New Release: Cannon Dancer - Osman

An enhanced edition of a bombastic arcade actioner, from Mitchell Corporation and ININ Games

New Release: Hazard Saviour

An open world platformer inspired by Crazy Taxi, from Sinclair Strange

New Release: Ginsha

An open world action-adventure that takes place across multiple planets, from PolarityFlow

New Release: Haunted Lands: Burial Grounds

A tough and bloody DOS-style shooter, from Alexey Goryachev

New Release: Curse of the Sea Rats

An open world action-adventure featuring 2D animation and 3D environments, from Petoons Studio

March 30, 2021

Target Acquired: Narita Boy

Narita Boy, from Studio Koba, is a neo-noir actioner starring the eponymous Narita Boy, a digital hero who has the power to swap between dimensions. The digital world has come under attack and you must explore the landscape and uncover the techno sword, the only weapon that can stave off annihilation. You'll spend your time surfing on a floppy diskette, bashing cuboid beasts with a bigass sword, sliding blocks around to solve environmental puzzles, unleashing photon fury on rows of baddies, and riding transforming digital horsies. The game features a distinct visual style with high-frame animations, unusual proportions, and stylized flourishes to emphasize its hard-hitting combat... all accompanied by an 80's-style synth soundtrack.

The game is now available for PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam, Switch via eShop, PS4 via PSN, and Xbox One via Microsoft Store.

March 27, 2021

Target Acquired: Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth

Record of Lodoss War began as popular series of Japanese novels, and later went on to receive numerous manga and anime adaptations, as well as several video games, and it returns once again in the form of a metroidvania entitled Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth. The game is the result of a team-up between Team Ladybug (developers of Touhou Luna Nights, Shin Megami Tensei: Synchronicity Prologue, and KonoSuba God's Blessing on this Wonderful World! Revival of Beldia) and Why So Serious? (developer of Gensokyo Night Festival), and stars Deedlit, the series' elven heroine, as she awakens in an unusual and unknown place and begins encountering some of her old friends. The game wears its Symphony of the Night inspirations on its sleeve, but increases the visual fidelity with higher resolutions and extremely smooth animations. Deedlit attacks with quick melee strikes using a variety of weapons, and she discovers some ranged weapons as well. In addition, she is able to absorb spirit energy by defeating enemies, allowing her to take advantage of these spirits' powers to increase her attack power, defense, and regenerative abilities.

The game is now available on PC via Steam. Check our coverage here.


To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

March 26, 2021

Target Acquired: Kaze and The Wild Masks

Kaze and The Wild Masks, from PixelHive, stars a bunny (and you know how much we love bunnies) who must defend Carrotland from attack by a variety of vicious yet colorful beasts in a cutesy action platformer. Kaze uses his big ole bunny ears to whack enemies, walk ear-over-ear along vines, toss objects and baddies, and even spin around to slow his descent. Classic platformer tropes are strongly represented, with pastoral plains, bouncy mushrooms, brightly-colored collectibles, and secret areas. Finding the game's titular masks grants him new abilities that let him run faster, swim underwater, and take to the skies. Oh, and we're not sure if this means anything, but Kaze translates to "wind" from Japanese... like Kaze no Klonoa. So there's that.

The game is now availalbe for PC via Steam, Switch via eShop, PS4 via PSN, Xbox One via Microsoft Store, and Stadia.




March 23, 2021

New Blip: Josh Journey: Darkness Totems

Josh Journey: Darkness Totems, from Provincia Studio, is a colorful beat 'em up for up to four local players. You (and your friends) select one of four heroes to journey across the provinces of wind, water, desert, and industrial, fighting screenfulls of creatures summoned forth by an entity known as The Darkness Shadow, who has the power over nightmares. Only by destroying the darkness totems can the world be saved. Each hero has different abilities and special attacks, allowing players to cooperate in battle, with some wielding melee weapons while others can use ranged attacks like guns and spells. Particular attention has been paid to the hand-drawn animation for each of the characters, enemies, and bosses, giving the visuals a cartoon-like quality.

