Hailing from Osaka, Japan, X PLUS, the indie devs of Smelter, a similar game that has also been inspired by the pixelated era of retro platformer gaming, has announced an update in the development process for Bat Boy, which is expected to release at around the January 2023 mark.
The company has recently announced a Kickstarter campaign in which it is asking for 3.5 million yen, or about $26,000 USD, to support its efforts to bring the title to the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Switch, AND Steam. Yep, that’s the whole kit and kaboodle of platforms!
To convince gamers to pledge to the project, X PLUS has also given a Kickstarter trailer, outlining the sort of gameplay and features you can expect from the game.
And at first glance, the inspiration derived from Mega Man and Ninja Gaiden on the NES is very much apparent, in that it’s practically a combination of the two much-beloved games. Bat Boy will to tell the story of Batboy (think baseball bats, not fruit bats), who must free his sports-hero teammates’ minds’ from the treacherous clutches of Lord Vicious, interacting with a wide variety of characters along the way.
The baseball theme isn’t just a story gimmick either! In a list of key features, as seen on Steam, the devs have described the combat as “baseball-style”, with the ability to swing, deflect, spin, and power-hit any foes that may cross your path. In addition to this, challenges strewed across your journey, hidden secrets, and collectibles will require you to utilise your baseball bat in a puzzle-solving manner.
It seems like it’s been quite a while since the last indie Kickstarter campaign that has the potential to be something big. With a short, but promising track record with NES-era-inspired releases, X PLUS should be more than capable of turning this Kickstarter into a hit release!
