Verdict
Wax Heads is a phenomenal debut indie game, oozing style without ignoring substance. If engaging puzzles, banging tunes, and an underdog story rooted in the DIY music scene are your jam, this game is for you.
After playing the game's Steam Next Fest demo for my Wax Heads preview, I knew immediately that I had to get my hands on the full game and take it for a spin on my Nintendo Switch 2. Unsurprisingly, I'm enjoying every second I spend in Repeater Records alongside its quirky cast of characters - so much so that this game has helped me identify one of my new favorite videogame subgenres.
Wax Heads is the debut release from the two-person studio, Patattie Games, and it puts you in the shoes of a new hire at Repeater Records, the local record store. You use your powers of intuition to recommend the perfect record for each customer, all the while learning more about the community, Repeater's employees, and the ongoing drama between store owner Morgan and her sister and ex-bandmate, Willow. While it's an overall lighthearted story with tons of humor, as is common with a lot of indie games, Wax Heads' writing isn't afraid to touch on heavier subjects that are especially relevant in 2026.
From music venue closures and AI streaming services to queer solidarity and joy as an act of resistance, Wax Heads covers it all in a phenomenally realistic fashion. It's clear that Patattie Games' Murray Somerwolff and Rothio Tome have spent a lot of time in and around the DIY music, punk, and queer community scenes, as authenticity oozes from every character interaction and background detail. While you can definitely get a lot out of this game just from the record store simulation elements, the overarching plot is where it really shines.
So, what about the gameplay? While it wears the skin of a simulation game, you can more accurately describe Wax Heads as a puzzle game. Aside from the very first customer that you serve, it's very rare for Repeater Records' patrons to know exactly what album they're after. You need to use clues in their dialogue and appearance to suss out exactly what they're after, with the records' cover art and descriptions, social media posts, and other materials by your side.
Thanks to the dialogue tracker, you don't have to worry about storing too much of what the customer says in your brain as you trawl through the aisles of records, and there's even a game mode in the settings that lets you try again to find the perfect album for your patron. It's not all personal shopping tasks, though, as Wax Heads also asks you to design posters and zine covers, rearrange pin boards and displays, and even use your deductive reasoning to buy the ideal drink for your coworkers. There's a comfort in the game loop of finding a record, but it's always interspersed with enough variety to stop it from getting boring.
As you might expect from a music-focused game, the soundtrack is phenomenal. Every piece of music in the game is original, spanning multiple genres and styles, and I personally can't wait to listen to it on repeat. Plus, when you combine it with Wax Heads' unique visual style, it makes for a fantastic experience. Somerwolff's illustrations are full of life and unafraid of leaning into elements of caricature and absurdism that enhance the comedic writing and make the whole game unforgettable.
I've never been able to put my finger on it before engaging with Wax Heads, but I think cozy-punk might be one of my favorite game genres out there. It combines the relaxing, cozy game atmosphere with all of the narrative elements that grab me - underdog stories, social justice, solidarity, and community care. Thanks to my experience with this game, I'll definitely keep looking for other titles in the genre, as they're sure to click with me.
Finally, the controls and performance on the Switch 2 are wonderful. Wax Heads isn't particularly graphically demanding, so I imagine the case is similar for older Switch models as well. As I initially played the demo on PC with a mouse, I was a little worried as to how the gameplay would map to controller inputs, but it turns out I had nothing to fear. The default button mapping is really intuitive, and best of all, you can use the touchscreen when you're playing in handheld mode.
Overall, Wax Heads is a fantastic debut for Patattie Games, filled with heart, style, and hours of engaging gameplay. I can't wait to see what the pair does next when this game inevitably takes off. If you end up giving it a go, let us know what you think in the Pocket Tactics Discord server.