Haneda Girl: Upcoming Release from the Creators of Narita Boy

Back in 2017, Studio Koba introduced the world to Narita Boy, a game inspired by the charm of Tokyo’s second-largest airport. It was like a love letter to Kickstarter enthusiasts. Featuring sleek pixel art characters set against a vibrant, neon side-scrolling backdrop, it captured the spirit of ’80s anime but with a modern twist. This project was the brainchild of Eduardo Fornieles, previously part of the Friend & Foe team, who returned to his roots to create his dream game.

Though it was merely a concept at its inception, Narita Boy’s stunning visual allure was potent enough to catapult its crowdfunding campaign to success.

Fast forward four years, and the game hit the market, proving itself as one of Kickstarter’s triumphs in gaming. It resembled a living cartoon, mingled with the essence of a surreal action-adventure classic. However, despite its visual splendor, the gameplay didn’t quite match up due to simplistic combat mechanics and a sluggish pace marred by text-heavy interruptions.

Now, the team is back with Haneda Girl, the follow-up that sidesteps those earlier missteps.

Announced last year and with a demo now available on Steam, Haneda Girl—named after Tokyo’s largest airport—takes a different path from its predecessor. While it shares the thematic naming, it isn’t a direct sequel. This new action-platformer boasts quicker movements, better controls, and the kind of precision that demands skillful navigation through wall jumps while dodging incoming fire.

Players find themselves in the shoes of Chichi Wakaba, a nimble protagonist armed with a sword who zips across the screen swiftly. With no long-range attacks, Chichi relies on stealth to dodge lasers in “ghost mode” or strategically drop platforms onto unsuspecting foes below, reminiscent of the classic game BurgerTime. However, she’s fragile, succumbing to a single hit.

The twist here is her trusty mech companion, M.O.T.H.E.R., who she can operate at will. While the mech is slower and less agile, it’s equipped with a potent machine gun turret and can withstand several hits, offering a few seconds’ respite before it regenerates.

Trying out the demo, I found myself frequently switching between Wakaba and her mech. The mech was invaluable in charging Wakaba’s attacks or enduring enemy fire, often laying down enough suppressive fire to clear a path. Level designs cleverly blended spaces hinting at strategic shifts between Chichi’s agility and the combat prowess of the mech. There were tight spots and towering walls only she could navigate, and enemy-filled zones for the mech to dominate. Though there might be opportunities for speedrunning just with Wakaba, the interplay between the two characters is where the demo truly shines. I constantly battled the urge to rush to the objective, opting instead to take a momentary, strategic pause before diving back into the chaos.

Or sometimes, in the spirit of the game’s trailer, I charged ahead and faced certain defeat—but that’s part of the fun.