Kickstarter Kompilation: January 2022 edition
2022 has arrived! I hope your year is off to a wonderful start, or at least this weekend is going well for you. Let's start things off with another entry in our monthly series of video game crowdfunding projects! 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.
Kendan and the Gem of Erú (ends January 3, estimated reward date August 2022)
Still got a Game Boy around the house? Would you like a brand-new RPG for it? Then this campaign is for you! Lower tiers only offer a digital-only ROM to download, but pledging at least AU$ 90 (about $66 US) gets you a full physical release, including a box & manual.
Elland: The Crystal Wars (ends Jan 15, estimated reward date May 2022)
Did everyone see Dune last year? I liked it! The franchise has been around for decades though and 20 years ago, we almost got a Game Boy Advance game based on Frank Herbert's sandy sci-fi novels. I say "almost" because in 2002, the project was officially cancelled.
Jump ahead to today and a developer/publisher has acquired the code and the rights to distribute them. The Dune license, however, is off the table, hence the new name. Edits aside, this is still an authentic, unreleased GBA game from 20 years ago and yes, there is a physical edition if you pledge at least $55 US.
Maten Douji Web (ends Jan 19 estimated reward date August 2022)
Were you an NES fan? Back in 1990, Asmik published Conquest of the Crystal Palace, a localized version of the Famicom game known as Maten Douji. 32 years later, the chief programmer wants to remake the game and release it on the web for everyone to enjoy. That means there is nothing to download and no cartridge to buy, but supporting this project, will empower Mr. Nagae to "retrofit" the game to be playable in a browser. Multiple languages will also be included.
Shadow Gangs (ends Jan 29 estimated reward date June 2023)
Originally released in 2020, Shadow Gangs is a ninja action game very much in the vein of Shinobi (the arcade original). It's available on multiple platforms at this point, but the original developer is turning to crowdfunding to produce a very special port to the Sega Dreamcast. There's a demo if you want to see it in action, and a physical release is also in the works.
ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO TOAPLAN (ends Jan 31 estimated reward date June 2023)
Toaplan was one of the great shoot-em-up developers back in the 1980s, makers of hits like Tiger Heli, Twin Cobra, and the infamous Zero Wing. The studio has long since shut down but many of its key staff went on to make games for other companies.
This documentary film will focus on the founding of Toaplan and their early work, with a planned sequel looking at the studio's later work and eventual closure. Former staffers will be interviewed, along with experts from rival developers who admired Toaplan's creations.
