When I first read that there was a cat-based Metroidvania that’s inspired by Slavic mythology, I knew I had to check it out.
If you’re like me, you have an appreciation for well-crafted pixel art video games. So when I saw Cotton Fantasy coming to the Nintendo Switch, I was immediately intrigued, given the genre and cat-based storyline. It turned out to be my second favorite teenage witch-based game of 2022, and it’s worth picking up for any pixel lover. Here’s why I love this game so much…
Now, the retro game ingenuity keeps getting better every month, and there's always a lot of action and excitement for everyone. The titles over on Kickstarter are no different. This time we're going full-on sword and board, medieval fantasy style, but it's not quite what you'd expect. Fables of Talumos is a top-down retro-style action-adventure game set in a unique fantasy world, complete with magic monsters and a whole lot of exploration.
Dan Beckerton takes inspiration from his experiences with the Zelda franchise, Warcraft III, and, surprise, surprise, Dark Souls. Talomus is a colorful place breathing with life, courtesy of its four distinct races. The Hetonians are your good old human race; the Skogen is a race of deer-like humanoids with a strong affinity for nature; the Forlorn is cursed dragon-born humanoids brought to life by evil sorcery, and the Fallen are the undead hordes that seek revenge on everything that breathes freaky. You'll follow the story of an adventurer named Oskar as he travels through the moonlight realm to save his wife from an ominous disaster.
Really cranking up the “follow your dreams” quote to the extreme now, are we? Fables of Talumos is definitely worth checking out if you're a diehard retro epic fantasy fanatic.
Adventuring is nice, but there are safer ways to make a living in the old-timey days of yore. Breakfast Studios got you covered with Medieval Shopkeeper Simulator, and no joke, it's literally what the title says. It's all in first-person, and it's up to you to do all the medieval shopkeeping things like crafting, buying and selling, franchising your medieval shops, and dabbling in a little bit of magic. No medieval game would be complete without a bit of arcane now, wouldn't it?
The low-poly style adds a bit of charm to the game's world, and while you won't be venturing far and wide, you won't be stuck behind a shopkeep’s table either. There's a lot to do and very little time in the kingdom, and Medieval Shopkeeper Simulator looks to keep you busy if you're up to the challenge. So which medieval epic adventure do you choose? Go out and save the world? Or chill a bit and let the coin flow? Whatever path you take, just make sure you have fun on your journey!
Check out Kickstarter for more games mentioned, and check back with us for more updates! Join our Discord Channel for awesome discussions on all things retro, video games, and cats!
It's about time we wrapped up the month and a lot has happened, and we mean a lot. While the Retroverse still manages to churn out some interesting news stories from the past, it somehow managed to catch up with 2022. What do we mean by this? Well, stick around, and I'll tell you. Let's go!
First, we're taking a look at Square Enix and their epic collab with Warner Brothers Japan. This time it’s for a nostalgia trip for the ages, the release of Legend of Mana: Teardrop Crystal. A new anime based on the popular Legend of Mana action-RPG video game. Now, that definitely brings back memories. The show is slated to drop this 2022, and as part of the announcement, Square Enix and Warner Brothers dropped the key visual for the show, plus a teaser trailer. Everything looks updated, but you can't deny that old-school 90s-feel it brings. This special anime project is part of the Mana/Seiken Densetsu 30th Anniversary Celebrations. It features a young boy named Shiloh who hears a mysterious voice in his dreams that sets him out on an epic adventure.
Now, for some adulting! Yes, you heard me! Brazilian indie developers Asteristic Game Studio have created an action-adventure puzzle game that's cute, fun, and somehow very realistic. Okay, it's pretty terrifying. Dandy and Randy DXis a game based on the very adult concept of bankruptcy. Now, tell me that isn't the least bit scary. Dandy, a pink duck, and his partner Randy a blue-plane-flying rabbit are a couple of go-getting archaeologists who owe a heck of a lot of money to a big bank. What follows is a single-player or co-op adventure where you solve puzzles and explore underground caverns to find valuable treasures that go straight to the Tax Man. It ain't much, but it's honest work.
