Gimmick! 2

''Gimmick! 2'' is a 2024 platform game developed by Bitwave Games and published by Sunsoft and Clear River Games. ''Gimmick! 2'' was released on September 5, 2024, for Windows, Linux, and Nintendo Switch, with PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions releasing in Japan on December 19, 2024, and in the United States and Europe territories on January 30, 2025.

''Gimmick! 2'' is the sequel to ''Gimmick!'', a platform game released in 1992 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game follows a ''yōkai'' named Yumetaro in a magical journey to rescue the young daughter of his former companion, a girl who has since grown up and passed Yumetaro to her child. ''Gimmick! 2'' received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the preservation of its predecessor's difficulty.

Synopsis and gameplay

''Gimmick! 2'' is a 2D action-adventure platform game that follows the ''yōkai'' protagonist , who embarks on a magical journey to rescue the young daughter of his former companion, a girl who has since grown up and passed Yumetaro to her child. When the child is mysteriously taken away, Yumetaro leaps through a portal to save her.

The game retains much of the original game's mechanics, though the classic sprite-based visuals have been upgraded to high-resolution graphics. The core gameplay revolves around mastering star-conjuring techniques, letting player able to take down enemies, turn switches and also ride on it to reach hidden collectibles that require precise timing and aiming. Yumetaro can also jump, and run.

The game can be played in an easier "assisted mode" or, in the more challenging "Gimmick!" mode, which stays true to the original game's level of difficulty.

Development and release

1992's ''Gimmick!'' originally gained limited recognition due to its restricted release in Japan and Scandinavia, but it became highly regarded by NES enthusiasts and industry figures like Shigeru Miyamoto and Masahiro Sakurai for its advanced mechanics, unique level design, and the technical feat of its physics-based star mechanic.

30 years after the release of ''Gimmick!'', Swedish developer and game director Niklas Istenes—a devoted fan of the original game—was dedicated to revive the classic by creating a sequel, since 2013. Istenes founded Bitwave Games with the ambition of reintroducing ''Gimmick!'' to modern audiences. Initially, however, his efforts to acquire the rights from Sunsoft were met with resistance, largely due to Bitwave's lack of industry experience. The opportunity for a renewed partnership with Sunsoft arose after Embracer Group, a prominent Swedish video game company acquired Bitwave, in 2020 which pitched the game. This acquisition strengthened Bitwave's credibility and allowed Istenes to approach Sunsoft once more, this time successfully securing the rights to develop ''Gimmick! 2''. Many of Bitwave's staff had not known about the original game when it was developed, due to its obscurity. During Embracer's significant restructuring in 2023, layoffs threatened the project's continuity. Lead programmer Olof Karlsson, who had previously taken leave due to burnout, returned to the team, motivated by their collective dedication to bring the sequel to life. In an effort to stay true to ''Gimmick!''s core experience, the team chose to streamline gameplay, focusing on the essential elements that defined the original and reducing any extraneous features. Despite the setbacks, Bitwave Games succeeded in releasing both a rerelease of the original ''Gimmick!'', titled '' Gimmick! Special Edition'' on July 6, 2023, as well as a sequel, ''Gimmick! 2'', on September 5, 2024. And released on other consoles (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S) in Japan on December 19, 2024, and Worldwide in January 30, 2025.

Tomomi Sakai, the developer of the original ''Gimmick!'', was not involved in the development of ''Gimmick! 2'', since he had left Sunsoft years prior. Tomomi only learned about the project when it was publicly announced in June, also during the program "SUNSOFT is Back! Part 5!" that same month in Japan. For which Bitwave Games later issued an apology.

Music

David Wise created the soundtrack for ''Gimmick! 2''. The soundtrack was recorded live in Sweden in collaboration with Joel Bille and creatively overseen by Pelle Cahndlerby. The game's music features both remixes of tracks from the original ''Gimmick!'' and new compositions, incorporating live-recorded instruments that blend traditional Swedish sounds, like the nyckelharpa, with Japanese musical influences to honor the game's Japanese roots.

Reception

Much like its predecessor in retrospect, ''Gimmick! 2'' was well received from critics, gaining "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. In Japan, four critics from ''Famitsu'' gave the game a total score of 29 out of 40.

Nile Bowie of ''Nintendo Life'' gave ''Gimmick! 2'' a "Great" rating, describing the game as "easy recommendation for fans of retro platformers and a no-brainer for lovers of the original. Its cutesy, feel-good vibes belie a trove of super-tough but cleverly crafted challenges that are surmountable with practice, precision, and patience. What's clear is the absolute reverence that developer Bitwave Games has for the source material. Dispel any notion of this being a retro cash grab; this is the sequel that the underappreciated and ahead-of-its-time NES classic has always deserved."

Notes

References

External links

Gimmick! 2 , Bitwave Games
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2024 video games
Platformers
Sunsoft games
Video games developed in Sweden
Single-player video games
Nintendo Switch games
Windows games
Linux games