Back in 2017, Studio Koba introduced us to Narita Boy. Named after Tokyo’s second-largest airport, the game seemed tailor-made for Kickstarter success. It featured sleek pixel art characters navigating a neon side-scrolling universe, dripping with nostalgic ‘80s anime vibes and modern visual flair. At the heart of it was a story about Eduardo Fornieles, a former member of the team at Friend & Foe, returning to his roots to create the game he’d always envisioned.
At that point, it was just an idea, but it was a stunning one. That alone was enough to propel the subsequent crowdfunding campaign beyond expectations.
Fast forward four years, and Narita Boy became one of Kickstarter’s standout video game triumphs. It transformed into a playable cartoon, merging the surreal with classic action-adventure tropes. However, despite its visual appeal, its straightforward combat and text-laden screens occasionally disrupted the flow.
Their next project, Haneda Girl, completely sidesteps these issues.
Unveiled last year with a demo now available on Steam, Haneda Girl – named after Tokyo’s largest airport – isn’t a direct sequel, despite what you might assume. It’s an action-platformer boasting quicker movement, more intuitive controls, and the pinpoint accuracy needed for those thrilling wall jumps while dodging enemy fire.
Players find themselves in control of Chichi Wakaba, a quick-footed girl wielding a sword. She can zip around the screen in the blink of an eye. While she lacks ranged attacks, she compensates by sneaking up on foes, activating “ghost mode” to evade lasers, or slicing through panels to drop platforms on enemies below, reminiscent of classic BurgerTime strategies. However, her aversion to damage means a single bullet can end her game.
Here’s where the twist comes in: Chichi teams up with her mech partner, M.O.T.H.E.R. She can hop in and out as the situation demands. The mech, though slower and less agile, is equipped with a machine gun turret and can endure several hits before it goes down, only to reappear moments later.
Playing through the demo, I found myself frequently jumping between Chichi and her mech. The combination was perfect for charging her attacks, taking on enemy assaults, or simply spraying bullets with reckless abandon – and often it paid off. The level design encourages this dual approach, offering tight passageways or towering walls only Chichi can traverse, alongside enemy-infested rooms M.O.T.H.E.R. was born to clear. There might be a way to race through the game focusing primarily on Wakaba, but it’s this balancing act between her and the mech that made the demo shine for me. I constantly found myself torn between making a mad dash to the finish or pausing for a brief moment of strategy, inevitably followed by delightful chaos.
Or sometimes, I just charged ahead and faced the consequences. Perhaps the trailer hints at it best: that’s bound to happen often.