The game is now available on PC via Steam Early Access.

To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our 2D Watchlist.

March 22, 2021

New Blip: Smelter

In Smelter, from X Plus (game tweets), you take on the role of Eve - as in the biblical Eve - on a mission to find Adam following the destruction of the Garden of Eden. Eve discovers a strange creature named Smelter who is able to transform and fuse with her body to give her new abilities. The game mixes action-platforming gameplay with city building strategy segments, not unlike another biblically-themed game: Actraiser. By building up your empire and taking over enemy territory, you unlock sidescrolling action levels where you fight enemies and bosses, and complete platforming challenges. Throughout her adventure, Eve acquires upgrades and new abilities, allowing her to unleash more powerful attacks, climb walls, and whip herself from platform to platform.

The game is coming to PC, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One later this year.

To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our 2D Watchlist.

March 21, 2021

New Blip: Elderand

Elderand, from Mantra and Sinergia Games (game tweets), is a metroidvania set in a dark world inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. The game features fast technical combat that requires skillful use of your weaponry, and where button mashing is a sure path to failure. You fight your way through terrible monstrosities as you trek across the world searching for treasures, solving ancient mysteries, and seeking out hidden passages. Skillful explorers will find money and items that can be traded to shopkeepers for better weapons and shields, and some may be found through exploration as well. Players may make use of swords, shields, whips, staffs, throwing axes, and bows and arrows, and they may equip armor and accessories and make use of health restoratives to aid them in their quest.

The game is coming to PC in almost exactly one year, on March 16, 2022.

To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our 2D Watchlist.

March 20, 2021

New Blip: Axiom Verge 2

Axiom Verge 2, from developer Tom Happ, is the sequel to Axiom Verge... or possibly a prequel... or possibly even virtual reality, the afterlife, or a dream... at any rate, it's the second game in the series, and Mr. Happ is keeping its place in the Axiom-verse to himself for the time being. The game takes place in what appears to be an alternate Earth, with its own variety of ecosystems and the remnants of some ancient civilization... all of which was somehow tucked within a cargo lift in Antarctica. As strange as all of that is, things still aren't quite what they seem. You take on the role of a billionaire named Indra who sets out across this alternate Earth to discover its secrets. She explores the open world, fights mechanical beasties and bosses, and uses her hacking skills to turn the odds in her favor.

The game is coming to PC, Switch, and additional yet-to-be-announced consoles later this year.

To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our 2D Watchlist.

March 17, 2021

New Blip: Blaster Master Zero 3

Inti Creates has returned with a new - and final - entry in the Blaster Master Zero series, entitled Blaster Master Zero 3. As you may have guessed, the game follows the events of Blaster Master Zero 2 and the original Blaster Master Zero, which itself was a reimagining of the original Blaster Master on NES that incorporated the events of the Worlds of Power novella. For all of this blastering and mastering, the series never really told a compelling story, so it's doubtful that many people are awaiting the gripping conclusion to this paper-thin narrative... but at least there will be more of the series' trademark gameplay. You'll get to blast baddies in your tank during sidescrolling sequences, hop out for on-foot top-down action, and this time around, you'll get to travel to another dimension.

The game is coming to PC, Switch, and PS4 on July 29th.

To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our 2D Watchlist.

March 16, 2021

New Blip: SANNABI: The Revenant

SANNABI: The Revenant, from Wonder Potion, is a grapple-platformer set in a dystopian world. You take on the role of a retired veteran who uses his prosthetic arm to do some pretty crazy stuff... like slinging himself up walls and hurling himself over buildings. Now he has been called in for one last mission: to overthrow an evil corporation, uncover the secrets behind a mysterious citywide blackout and the disappearance of its citizens, and find something called SANNABI. You use your grapple line to navigate the environment, dodge out of the way of traps, and defeat enemies by quickly zipping into them. You'll also meet a hacker named Mari who can help you to identify enemy weaknesses, decrypt messages, and remotely open doors.

The game is coming to PC but does not yet have an announced release date.

To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our 2D Watchlist.

