Games That Celebrate Regional Culture

Adam Hartling
Jun 28
3 min read

Updated: Jun 29

With Canada Day on the horizon, I wanted to showcase a few locally developed games that honor the regional culture of Nova Scotia.

Kun'tewiktuk: A Mi'kmaw Adventure

Developed by Green Robot Studios, “Kun’tewiktuk: A Mi’kmaw Adventure” (2025) is a fantasy adventure video game inspired by Mi’kmaw legends and folklore. It takes place in Unama'ki ("Land of the Fog"), which is known today as Cape Breton Island, Canada. It chronicles the adventures of two young siblings Wasuek and her brother U'n. The siblings get separated one summer morning and they go on an adventure through the spirit world to reunite.

The game is available now on Steam.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3015950/Kuntewiktuk_A_Mikmaw_Adventure/

Green Robot Studios Gamefied Culture Experiences

Green Robot Studios has created several immersive cultural experiences for various museums and First Nations groups in the province. These projects include a digital pre-contact Mi'kmaq simulator, a steelmaking simulator, and a simulator for riding Alexander Graham Bell's HD-4 hydrofoil prototype.

Visit the link below to see the full list of projects.

https://www.greenrobotstudios.com/work.html

Button Man

Currently in development by Styrax Studios, Button Man is “a side-scrolling adventure game set in a fictional Nova Scotia during prohibition.” Using a comic book style to tell the story, Styrax Studios says the game is “a love letter to Halifax, its history, the good and the bad. It is about the people of the town, those born in it and those that found it, their connections and your influence on their lives.”

You can try the demo now on Steam at the link below:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3236300/Button_Man_Demo/

Dagger Woods VR

Being developed by the Halifax-based Paracosm Studio, "Dagger Woods VR" draws inspiration from the true events of mysterious fires in Caledonia Mills. These fires, which took place in the early 1900s, were believed by locals to be the work of ghosts. The game is described as "a psychological thriller filled with mind games, mystery, and adventure."

You can download the VR demo now on Steam.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1996740/Dagger_Woods_VR/

Fring Frang Games

By far, the developer who has captured French Acadian and Nova Scotian culture most in video games is Chad Comeau, known under their studio name of “Fring Frang”. From a comedic edutainment game about donairs to a Frenchy’s thrift store shopping simulator, Comeau celebrates their heritage with whimsy, heart, and color.

Fring Frang’s latest project was their most ambitious, the game "Clarevoyance" (2020). The game is described as “an adventure game set in the mythic Acadian region of Clare, Nova Scotia, created directly with the community.” Comeau collaborated with the citizens of the Clare region to develop the adventure game, incorporating voice work and images, as well as featuring local musicians for the soundtrack.

You can find Clarevoyance on Steam and Itch, links below. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145830/Clarevoyance/

https://fringfrang.itch.io/clarevoyance

Atlantic Canada: THE RPG

Not specifically a Nova Scotia developed game, the New Brunswick based band The Motorleague created the comedic game “Atlantic Canada: THE RPG” (2014). The game has you playing a band that travels across the Atlantic provinces to battle other bands and defeat the “evil Bass Wizard, PJ.” Also there's donairs.

Download the game for free at the itch.io page below.

https://motorleague.itch.io/atlantic-canada-the-rpg

Sea Glass Beach Blaster

Finally, I wanted to mention a personal project of mine, "Sea Glass Beach Blaster" (2014). This is an "intergalactic space battle as depicted through beach debris," a four-level 'schmup' game inspired by games like Konami's "Lifeforce" that I played. Each level was crafted using photos of items found on beaches throughout the province.