Here's 10 Steam Next Fest demos that you need to play

A chance to try a bunch of promising upcoming games before they release.

The Steam Next Fest is currently underway — it offers us all a way to get a hands-on look at upcoming titles and wishlist some of these future gems. It's a great way to see what games are on the horizon.

The event is now live and runs until Monday, June 17. There's a ton of demos to check out — but to help you narrow things down I've gone through things and picked out some personal highlights.

Mind Over Magnet

This intriguing puzzler is the debut game from Mark Brown of the excellent Game Maker’s Toolkit YouTube channel. You’ve no doubt seen one of his countless video essays diving into the intricacies of game design and what makes for a good interactive experience — he’s now putting all those learnings to use with this novel platformer that’s shaping up to be something rather magnetising.

Mind Over Magnet on Steam

An attractive puzzle platformer where you use magnetism to escape a factory. Meet a cast of magnet characters and work together to solve logical conundrums.

STEAM

Thank Goodness You're Here

I can't really claim that I live in the true north of England. But, I'm close enough to really appreciate the tongue in cheek little English town being so meticulously presented in this daft comedy 'slapformer'. A superbly animated 2D adventure that I can't wait to fully explore. Steam Deck Verified too!

The full game launches in August.

Thank Goodness You’re Here! on Steam

Thank Goodness You’re Here! is an absurd comedy slapformer set in the bizarre Northern English town of Barnsworth. As a traveling salesman, take the time to see the sights and meet the locals, who are very eager to give you a series of increasingly odd jobs…

STEAM

Big Boy Boxing

This bright and bold fighting game takes its cues from Nintendo’s Punch-Out, featuring plenty of over the top characters and action to match. I really dig the visual style here — it has an energetic and rather amusing look to it.

Big Boy Boxing on Steam

Big Boy Boxing is an energetic Boss Rush game inspired by Punch-Out!!, featuring fluid gameplay, wacky comedy, special abilities, stylized hand-animated pixel art, and a retro banger soundtrack!

STEAM

SCHiM

A beautiful 3D platformer about navigating the shadows of the world around you. Looks to be a lovely exploration of light and dark, and navigating between those spaces in endlessly creative ways.

Oh, and any fan of kids mega show Bluey and the episode Shadowlands will instantly get what this one is about.

SCHiM on Steam

SCHiM is a game about jumping from shadow to shadow in a relaxing and lively environment. This 3D platformer takes elements of light, shadow & animation and adds them directly to the gameplay, delivering an experience that you will only find in SCHiM.

STEAM

Old School Rally

I’m a sucker for a good rally game, and will often dip into the latest WRC title for my disciplined racing fix. However, my love for the genre dates back to the N64 era with titles such as Top Gear Rally. As such, a racing game which plays to that nostalgia is right up my street, and I reckon this retro take on things is well worth taking a look at.

Old School Rally on Steam

A nostalgic racing game that combines the charm of classic retro style visuals with the thrill of international rally competitions.

STEAM

Parcel Corps

We saw this one in action at Gamescom last year, and it’s a refreshing, fun Crazy Taxi like, but with a touch more depth than the SEGA classic. Just ditch the car for a bike, and you’re half way there. It’s a Deliveroo / Uber Eats delivery arcade romp, that has all the colour and charm of a Dreamcast-era classic.

Parcel Corps on Steam

Ditch the 9-5 and embrace the high octane life of a freelance bicycle messenger! Forget the job security, stable salary, and basic workplace rights less cool jobs offer while you ride along walls, grind rails, and startle pigeons on your way to corporation-toppling domination.

STEAM

Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers

Looking for more card playing action after Balatro? This tavern-based roguelike sees you battle your way through the bar-goers via a very unique form of blackjack.

Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers on Steam

Battle your way through a seedy tavern filled with gambling addicted townspeople in this Blackjack Roguelike Adventure. From aces and face cards to tarot cards, business cards and more, create your unique deck to beat the house.

STEAM

Preserve

I've been pretty obsessed with Dorfromantik — sinking endless hours into the little puzzler on my Steam Deck. So, anything that has a similar vibe is of immediate interest. This time, it's all about building a vibrant, natural ecosystem — ensuring that with each tile you place, the natural world can flourish.

Preserve on Steam

Preserve is a relaxing puzzle nature-building game in which you flourish a vibrant ecosystem by cleverly placing plants and animals to create a perfect symbiosis to your liking.

STEAM

Kill Knight

This looks to be a super slick, polished top down bullet hell shooter. You battle your way through a series of stylish, eldritch arenas, quickly taking out "swarms of otherworldly horrors". Worth seeing this one in motion to appreciate its badass appeal.

KILL KNIGHT on Steam

KILL KNIGHT is an ultra-responsive arcade-inspired isometric action shooter. Condemned to eternal sufferance, deep within the voids of an eldritch arena, you must wield an arsenal of devastating weaponry to obliterate swarms of otherworldly horrors - and MASTER THE DEMON WITHIN.

STEAM

Metal Slug Tactics

A tactical take on the much loved Metal Slug series, complete with roguelite elements (because what’s a modern reimagining without some roguelite gameplay sprinkled in?). The full game is due to drop later this year, but this demo shows us plenty of promise.

Metal Slug Tactics on Steam

METAL SLUG makes an explosive return! Dive into this dynamic tactical RPG with a roguelite thrill and experience the iconic run’n’gun action of the original series, redefined. Grab your weapons, assemble your squad and conquer the battlefield to defeat the infamous Rebel Army.

STEAM

That's a wrap! You can find much more demos over on Steam. Let us know if you give any of these recommendations a shot, or feel free to share your own in the comments below.