March 15, 2021

New Blip: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the sewers (or something), the frantic 4P TMNT beat 'em up action of the arcade is back with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, from Tribute Games. You may remember Tribute Games as the studio behind Panzer Paladin, Flinthook, and loads of other kickass 2D video games, and while Konami is off doing who-knows-what, Tribute is bringing their 2D pedigree and charming sprite art to everyone's favorite heroes-in-a-half-shell (turtle power!). So you'd have had to have been living under a rock(steady) to be unaware of the turtles or their famous arcade games (or cartoon, or originating comics, etc.), but just in case... you take on the role of one of four ninja turtles: Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Leonardo, as you go up against tons of foot soldiers, other mutant baddies, and the Shredder himself, with all of the 80's/90's cartoon glory perfectly preserved and character designs ripped straight outta Turtles in Time... there are no brooding angry Justice League wannabes here. This is classic gnarly brawler action for everyone who grew up with the radical arcade games or the SNES ports. These turtle boys don't cut 'em no slack!

The game is coming to PC, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One, but it does not yet have an announced release date.

To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our 2D Watchlist.

March 9, 2021

New Blip: Grapple Dog

Grapple Dog, from Joseph Gribbin, is a high-flying grapple-platformer starring a dog named Pablo who sets sail across six environments to save the world from Nul, a megalomaniacal robot. The game uses bold colors to communicate safe grapple points to the player, allowing him to flow from one object to the next as he collects fruit, dodges obstacles, and hunts for hidden areas. The grapple can be used to zip to objects and enemies to smash them, and the player must face off against bosses as well. In addition to grappling, the player can swim, perform wall jumps, and dive bomb to drop downward quickly.

The game is coming to PC later this year.

To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our 2D Watchlist.

March 7, 2021

Target Acquired: Speed Limit

Speed Limit, from Gamechuck, is an over-the-top arcade-style experience that blends multiple genres. You take on the role of some unknown fellow who is suddenly thrust into danger when a strange man bumps into him on the train. Suddenly, you find yourself pursued by agents, helicopters, and other vehicles as you fight your way through multiple gameplay styles with no level breaks in between. You start out on foot, running through the train and shooting bad guys as you try to make your escape, but then you jump into a red convertible for a couple of overhead driving/shooting levels, before transitioning onto a motorcycle, then a helicopter, and finally a fighter jet. It's worth checking out the trailer below to get a feel for the various sorts of mayhem in store for you across this fast-paced bite-sized experience.

The game is now available for PC via Steam, Switch via eShop, PS4 via PSN, and Xbox One via Microsoft Store. Check our coverage here.

To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our 2D Watchlist.

March 3, 2021

Target Acquired: Sir Lovelot

Sir Lovelot is the latest from pixel.lu, the studio behind Sigi - A Fart for Melusina. This precision platformer stars the titular knight on a quest to find love by impressing maidens with acts of platforming - and some lovely gifts - across the kingdoms of Lululand. Sir Lovelot dashes across 40+ dangerous levels displaying derring do by defeating dastardly enemies, hopping across pits of spikes, outrunning rolling stone skulls, and blasting baddies with bullets. Fortunately, the knight is a capable hero, able to double jump, dive under the water, climb vines, grab ledges, and discover secrets like golden-egg-laying geese to impress greedy princesses.

The game is now available for PC via Steam, Switch via eShop, PS4 and PS5 via PSN, Xbox One via Microsoft Store.

Early Arrival: Revita

Revita, from Ben Star, is a roguelike actioner with chunky visuals, fast gameplay, and twin-stick controls. You take on the role of an amnesiac in search of their lost memories as you climb a procedurally-generated clock tower while fighting your way through enemies and bosses... and you're sent back to the bottom if you fail. In addition to twin-stick shootery, you can also perform air dashes and wall slides, and you can find run-specific powerups to unleash more firepower... eventually reaching ridiculous levels of bullet fury. Along the way, you'll encounter a cast of characters who may be able to aid you on your travels.

The game is currently available for PC via Steam Early Access