Pixel Dash Toast of Destiny Runs Onto Steam October 31

A playful new indie game is on the way. Xenotoon Inc. announced on Wednesday that its side scrolling runner Pixel Dash: Toast of Destiny will arrive on PC through Steam on October 31, and the studio shared a short anime style promotional video to mark the news.

The setup is pure anime comfort food. You play as Haruka Ran, an ordinary high school girl who is always dashing out the door each morning with a slice of bread in her mouth. On the day of her long awaited school trip, she lets herself daydream about meeting someone special, then realizes she is running late once again and bolts.

Clover Lab is developing the game, which features Japanese audio alongside text in English and Simplified Chinese. It is a small package with a clear sense of humor about the tropes it is built on.

Pixel Dash is also notable as the first release under Xenotoon’s new “AniBit” brand, which sets out to blend short animations with games and bring animation techniques into the way they play.

My take: Leaning a whole game into the classic toast in mouth running gag is exactly the kind of cheeky idea I love to see. It looks tiny, but sometimes a simple joke handled with care is all you really need.