Greetings! We are kicking off Year 3 of this series with an odd array of projects, most of which are retro-inspired but one of which is a decidedly 21st-century take on 19th-century entertainment. As always, we have no insider information or financial interest in any of these projects (with one possible exception, see below), 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.

Reknum Fantasy of Dreams
Platform: Nintendo Switch, NES, Mega Drive/Genesis
Campaign ends: November 2
Estimated delivery time: March 2021
Minimum pledge to receive the game: €10 (about $12 US - digital only)

We've covered our share of faux-retro titles here on Kickstarter Kompilation, but Reknum Fantasy of Dreams is unique: the developers are not seeking to fund one game on multiple platforms but three different games designed for each platform. Reknum on NES is like Zelda II with an overworld and platforming in dungeons. The Sega Genesis version is more of a side-scrolling Metroidvania. And the Nintendo Switch version looks to have more RPG-elements.
Note that €10 is only enough to get the "retro" games in the trilogy. For a complete set of three games, backers must pledge at least €18.

Sunshine Manor
Platform: Steam, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Campaign ends: November 6
Estimated delivery time: November 2021
Minimum pledge to receive the game: £12 (about $16 US - digital only)
Demo available

Sunshine Manor isn't just a retro-style game, it's a prequel to an earlier 16-bit-style "horror RPG" called Camp Sunshine made by the same development team (being a prequel, they're calling this "8-bit" style). Either way, backing this project earns a free copy of the other game as well.

Warrior 64
Platform: it's a game console
Campaign ends: November 20
Estimated delivery time: November 2020!
Minimum pledge to receive the console: HK$ 1,163 (about $151 US)

The Nintendo 64 was an excellent video game console, but it was designed 24 years ago to work with then-current television sets. The Warrior 64 is a brand-new version of the N64 that has been completely redesigned to include an HDMI port and an authentically awesome transparent plastic case. The controller has also been redesigned to better align with current ergonomic standards - no more three-pronged madness. The Warrior 64 also plays all N64 games from the US and Japan - no more region-locking. Development is allegedly complete and the designers claim that once the Kickstarter is successfully funded, shipping will begin this month!

Romancelvania
Platform: Windows, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
Campaign ends: November 20
Estimated delivery time: March 2022
Minimum pledge to receive the game: $29 US - digital only

After all the Metroidvanias we have featured on this website, how could I not include this project which purports to deliver the first "thirsty Metroidvania" upon the world? The protagonist is a Dracula (male or female) who's been recruited into a supernatural dating game, meaning that Romancelvania offers platforming, exploration, combat, and "a cast of gorgeous monsters that you won’t be able to resist."
Given the relationship between Retronauts and Limited Run Games, I would be remiss if I did not point out LRG is producing the physical editions of Romancelvania.

Pull Stay
Platform: Windows
Campaign ends: November 20
Estimated delivery time: April 2022
Minimum pledge to receive the game: ¥1,500 (about $15 US - digital only)
Demo available

There are "indie" games and then there are INDIE games - Pull Stay is the latter, being developed by a single Japanese man over the course of three years. The developer is a self-identified hikikomori, meaning he lives alone and has barely left his home in the last ten years - hence he had ample time to teach himself game design and English. The pitch for his game is "Final Fight meets Home Alone in a Japanese comedy show" as the protagonist (also a hikikomori) uses a robot version of himself to defend his house from intruders.

Infinity Game Table
Platform: it's a "digital gaming table"
Campaign ends: November 30
Estimated delivery time: March 2021
Minimum pledge to receive the device: $499 US

While I fell in love with video games from an early age, I was also a big fan of board games. It's a hard hobby to pursue now that I live abroad and rarely have visitors to my home, so the Infinity Game Table seems tailor-made to hook me: it's essentially a giant tablet with legs loaded with "over 50" games and activities included that also supports online play over wifi. The producers claim that more games will arrive post-launch and they are also hopeful the platform will appeal to indie developers who want to distribute their games without relying on physical publishers.
In case you're wondering, yes, the legs come off if you want to play the games on your existing table. Also, backers take note: this product "ships to North America only" so people like me are out of luck.

• kickstarter
• nintendo 64
• metroidvania
• board game
• Limited Run Games
• D Feit
• size-m