Normally I post these round-ups on the first of the month; my apologies if you spent the weekend wondering what happened, but I figured avoiding April Fool's Day was the best way to ensure these Kickstarters got the attention they deserve. As always, we have no insider information or financial interest in any of these projects, and no one at Retronauts has been compensated for including anything on this page. Also, in light of the ongoing pandemic, we recommend only backing crowdfunding campaigns if you feel comfortable with your own security and stability.
Orthros MCS-01 (ends April 4—tomorrow!—estimated reward date September 2023)
The NEO•GEO was a lot of things, but "affordable" wasn't one of them, as the home versions of the cartridges routinely retailed for $200 or even $300 and can cost even more today as collectibles. The arcade versions of the cartridges, however, tend to go for much less, and this console-like device lets you play those MVS carts on a screen of your choice.
Rout (ends April 10 estimated reward date March 2024)
The so-called "boomer shooter" is having a moment lately as both gaming veterans recall the first-person action experiences from their youths and young people look back to a time before they were born and wonder "what if I made that today." In the case of Rout, the developer is a literal high school student who professes his interest in "classics like DOOM or Quake" which predate his existence on Earth.
Eye uv Eve (ends April 13 estimated reward date August 2023)
Have you played Vampire Survivors? I sure have, and as I continue to do so I often try to picture my on-screen avatar furiously shooting/throwing all those weapons at once. Eye uv Eve embraces that concept as its first-person perspective lets you multi-wield "up to 14 stacking weapons" which combine in different ways.
The Golden Eyed Ghosts (ends April 13 estimated reward date October 2023)
Soulslike, soulslike, soulslike, it feels like every action game (and especially on Kickstarter) wants backers to picture Dark Souls in their heads as they plunk down their cash to support a new concept. At least The Golden Eyed Ghosts takes the Zelda-like overhead approach, making its "dark fantasy" look a litte different than most other soulslike games. There's already a demo on Steam if you'd like to try it for yourself.
Magnet Jack (ends April 20 estimated reward date Summer 2023)
Puzzle platformers live and die by their mechanics, so Magnet Jack looks to be one of the wilder entries drawing inspiration from Super Meat Boy, Mario, Wario, and…Cool Spot? At least the solo developer responsible cites Super Mario Bros 2 as one of his favorite games of all time, so you know he's on the right side of history. There is a demo on Steam if you want a taste before backing the full game.
Hana: Hide and Seek (ends April 22 estimated reward date December 2023)
"The main inspiration for this game came from a scary experience I had with a friend of mine," says Hae, the lone developer behind Hana: Hide and Seek, a retro-style horror game with simple 2D graphics. While Hae has only spent a few months on the project so far, two chapters are already complete and available for sale; there's also a demo if you'd like a spook with no money down.