Introducing Haneda Girl: The Latest Game by the Creators of Narita Boy

Back in 2017, Studio Koba unveiled Narita Boy, a title evocatively named after Tokyo’s second-largest airport, which seemed tailor-made for a Kickstarter adventure. Picture pixel-perfect characters navigating a neon-drenched, side-scrolling universe, drenched in ’80s anime nostalgia interwoven with contemporary visual effects. It also carried a personal touch with its developer, Eduardo Fornieles, who previously worked with Friend & Foe, revisiting his roots to craft the game he always envisioned.

At that stage, it was merely a concept, but its stunning visuals alone propelled the ensuing crowdfunding campaign to success.

Fast forward four years, and the game finally launched, becoming one of Kickstarter’s brighter success stories in the gaming realm. It played out like an interactive cartoon blended with the surreal spirit of a classic action-adventure. However, despite its beauty, sluggish combat mechanics and dense, text-laden screens somewhat held it back from reaching its full potential.

Studio Koba’s next venture, Haneda Girl, learns from Narita Boy’s shortcomings.

Revealed last year with a demo now live on Steam, Haneda Girl, named for Tokyo’s largest airport, carves its own path. It’s not a direct sequel but a standalone action-platformer characterized by rapid movement, instinctive controls, and the precision necessary for wall-jumping while dodging assaults from all angles.

Players step into the shoes of Chichi Wakaba, a swift protagonist armed with a sword, darting about the screen in the blink of an eye. Lacking ranged attacks, she must rely on stealth tactics, slipping into “ghost mode” to evade lasers or cleverly cutting panels to drop platforms on foes—a nod to the classic BurgerTime. Her vulnerability is her Achilles’ heel, as a single hit spells her demise.

Enter her mech companion, M.O.T.H.E.R., which she can pilot and disembark as needed. While the mech saunters and can’t reach great heights, it boasts a formidable machine gun and can soak up a good deal of damage before needing a respawn.

Playing the demo, I was constantly swapping between Chichi and the mech, using the latter to charge her attacks, soak up incoming fire, or simply unload bullets everywhere, often to great effect. The level design nudged me to transition between the two, with tight corridors and towering walls favoring Chichi, while rooms brimming with adversaries screamed for M.O.T.H.E.R.’s firepower. It feels like an ambitious speedrunner might tackle the game primarily as Chichi, but the blend of both styles made the demo truly shine. I was repeatedly tempted to rush straight to the finish, reconsider only to craft a strategy amidst the chaos.

Or, abandoned planning, charged headlong, and promptly met my end. As the trailer cheekily hints, expect that outcome frequently.