Update #2 [Tue 9th May, 2023 14:30 BST]: It’s been a while, but Bitwave Games has announced that Gimmick! Special Edition, originally published by Sunsoft on NES in Japan and Scandinavia in original, non-Special Edition form, will be landing on Switch (and other platforms) on 6th July 2023.
A new trailer (above) shows off some of the new features, and Bitwave also confirms that a physical edition will be available at some point “later in the year” on both Switch and PS4.
Update #1 [Thu 18th Aug, 2022 13:15 BST]: Developer Bitwave Games has confirmed that Gimmick! will be launching on the Nintendo Switch later this year under the title of Gimmick! Special Edition.
The release will come with some bonus quality-of-life features, including save and load functions, a rewind feature, a time-attack mode, gallery mode, achievements, and more.
It’s also been confirmed that the game will indeed feature at Sunsoft’s upcoming showcase, due to start at 1:00 PM PDT / 9 PM BST later today. The game will also be playable on the show floor at gamescom later this month, followed by Tokyo Game Show in September.
You can check out the official Bitwave Games website right now for more details on the upcoming release.
Original Article [Thu 18th Aug, 2022 10:30 BST]:
Earlier today, The Embracer Group announced a string of new acquisitions, including the likes of Limited Run Games, Tripwire Interactive, and the IP rights to J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
In additon, it also announced the formation of its 11th operating group known as Embracer Freemode, led by CEO Lee Guinchard, with a view to provide operational and financial support to small – mid tier game developers. To support this, Embracer announced the acquisition of several entities, including Japanese studio Tatsujin, Swedish studio Bitwave Games, and the accessory brand Gioteck.
In acquiring Tatsujin, which itself now owns the rights to Toaplan games like Snow Bros and Flying Shark, Embracer Freemode will be looking to bring these classic title to modern platforms and new audiences.
Perhaps most interestingly, however, Embracer announced that Bitwave Games will be looking to bring the classic NES/Famicom platformer Gimmick! to the west on modern platforms. It will mark the first instance the notoriously difficult game will be made officially available in North America. Previously, it was only available in Japan in 1992 before making its way to countries in the Scandinavian region in 1993, where it was known as ‘Mr. Gimmick’. It was re-released in Japan in 2002 for the PlayStation, before getting a remake for the exA-Arcadia arcade system in 2020.
Gimmick! originally released to little fanfare, with critics claiming the game would be far too difficult for younger audiences to appreciate. In more recent years, however, retrospective analysis has deemed the title to be incredibly underrated, with many praising its graphics and unique level design.
It’s currently not known exactly when Gimmick! will launch for modern platforms, but Sunsoft — the original publisher of Gimmick! — is showcasing a digital event later today, so we may find out more there.
Are you excited at the prospect of a previously unavailable NES title finally getting an official western release? Have you played Gimmick! before? Let us know with a comment.
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