Steam's Laughs & Smiles Festival: 5 Indie Games to Brighten Your Week

Being back at work got you down? Steam’s Laughs & Smiles Festival, presented by boutique Warsaw-based publisher Crunching Koalas, is here to turn that frown upside down. This third-party event is all about games that spark joy, whether through a belly laugh, a warm smile, or a delightfully chaotic multiplayer session. Timed perfectly to brighten the back-to-work period, the festival brings together a curated selection of games from every genre, all at enticing discounts, so you can stack your library with fun, whimsy, and outright silliness. Astroneer Price: R81 marked down from R270 Get It Here Embark on a cosmic adventure as an Astroneer, tasked with exploring the frontiers of space for humanity’s benefit. Survival in this strange solar system requires ingenuity and creativity, from reshaping terrain with the powerful Terrain Tool to constructing modular bases packed with crafting stations, power plants, and railways. Explore seven unique planets, uncover mysterious artefacts, and solve the riddles of the cosmos, solo or alongside friends in online co-op for up to four players. Golf With Your Friends Price: R26 marked down from R269 Get It Here Mini golf has never been this chaotic or competitive. Take on up to 11 friends in fast-paced, simultaneous rounds across themed courses, from pirate adventures to ancient ruins and even worm-filled challenges. Power-ups let you trap, freeze, or cube your friends’ balls, while multiple game modes like hoops and hockey keep things fresh. There’s even a level editor so you can design your own outrageous courses, complete with unlockable customisations for your ball. Human Fall Flat Price: R47 marked down from R159 Get It Here Dive into a world of quirky physics puzzles and wobbly dreamscapes in Human Fall Flat. Explore diverse environments, from mansions and castles to snowy mountains and industrial hazards, alone or online with up to eight friends. The recent SteamPunk Party update adds characters from Party Animals, along with a new 31st level filled with steam vents and dizzying platforming. Overcooked Price: R19 marked down from R199 Get It Here Sharpen your knives and prepare for a culinary adventure in Overcooked, a cooperative cooking game for one to four players. Work as a team to prepare and serve orders in increasingly absurd kitchens, from icy floes to fiery underworlds, all while racing against the clock. Whether playing solo or with friends, you’ll need communication, coordination, and a little patience as you aim to save the Onion Kingdom from edible disaster. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes Price: R43 marked down from R145 Get It Here It’s a tense, hilarious test of communication and problem-solving: you’re trapped in a room with a ticking bomb, and your friends are the only ones with the manual to defuse it. But there’s a catch: they can’t see the bomb. Race against the clock, decipher the manual, and attempt to defuse every module before time runs out. With procedurally generated puzzles, local and remote co-op, VR support, and endless community-made mods, every round offers a fresh, high-stakes challenge for two or more players. Whether you’re reshaping planets, putting your friends in mini golf peril, or navigating chaos in a kitchen or dreamscape, the Laughs & Smiles Festival is the perfect way to inject a little joy into your work week. With quirky co-op adventures, ridiculous physics, and plenty of room for creative chaos, these discounted gems are your ticket to laughs, camaraderie, and a break from the everyday grind. So grab a friend, or a dozen, and let the good times roll.