Nintendo simply can't stop announcing things. After a first Nintendo Direct aired yesterday devoted to Zelda's 40th anniversary, the Kyoto craftsman went back for seconds today with a second showcase in the space of just 48 hours. Over an hour and a quarter of show, and just as many new titles to discover. And among the new games shown was Ondeh Ondeh Kaya's Tasty Tale, the next project from Metronomik, the Malaysian studio behind No Straight Roads. With this new action-adventure game, the developers remain faithful to their love of music, while heading in a far more exotic direction this time around. Ondeh Ondeh Kaya's Tasty Tale draws directly on the cultures of South-East Asia. The term is most closely associated with Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine. In fact, the name 'ondeh' comes from a South-East Asian speciality: a little ball of glutinous rice usually filled with palm sugar and rolled in grated coconut. The name Ondeh Ondeh Kaya's Tasty Tale is therefore a nod to that culinary and cultural world.
Rhythm in the blood
The story of Ondeh Ondeh Kaya's Tasty Tale puts us in the shoes of Kaya, a young girl who dreams of becoming an architect like her parents. But to earn her certification, she'll have to go looking for the Giants scattered across the world and carry out the mysterious Ritual of Renewal, said to restore the world's flavours. It's a quest on which she can count on her trusty Spoon and the powers of the Ondeh to explore her surroundings, solve puzzles and take on creatures as strange as they are colourful.
As in No Straight Roads, music will play a big part in the gameplay. Rhythm won't just be a soundtrack, either: you'll need to keep to the tempo to make your way through certain environments, open up new paths and upgrade Kaya's abilities. Ondeh Ondeh Kaya's Tasty Tale is due in 2027 on Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
