Selam, GC. I have some stimulating retro gaming prospects to share. But before I get into all of that, I’d like to say thank you for reviewing Blazing Chrome. I purchased it the other day and I’ve been having a mega blast, it’s everything I could’ve hoped for and more.
Admittedly, I’ve been savouring its Contra/Metal Slug inspired magic and have opted only to do the first two levels before restarting it because of its brevity. But what I’ve played so far has been extremely impressive.
Moving swiftly on, here are four more retro0inspired indie games to look forward to in this and next year: the first is Bushiden, a gorgeous 2D action platformer that has echoes of Strider, Shinobi, and Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night. I can already tell the soundtrack is going to be special.
The second is Xeno Crises, a top-down shooter which mirrors classics such as Mercs, Shock Troopers, and Smash T.V. It’s even scheduled to be released on the Mega Drive, Neo Geo, and Dreamcast. What year is it again?!
Next up is the impossibly cool sounding Moonrider by the creators of Blazing Chrome, JoyMasher. The Shinobi, Hagane, and Strider influences on this stunning looking project are very clear. Can’t wait to get my hands on this, and the boss at the end is pure Contra 3!
Lastly (for now) we have the eclectic, introspective coming of age arcade action game, 198X. Incredibly, unbeknownst to me this game is apparently already out on PC and PS4, but a Switch port would be a dreamy proposition as the versatile device really is the perfect system for retro and indie games in my opinion. I can’t seem to recall but did you ever review this most peculiar looking game, GC?
So those are some of my most anticipated indie games, and I’m really loving this resurgence in 90s retro aesthetics and side scrolling games. Long may the retro veneration superabound!
Galvanized Gamer
PS: Fingers crossed for JoyMasher’s Oniken and Odallus making it to the Switch someday (I am rapidly becoming a big fan of this super talented developer!).
GC: We did have our eye on 198X but never got round to it, in part because it’s episodic. We’ll have another look though and, especially at this time of year, welcome any indie recommendations, as this is the perfect opportunity to spotlight more obscure titles.