The game features an array of equipment and items that help you on your journey. Think Legend of Zelda and Stardew Valley, but you could end up in jail if you don't farm hard enough. I think that's a pretty good way to motivate. Despite the premise, it's a gorgeous pixel art game packed with a banging chiptune soundtrack that'll bring back memories from summer days, and it gives us a dose of reality at the same time. Dandy and Randy DX is currently available on PS4, PS5, Microsoft Xbox One and Xbox Series XS Steam PC, and Nintendo Switch. So, if you're looking to go on a grand adventure that involves action, excitement, and adulting, then this game might be worth checking out. Just make sure to check your credit score.
Elden Ring Unofficial Demake
Now, on to something a bit more recent. So, we all know that Elden Ring has been around for a while now and that being the case, it's also brought along its fair share of mods from the community. Some of which are, well, let's just call them strange, for lack of a better term. However, you can't deny how wild and creative the community is when it comes to their imagination. Think of a mod; they got it.
But what about hardware? Well, apparently, they got that covered too. Enter Twitch streamer shintendoTV, a game streamer who also happens to specialize in a bit of retro game development. If you're not a fan of Elden Ring's AAA graphics and beautiful sprawling landscapes, you're in luck because, thanks to good old Shin, we might have an actual working Game Boy remake on our hands. Or, as he likes to call it, a demake. Man, Game Boy studio is awesome. He's since streamed a series of videos showing us the project's scope, and it's looking pretty good. A lot of the actual game details are baked right into the Game Boy remake, down to the “You Died” screen. So far, it's the cutest “Game Over” ever! ShintendoTV looks to get things wrapped up by the end of May and plans to make the actual game available for download both for emulators and actual Game Boy hardware. You can check out his Twitch channel for any updates. So next time you see a few people ranting about how Elden Ring doesn't meet their expectations, remember that they'll have a Game Boy version to check out pretty soon. And maybe that's what they wanted all along. Maybe.
And that's our news for now! We'll always be back for more, in the weeks to come. If you have any other Retro news that you want to share, let us know on our Discord channel!
It’s time again for more Weekly Gaming News from Mega Cat Studios!
Now, if you're a huge anime fan or anything Japan, we have a couple of tidbits that might tickle your fancy. Also, since gamer fuel is kind of a big thing nowadays, one certain company decided to throw its hat in the ring! Let's go!
Now, a lot of geeks and gamers alike have a lot of knowledge to drop, and of course, they'll let you know about it. But this time, we've come across a game that you might have never even heard of ever! We're talking about Nintendoji. It's an exclusive digital reward for gold and platinum club Nintendo members. It's understandable that very few know about this game because it was only released in Japan.
Developed by Grounding and released nine years ago in April of 2013, it's a turn-based battler where players explore dungeons and kick some bad guy’s ass to improve their skills and gather items. It's very simple yet enjoyable. The end goal is to find some sacred relics, which includes some nice crossover items from the Mario series and other Nintendo franchise. Your main guy Kageshina Kurabe may not be as popular as other Nintendo mainstays, but he's appeared on Super Smash Bros. as a trophy and spirit, so if you're still wondering who that handsome red-haired Onii-chan is, well, now you know.
Now, it's time to take a look at a cute classic that's making its way to the Playstation 4 and Nintendo Switch, complete with a shiny coat of remastered paint. Sweet! Natsume Atari's collaboration with Tango Project is finally going to drop, and we can finally get a taste of the sweet nostalgia from 1990s. Now, this new entry in the Pocky & Rocky series is scheduled for release this summer, so the short wait can definitely be sustained by the hype.
Now, if you haven't seen this shrine maiden and tanooki duo, this is a good chance to check them out. And if you want to know why people are so excited, Tango Project has a cool gameplay trailer on their Youtube channel right now. So whether it's top-down or side-scrolling, the classic style of action is both cute and pretty challenging, to say the least. Pocky & Rocky Reshrined is available for pre-order right now and set for official release on April 21 in Japan and June 24 everywhere else.
