Haneda Girl: The Latest Release from the Creators of Narita Boy

Back in 2017, a little buzz enveloped the gaming community when Studio Koba announced Narita Boy. This game, named after Tokyo’s notable airport, seemed tailor-made for Kickstarter, showcasing slim pixel art characters navigating a vibrant, neon-drenched, side-scrolling universe. It exuded the nostalgic charm of ’80s anime, interwoven with modern visual flair. Plus, it carried a compelling backstory of Eduardo Fornieles, once part of the Friend & Foe team, returning to his roots to craft a dream game.

At its conceptual stage, Narita Boy was simply a stunning idea—and that vision struck a chord, propelling its crowdfunding campaign to success.

Fast forward four years, the game finally made its debut, standing out as a triumph among Kickstarter projects. It was like stepping into a cartoon, offering a surreal twist on classic action-adventure gameplay. Yet, despite this visual feast, the gameplay felt a little off balance. Routine combat mechanics and frequent text-filled screens seemed to drag down the pace.

But here’s where the team’s next project switches things up: Haneda Girl.

Revealed not too long ago, with a demo now available on Steam, Haneda Girl, takes its name from Tokyo’s largest airport. Don’t be fooled by the title; it’s not a straightforward sequel. This action-platformer speeds things up with faster movements, razor-sharp controls, and the precision needed for dodging blasts while wall-jumping.

Players step into the shoes of Chichi Wakaba, armed with a swift sword and nimble enough to zip around the scene in no time. While she’s no long-range combatant, she compensates by sneaking up on adversaries, utilizing “ghost mode” to slip past lasers, or slicing through barriers to crush foes below in a clever homage to BurgerTime. Nevertheless, her fragility means just one bullet can take her down.

The game’s twist comes with her companion—M.O.T.H.E.R., a mech she can hop in and out of. Although slow and unable to leap as high as Chichi, the mech packs a punch with its machine gun turret and can withstand several hits before briefly checking out and reappearing.

Through the demo, I found myself fluidly transitioning in and out of the mech. It became my strategy to bolster Wakaba’s attacks, absorb incoming enemy fire, or unleash a spray of bullets hoping it’d pay off, which it frequently did. The level design nudged me to balance between the two playstyles—navigating tight pathways or scaling walls meant for Wakaba, and taking on enemy-infested rooms meant for M.O.T.H.E.R. There’s probably a way to zip through the game predominantly using Wakaba, yet the harmony between the two mechanics is what resonated with me. I found myself torn between rushing towards the finish line and pausing for a moment of strategy before diving back into the chaos.

Of course, sometimes I’d just dive in and bite the dust. As the trailer not-so-gently reminds us, that’s all part of the journey.