New open-world game headed by Breath of the Wild dev blends your favourite childhood dress-up games with Pokemon Snap

Infinity Nikki screenshot showing a girl with a ruffled white dress and long pink hair sitting beside a small cat-like creature wearing a little yellow poncho
(Image credit: Papergames)

A whimsical new trailer and beta test release date were revealed today for Infinity Nikki as part of Sony's PlayStation Showcase.

The trailer showcases some of the open-world adventure's charming characters and stunning visuals, including an adorable little cat companion as well as various outfits to fulfil all of your childhood dress-up game dreams. Announced initially back in 2022, Infinity Nikki is Papergames' follow-up entry to its successful mobile series spanning a whopping 12 years. The upcoming game is headed by former Breath of the Wild dev Kentaro Tominaga, and it looks gorgeous.

With extraordinary regions to explore, each with unique challenges and quirks, Infinity Nikki will see you style your way to success. In the dress-up adventure, outfits are magical artefacts that give Nikki access to special abilities ranging from effortless floating to Alice in Wonderland-style shrinking. Alongside these more adventurous and exploration-based features, you can also expect to dive into activities more typical of cozy games, too.

In between your adventures, swap outfits just to relax and catch bugs, fish, or even collect wool from sheep to create stylish new clothes. Papergames describes Infinity Nikki as having "an in-depth gathering system" to accompany its crafting mechanics, adding a layer of depth that dress-up games don't generally feature. While you're crafting, gathering, and traversing the skies, you can also take time to snag a few pictures Pokemon Snap style.

Momo, Nikki's feline companion, comes with a camera that turns the entire game into one big photo mode. Whether you spot a fish shaped like a handkerchief or a vibrant hot air balloon, you can grab a picture while wearing your favourite of Nikki's shimmery outfits. All in all, this game seems right up my alley as a certified GirlsGoGames veteran and cozy game stan - I can't wait to see how its beta test unfolds some time in Q3 of 2024.

Check out all of our PlayStation State of Play live coverage for full details on today's show, and follow along with us as the Summer Game Fest schedule for 2024 rolls on.

Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.