The team that made Mega Man 9 is back making a new retro-style platforming shooter that looks like something straight out of the 16-bit era … what? That’s not retro enough for you? Well, the developer has something for you as well.
Azure Striker Gunvolt is a 3DS platformer from Inti Creates, the Japanese studio responsible for making Mega Man 9 and Mega Man 10. Like those games, Gunvolt has players blasting their way through difficult, sci-fi worlds. Inti Creates also oversaw the Mega Man Zero franchise for Game Boy Advance, and Azure Striker Gunvolt resembles that era of “blue bomber” games. While that should please many fans, others may want something a bit more pixelated — and for them, Inti is making Mighty Gunvolt, an 8-bit demake of Azure Striker Gunvolt.
[aditude-amp id="flyingcarpet" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":1532193,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"games,","session":"C"}']: happy to announce anyone who buys Gunvolt (in 1st 3 mnths) will also get the 8-bit NES-style retro-demake 3DS romp #MightyGunvolt, free! :
— INTI CREATES (@IntiCreatesEN) August 20, 2014
Gunvolt debuts Aug. 29 on the 3DS eShop in North America for $15. For a limited time (three months), anyone who buys that game gets Mighty Gunvolt at no additional charge. That means you’re essentially getting two games for the price of one. The studio describes the 8-bit version of its game as having elements similar to classic light-hearted Japanese games like Kid Dracula. The five stages of Mighty Gunvolt will feature enemies inspired by classic games in addition to characters from Gunvolt proper.
This is an interesting way for Inti Creates to encourage fans to pick up its latest release. A “free game” is probably one of the best marketing tactics any developer can employ.
“Mighty Gunvolt is our little way of thanking our fans for buying Gunvolt and for supporting this kind of classic Japanese-style 2D action gaming that we don’t want to see disappear,” Inti Creates chief executive officer Takuya Aizu said. “We hope it’ll give a big smile — and maybe a laugh or two — to anyone who remembers the 8-bit days fondly, or even those just curious on what they missed out on back in the ‘good old days.'”
If you’re interested in what the two games look like, take a look at the screenshots below:
Above: On the left is Azure Striker Gunvolt and on the right is its demake, Mighty Gunvolt.