Narita Boy Reviews
Despite the lack of variety in gameplay, it's and engaging visual and narrative trip.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
"Style over substance" is a reflexively-bandied phrase that's diminished in meaning over time. Although I partly agree to its usage here to highlight certain gameplay flaws, I don't think that should tarnish Narita Boy's immense successes. Studio Koba designed what they knew best – reverent 80s nostalgia, inspired techno-spirituality, beautiful 2D art, & more – with a sincerity rarely seen today.
A testament to handcrafted pixel-art perfection, Narita Boy pays tribute to the arcade classics of the ‘80s while also building on the foundation they laid.
Νarita Boy succeeds in offering a fun, short quest, ideal for those looking for a carefree and at the same time spectacular experience.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Narita Boy delivers in almost every facet and I thoroughly enjoyed my time facing down the Stallion threat. But while it’s positively dripping with 80s nostalgia and style, there’s a lot more to it than just a trip down memory lane – and the fun sword fighting and exploration into a spectacular universe is only the half of it.
Despite any perceived difficulties experienced in Narita Boy, all can be forgiven if you enjoy a world that immerses itself completely in the tech of a bygone era. There’s something to be said about racing against the digital wind on a CRT-horse in a pixelated world that looks like the SNES Star Wars game but feels like that infamous Battletoads level. If you know that exact vibe I’m talking about, you gotta check out Narita Boy. After all, the fate of the Digital Kingdom rests in your hands.
Narita Boy didn’t have to be very good. It was largely crowdfunded on Kickstarter, and once it was out it could have been like a lot of Kickstarter games, or it could have been a non-starter that got launched and fell flat, but the team at Studio Koba really pulled this one out. It’s not a life-changing experience nor is it some deeply spiritual journey, but I think it’a a fun retro game that understands that it’s still a modern release. This is the sort of project that makes big publishers take a team seriously, and whether they decide to partner with a publisher or stay indie, I suspect we’ll see more from Studio Koba coming down the pipeline…er, datastream.
Studio Koba calls their game ‘a poetic, subtle and beautiful handcrafted experience’, and honestly, it’s hard to disagree. What they have created here is a stunning platformer that you will enjoy every second of being in – and whilst I enjoyed my time playing it on the PS5, I feel like it’s a perfect game to boot up on your Nintendo Switch, cozy up in your favourite gaming spot, and get completely lost in. And with the full soundtrack available on Spotify, you can get that nostalgia hit even when you’re not near your console.
Undoubtedly, I thoroughly enjoyed my nearly 9 hours with Narita Boy. I loved the story and lived the experience eagerly despite all its flaws. Whether it was the soundtrack, visuals, story, gameplay, or a mix of all of them, Narita Boy has a magical charm that you can only experience first-hand. In short, Narita Boy is a near perfect experience and a serviceable game. It has so much style that it’s easy to think of its flaws no more than silly quirks.
With an old school cinematic action adventure feel and dripping with neon-lit nostalgic ooze I have no doubt that Narita Boy is targeted squarely at people like me who practically grew up in the arcades...