Overview

MINDWAVE is a Warioware inspired indie game created by HoloHammer. The game follows the player-character Pandora as she competes in a game show hosted by a company called Mindscape Co. The game involves competitors climbing Mindscape Tower by linking their minds and playing a series of "microgames" called "MINDWAVE," with each game pulling inspiration from a character's thoughts or memories. HaloHammer exceeded their Kickstarter goal in January 2025, after releasing a demo to overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam.

History

MINDWAVE is an upcoming indie game developed by an indie team called HoloHammer, drawing inspiration from titles like WarioWare. The game immerses players in rapid-fire microgames derived from the minds of various characters. Set in Blackout City, it centers around Mindscape Co.'s annual MINDWAVE Tournament, where players link their brains to compete in a series of mental challenges. The protagonist, Pandora, holds a Platinum Ticket, granting her entry into the competition.

HoloHammer first released a YouTube^[1] teaser trailer for the game on November 3rd, 2023, gathering over 3,000 views in a year.

HoloHammer's official website describes the game as a "cerebral microgame frenzy," where players "play through collections of rapid-fire microgames formed from the minds of multiple colorful opponents."

The team released a demo on Steam^[2] alongside a Kickstarter^[3] campaign on January 14th, 2025. The gameplay involves players using their keyboard and mouse, with an "Endless Mode" setting allowing players to compete on a leaderboard.^[4]

Reception

By January 27th, 2025, the Kickstarter campaign had reached over $200,000 of its $40,000 goal, and the Steam demo had received overwhelmingly positive reviews.^[2][3]

Online Presence

On January 14th, YouTuber^[5] Maddy (saladplainzone) posted a section from the MINDWAVE Demo, showing a Pandora battling with the mind of a character named "Abbie." The video gathered over 100,000 views in a week.

On January 16th, 2025, YouTuber^[9] Alpha Beta Gamer posted a playthrough of the demo that gathered over 100,000 views in ten days.

On January 19th, HoloHammer posted a clip of the Tutorial level to their X^[6] account, gathering over 6,000 likes in a week.

pic.twitter.com/AhrMbiQ63a

— MINDWAVE – KICKSTARTER OUT NOW (@HoloHammer_) January 19, 2025

On January 21st, X^[7] user @Macheesecheese posted a Azumanga Daioh meme inspired by MINDWAVE, gathering over 1,000 likes in a week.

stupid#mindwave pic.twitter.com/5qrkt6IaHk

— Maccheese – Mindwave (@Macheesecheese) January 21, 2025

On January 22nd, X^[8] user @x_somari_t_a posted an edit inserting Wario into a MINDWAVE scene, gathering over 5,000 likes in five days.

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References