The Creators of Narita Boy Announce Their New Game: Haneda Girl

When Studio Koba first introduced Narita Boy back in 2017, it felt like a game crafted perfectly for Kickstarter. Named after Tokyo’s significant airport, it featured sleek pixel art characters navigating a neon-infused side-scrolling world. The game was drenched in ’80s anime nostalgia yet boasted modern visual effects. Its story revolved around Eduardo Fornieles, a former member of Friend & Foe, who returned to his roots to create the game he had always envisioned.

At the time, it was merely a concept, albeit a stunning one. That was enough to propel a successful crowdfunding campaign, exceeding expectations.

Fast forward four years, and Narita Boy launched as one of Kickstarter’s victorious stories. It played like a cartoon come to life, capturing a surreal take on classic action-adventures. While it dazzled visually, with simple combat and text-heavy screens often bogging down the pace, its feel didn’t quite match its looks.

Enter the team’s new project, Haneda Girl, which manages to avoid such pitfalls.

Revealed last year and with a demo already available on Steam, Haneda Girl—named after Tokyo’s biggest airport—isn’t a direct sequel despite its title. This action-platformer offers brisker movement, more reactive controls, and the precision demanded for executing wall jumps while dodging incoming fire from all directions.

Players take on the role of Chichi Wakaba, a nimble swordswoman who can zip across the screen in a flash. Without ranged attacks, she relies on stealth to approach enemies, uses “ghost mode” to evade lasers, and can slice panels to drop platforms on unsuspecting foes below, reminiscent of BurgerTime. However, she’s highly fragile, succumbing to a single bullet.

The twist? Chichi partners with a mech, M.O.T.H.E.R., which she can enter and exit at will. Though slower and not as agile in jumping, the mech is equipped with a machine gun turret and withstands multiple shots before needing a brief moment to respawn after blowing up.

During my time with the demo, I frequently alternated between Chichi and her mech, utilizing it to charge her attacks, soak up damage, or simply unleash a torrent of bullets in the hope of clearing a path. Levels are designed to encourage this duality, presenting narrow passages and high walls accessible only to Chichi, alongside enemy-laden rooms perfect for M.O.T.H.E.R.’s firepower. While there seems to be potential for a speedrun focused on Chichi’s abilities, the harmony between the two characters made the demo particularly satisfying. I often found myself on the brink of dashing towards the finish, pausing just in time to strategize briefly, followed by a burst of chaos.

Or, sometimes, I’d simply charge ahead and meet my demise. As the trailer hints, that’s something players will often experience.