out the game's trailer below for a look at all of the whale-loving action.

Soda Drinker Pro is half off, so drink up

I don't drink it as much as I'd like to these days because I try to live just a tad healthier, but I absolutely love soda. If you need to get your fix in a virtual manner, then maybe Soda Drinker Pro is what you need in your life. If that's indeed the case, you may be interested to know that the pop-drinking sim is currently half off. The sale will only last a few days, so get to it if you think this is something you'd enjoy.

To snag Soda Drinker Pro for $2.50, head on over to the game's official site to sip on some digital sodas for relatively cheap.

To the Moon gets free holiday episode

If you've played To the Moon and are looking for more riveting storytelling, you'll be glad to know that developer Freebird Games has launched a special holiday episode. At just about 20 minutes in length, it's more of a mini-episode (or mini-sode as Freebird's calling it). It's free to download, so you can think of it as a nice little holiday gift from Freebird. Yay freebies!

You can snag the To the Moon holiday episode on the game's official site. If you own the game on Steam, an automatic update should have you covered. It's time to return to the moon!

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.