Once in the game world, you are the eponymous Narita Boy, essentially an 8-bit superhero (the game jokes about how he is composed of ‘less than 20 pixels’). It’s a simple ruse which could easily have been overdone but isn’t and will induce a warm glow in anyone who recalls the days before screens were universally flat. But on top of that, developer Studio Koba has added a filter effect that slightly distorts the edges of the screen and adds fake vertical hold artefacts, creating the impression that you’re playing it on an old cathode ray television. Take its graphics, for example: they are a loving tribute to games from the 8-bit era, complete with rampant pixelation and flashes of lurid primary-colour palettes. Narita Boy may have been created by a tiny team, but that team knows the importance of attention to detail.
It has an indefinable, endearing spark which elevates it way above the indie-landfill that often characterises such games and manages to be both compellingly addictive and surprisingly thought-provoking. But Narita Boy is worthy of your attention. The latest indie game from Team17 is one of the best Metroidvanias of recent years and a thrilling homage to 8-bit gaming.Ī consciously retro Metroidvania style game created by a tiny, debutant indie studio in Barcelona may not sound like the most essential of purchases, at least on paper. Narita Boy – retro graphics have never seemed so stylish (pic: Team17)
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