The folks behind IndieCade have announced the 36 games selected by the jury as finalist for this year's festival. The convention, first held in 1995, is designed to shine attention on independent game development in a way that larger shows like E3 can't.
IndieCade's stated goal is to bring together the most innovative and creative folks in the industry, so the list of finalists is predictably diverse. There are some fairly traditional games on display, like the roguelike Desktop Dungeons and turned based strategy title Skulls of the Shogun, but conventional experiences are hardly the norm. Take Kiss Controller, a bowling game controlled by, well, making out with someone. Then there's PewPewPewPewPewPewPewPewPew, in which two people use their voices to navigate a single character through a sidescrolling platform shooter.
These games and more will be on display at the show, playable by all attendees. They'll also be competing for 10 prizes at the event's Red Carpet Awards ceremony, including the best-in-show Jury Award.
IndieCade 2011 runs from October 8 through 9 in Los Angeles, California. The event is open to the public at no cost, though you can buy a $12 wristband that'll get you into keynotes or a $195 all-access pass.