Every year, PAX Australia features a selection of games under the ‘Aus Indie Showcase’ label. These games have been selected from across Australia, either recently released or upcoming, as deserving of a spotlight.

For the 2025 selection, there are six video games and six board games. You can view the complete list here, along with additional details for each game.

We’ve had the opportunity to chat with some of the team behind the games that will be featured during PAX AUS 2025 and have been able to get some questions answered about the games, as well as the teams themselves. In the lead-up to PAX AUS 2025, please enjoy this series of articles offering insight into some of the featured games.

What does it mean to you to be included in the PAX Rising?

It’s all about community. As developers, you don’t often get to meet players face-to-face, and PAX gives us that opportunity on a huge scale. Watching people from all walks of life gather around a game you’ve poured yourself into is incredibly rewarding. To stand next to so many talented Australian teams is humbling and motivating!

What’s the best pitch to get people to play and check out your game at PAX AUS this year?

Lunars is pure party-game mischief that’s easy to drop in and out of. At PAX, we’ll have up to 12 player stations, so there’s always room to play, along with unique PAX-only in-game cosmetics, exclusive pins, badge giveaways, and a giant bright yellow bird bean bag up for grabs on closing day. Stop by, say hi and have fun.

Can you tell us about your team: size, roles, and how you collaborate?

We’re two brothers, Waleed and Hanny, who have been working side by side since the start. Like most indie developers, we wear whatever hat needs wearing, but if you had to split it, Waleed handles the coding while Hanny focuses on art and visuals. Of course, it’s not just us. We have had the privilege of working with some brilliant artists, musicians, industry professionals and a wonderfully supportive community. A lot of our collaboration happens in Discord, which has become our main community hub.

How does having no player eliminations in a party game with eight players affect the overall flow?

It changes everything. Nobody is ever left sitting out, which means the energy never dips. Party games are about fun across all skill levels, so we wanted to avoid that losing loop where you get stuck and can’t enjoy yourself. Even if you are knocked out of a minigame, you come back to stir up chaos for the remaining players. That keeps everyone engaged, and you never know when that player you knocked off comes back to haunt you.

Discuss the mini-game design: Is it more hectic? Or skill-based?

It’s a blend by design. Some minigames reward quick reflexes and precision, while others lean into pure chaos. We constantly balance the roster based on player feedback, adding simpler games for accessibility while also retaining the more skill-based ones for those who want a challenge. How hectic things get often comes down to the players. Some groups form truces, others go all in on the chaos. Either way, our goal is the same: minigames should be inclusively fun to play.

What’s the level of customisation of the characters? Can you also save them to use in future games?

Customisation is a big part of Lunars. You can deck out your plush zodiac with outfits, skins, face accessories, scarves, eyes, and we are adding more all the time based on community ideas. Right now, there are over 300 accessories in the game, and it’s always fun to see the wild combinations players come up with. Your setup is saved for each of the 12 Lunars, so you always have your personal look ready when you jump back in.

How do online multiplayer and local multiplayer work differently?

They are designed to feel almost identical. You can play with up to 4 players locally and connect online for a total of 8, so in a way, you can be playing local and online at the same time. The main difference is how the UI adapts. In Blitz mode, for example, you will see split-screen elements when playing locally, while online keeps things streamlined. Otherwise, the experience is just the same, whether you are across the room or across the world.

What’s your favourite actual board game that may have helped inspire any elements in Lunars?

Monopoly Cheaters Edition is a strong influence. We rarely played board games to win. It was always about having fun and seeing what kind of mischief we could get up to messing with each other. That carried into Lunars. While there are win conditions, the real joy comes from the unpredictable interactions between players. There are those golden moments when the scores don’t even seem to matter, and embracing the chaos is just more fun.

Have you attended PAX before, and what’s your favourite Aussie game you remember checking out?

This will be our first time at PAX, so we will have to report back afterwards with our favourites.

What’s the most recently played/watched/listened to Aussie thing that you loved?

Bluey! I know we are late to the party, but it’s brilliant. Rarely do you find something that resonates equally with kids and adults, and it is such a great example of Australian creativity and humour.

Thank you to Waleed for taking the time to answer the questions and help us learn more about the game! You can now add the game to your wishlist on Steam.

You’ll be able to find Lunars at the Indie Showcase Area, which is not far from entering the PAX Hall via the Que Hall, as circled on the map below.