Last but not least, we're rehydrating, recharging, and realizing that one major soda brand just might have pulled an epic gamer move, and no, this is not an April fool's joke again. Coca-Cola has come up with a pixel-flavored drink called Coca-Cola Byte. It's part of their Creations project lineup and is clearly inspired by all things retro, given its sweet vaporwave aesthetic. Now, if only we could get the weekend to promote it, we could come full retro circle.
This, of course, isn't the first time Coca-Cola brought us something out of this world. Coke Starlight was their first release in the Creations collection and gave us a taste of space. And I guess that's what people mean when they sort of kind of want to break up, but not really. But moving on, according to their website, Coca-Cola Byte’s bright, upfront taste is reminiscent of powering up a game. And its refreshing finish makes for a perfect gaming companion. Well, whatever that kind of flavor profile is, I‘m so intrigued. The drink won't be available worldwide until early May, but you'll be seeing a lot of their promotional material in Fortnite. So, from a Coke Byte island to different mini-games and challenges, the hype is real, so we're hoping that the pixel flavor will pack a punch.
Well, that's our news for the week, but we'll be back again from the archives to feed your retro cravings. This has been Weekly Gaming News, join ourDiscordand subscribe to our YouTube channel for more!
Here's your weekly trio of awesome indie games this January!
Before Your Eyes
I'm going to start you off on a tear-jerker game that's called Before your eyes and usually, the words “life flashes” are what you hear with those words. Well, this game is almost just about that. It is a first-person narrative adventure that tells the story of a soul's journey into the afterlife using a new and pretty innovative form of interaction: real-life blinks. Basically, you'll be navigating through the afterlife by blinking. It starts at the moment of your death. You find yourself aboard the ship of a mythical fairy man who in order to help you pass on needs to learn the story of your life. He does this by sending you back to relive your most important moments. The game uses your webcam to immerse you in the story which will take you through memories of family, first love, and artistic career, however as we all know there is always a deeper side of life; darker if you will, and this is where the reveal of a heartbreaking truth will be seen. Before your eyes is a game about death, grief, pain, and suffering. It's also a game about finding joy in the little things and what better way to start the year than to reflect on life through this game. So go on start blinking.
Dodgeball Academia
In our next game, however, we dare you to blink and if you do you'll lose more than just a game. You lose the chance to be the hero of Dodgeball Academia. Dodgeball Academia is a sports RPG game featuring rookie dodgeball student Otto and a cast of characters as they train and dominate on and off the courts of the school. Some of these characters have balloons or blocks instead of heads which gives you a hint of just how much fun you're in for, as this really is just the best kind of physical education one could receive. With eight episodes, you'll form friendships and are almost sure to create rivals with one objective in mind: to develop the best dodgeball team there ever was. You can level up auto, together with your team in a customizable party progression system while uncovering the hidden truths within the academia. This is a game even Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn would be excited to get their hands on. I must warn you, the set of dodgeball rules evolve almost constantly and what starts out with a throw and catch skillset quickly becomes a battle of tactics, passing, and super moves which in the end will result in a big old smile on anyone's face.
Dragon Fist: VR Kung Fu
Wrapping up our list is an ode to anyone's Kung Fu. The question is, how strong is your Kung Fu? Check out Dragon Fist: VR Kung Fu. Virtual reality is becoming more affordable which is extremely exciting when you want to play some of the coolest games. Dragon Fist is a first-person fighting game against a variety of opponents with different fighting styles, tactics, special moves, and backstories. Step into your own Kung Fu reality by choosing between characters inspired by Chinese and Hong Kong martial arts movies across the decades. It could be a female Kung Fu student, a Shaolin monk, a samurai, an old wise master, or even a Bruce Lee-inspired character. What's really so amazing is that the game combat is based on symmetric physics. Your attacks come in the form of punches, palm strikes, and finger jabs. Each of these has its own benefit and striking enemies in specific places can de-buff them. So if you finger-jab someone in the eyes, it'll impair their vision, and punching someone in the lower ribs will slow down their stamina region. Well, it's time to go check out your Kung Fu and how strong it exactly is. This is Alex for Weekly Gaming News from Mega Cat Studios.
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