What are your "Golden Indies"?

[Kong Wen]

This topic came up in the chat the other day when we were discussing Chasm and Shoe mentioned the term "Golden Indies". We had a brief chat about it among the people who were there but I think it warrants a larger discussion.

What do you think have been the indie exemplars of various genres?

Atmospheric world / gimmick platformer: Fez
Precision platformer: Super Meat Boy
Pure platformer: N++
VVVVVV
Brawlervania: Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition!
Arcade: Super Hexagon
JRPG:
Zelda-like:
Braid
Bastion

[Kiwi the Tortoise]

Let's see:

RPG:
Legend of Grimrock 2
... I wish there were more good ones, Undertale and Darkest Dungeon may be a good example however, even though I'm not fond of them.

Strategy/Tactics:
Into the Breach
Chroma Squad
Tooth & Tail

Action/platformer
Mark of the Ninja
Spelunky
Guacamelee

Roguelike:
FTL
Crypt of the Necrodancer
NetHack

Simulation:
Stardew Valley
Papers Please
Banished

Adventure/Narrative:
Kentucky Route Zero
Night in the Woods
80 Days

Not really Indie (anymore):
Minecraft
Pocket Card Jockey

[Sharecrow]

Okay here’s a rundown of indie games I loved:

Outlast
Outlast 2
Spelunky
Gone Home
Layers of Fear
Firewatch
Woah Dave!
Don’t Knock Twice
Cosmic Star Heroine
Vessel

[Kong Wen]

Thanks, both of you, for mentioning Spelunky, a game I criminally forgot. It's got to be the modern gold standard roguelite.

Okay here’s a rundown of indie games I loved:

Cosmic Star Heroine

You loved Cosmic Star Heroine? That's good to know. I avoided it because I disliked Zeboyd's other games.

[Sharecrow]

Thanks, both of you, for mentioning Spelunky, a game I criminally forgot. It's got to be the modern gold standard roguelite.

Okay here’s a rundown of indie games I loved:

Cosmic Star Heroine

You loved Cosmic Star Heroine? That's good to know. I avoided it because I disliked Zeboyd's other games.

I did though I haven’t gotten very far in it. It reminds me of a Phantasy Star 5 that was never made. So part of my enjoyment for it is nostalgia surrounding that space opera RPG environment. It’s fun.

[The Shoemaker]

I already mentioned it in the chat before, but these are my golden indies

Celeste
Shovel Knight Treasure Trove
Stardew Valley
Steamworld Dig 2
Steamworld Heist
Minecraft

There are a few gaps in my knowledge that I'm looking to fill eventually, including Undertale, Cuphead, Inside, and a few others.

Other highly regarded indies I've played that don't reach golden indie status: Cave Story, Super Meat Boy, Owlboy, Journey, Enter the Gungeon, Gone Home, Toki Tori 2, The Binding of Issac, Nidhogg, Golf Story.

That isn't to say those aren't good or even great games, but they don't quite reach golden for me, and a few of them wouldn't even be Silver Indie status (which also might be an interesting discussion)

[SkyPikachu]

Cave Story+ - This games just amazing
Iconoclast - Fresh in my mind so my some bias but I really enjoyed it
Reverie - Just such a fun loving game.

There's some games I plan on getting at some point like
Concrete Genie
Fe
Light Fall
Pode
Blossom Tales
Hollow Knight
Celeste

I feel like I'll fall in love with a couple of these as well.

[Spore]

As usual this list is canon.

Modern Scene progenitor: Cave Story
Precious Level Editor Memories: Knytt Stories
Games that have surpassed the concept of game: Garrysmod
Roguelite with poo motif: Binding of Isaac
Best 2D skill based platformer: N Super Meat Boy The End is Nigh Celeste
Glorious First Person Platformers: TO THE TOP/Climbey/Windlands
2D skill based Flappy Bird: Flywrench
Best platformer with a loose definition of jumping: VVVVVV
Frustrate-em-up: Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy
Most canonical: Tales of Game’s Studios Presents Chef Boyardee’s Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden, Chapter 1 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa
Humorous kitschy RPG with great music and a funny aesthetic (Heartwarming): Undertale
Humorous kitschy RPG with great music and a funny aesthetic (Soul crushing): LISA
Humorous kitschy RPG with great music and a funny aesthetic (Heartwarming & Soul crushing): To the Moon
Stanley relished the feeling when he was told he was the star of the "Walking Simulator Done Right" award: The Stanley Parable
Surrealist fever-dream: Zeno Clash
Games that involve just pressing Left or Right: Super Hexagon, One Finger Death Punch
Games I have infinite respect, reverence, and fear for: Dwarf Fortress
Visual programming optimize-em-up: SpaceChem/Infinifactory
Games that blow: Braid, The Witness
Wuppo: Wuppo

Games published by publishers but that we generally consider indie 'cause of the way they are:
Philosophical humanist first person puzzler by the guys who make Serious Sam: The Talos Principle
Contra Fleischer Corps: Cuphead
The perfect game: Volgarr the Viking
Genuine skill based FPS: Lovely Planet
Surrealist fever-dream with a publisher: Zeno Clash 2
FPS with actual good gameplay where you can bunny hop to go as fast as a car like the good old days: DUSK
Obligatory inclusion: Hotline Miami franchise

i dunno there's more like ori and the blind forest and hollow knight and stephen sausage roll and Minecraft and...