Adult Swim is a unique corner of the television world where comedy ensues whilst insanity grows. It’s hard to pin down exactly what Adult Swim is, but it’s no denying that it has developed into a force of its own, inspiring distinctive shows and games alike. Apart from the array of flash games available on their website—and quite the eccentric website it is—Adult Swim is also helping independent developers by publishing the games they see have promise.

Two games that we should keep an eye on is Rain and Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake.

Rain

The term “slug cat” is a peculiar one, but it’s the character at the center of Joar Jakobsson and James Primate’s upcoming game Rain. Stuck in a desolate landscape where the downpour never ends, you’re alone and hungry. When the rain finally does subside, it’s your chance to go out and find food. But you have to be quick, because the rain is going to return, and you’re not the only one looking for nourishment. Birds may be on slug cat’s menu, but "cat" is many predators’ preferred dish.

A peculiar action platformer—that started as a basement project—Rain has a fluidity to it that makes it tough to master straightaway, but that’s great for people looking for a challenge. In the four-player competitive mode I witnessed, players are able to throw spears and rocks at each other. It’s fast-paced and chaotic, with the environment an array of tunnels and floating platforms while enemy lizards roam around, looking for some dinner.

Slug cats will be able to do back flips, headstands, and other types of maneuvers that give them an advantage over their predators. There’s no fall damage because the developers felt the game was demanding enough already. There will be a wave mode and a capture the flag egg mode on top of the singleplayer narrative.

Although going head-to-head with predators like the lizards seems an obvious move, the developers mentioned it won’t be the only option: there will be a stealth aspect to the game that allows for a more strategic approach. Avoiding combat altogether may be the best course of action given certain situations.

The game is currently in alpha stage, but once it’s in beta certain Kickstarter backers will be able to enjoy some early access. Jakobsson and Primate are hoping to release the game later in the year, so for future updates be sure to watch their Kickstarter page.

Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake

Here’s another dream turned successful Kickstarter! Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake is a cute environmental puzzle game from SleepNinja, a small development team made up of close friends and passionate gamers.

Niko, an adorable little boy living on the island of Gogapoe, is turning a year older. He wakes up and is excited to enjoy his birthday—and the cake that comes with it—only to find his cake’s been stolen by some devious monsters. Distraught, but not defeated, he goes out to find the culprit by following the crumbs left behind, all the while meeting friends along the way to help him reclaim all the scattered pieces of his cake.

Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake is inspired by The Legend of Zelda and Lost Vikings mechanically, and visually by properties like Kid Robot and Toki Doki. It's welcoming for adults and kids alike. It’s adorable exterior is sure to bring in the younger crowd. Likewise the game promises to have hard enough puzzles to keep the experienced player occupied. That dualistic appeal also exists in the game’s humor: it’s similar to Adventure Time in terms of lighthearted quirkiness that reaches all demographics.

You’ll be able to control up to four different characters at once, each with their own special abilities to help solve the variety of puzzles. For instance, there’s Claude who can dig underground to bypass large bushes, and Groggnar who can charge and move quicker than the others. There are only four zones to explore, which developers say can take anywhere from five to ten hours to complete, but there are hidden complex puzzles and sidequests available within these zones for players seeking more content.

Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake is coming out for PC, Mac, and mobile, and has high expectations to release in late June! I wouldn’t be surprised if one day we see this as a television show on Cartoon Network either.