Indie publisher Ratalaika Games and developer Ohsat Games will release side scrolling adventure title Go! Go! PogoGirl on February 10, bringing '90s nostalgia to home consoles with its retro graphics reminiscent of simpler times.
"My main goal with this game was to spread that same sort of naive joy I experienced when playing platformers in the 90s," siad developer Andrej Preradovic in a press release. Without a complicated level-up system or Metroidvania-like maps, Go! Go! PogoGirl simply has you scrolling left to right in an adventure to recover a stolen pogo stick. The journey to chase down the thief will have you bouncing through 20 levels (with at least more after you beat the final boss), using different pogo techniques to take out enemies and avoid traps. Every four levels represent a season of the year, culminating with a boss level at the end of each.
There is more to do than just bouncing from left to right to complete each level. Gems are scattered across all stages, 100 in each, with a counter to track how many you've collected. Exploring the ins and outs of each level will reveal fake walls and hidden pathways. Achievements like hidden collectibles and bonuses will reward you with medals at the end of each level. Collecting all medals in the game will unlock new ways to play.
The passion behind this project's nostalgia for 90s platforming games is clear from the developer's own words. "I did my best to recreate the polish and charm these games had, going so far as to implement actual push-button cheats," says Preradovic. With its brightly colored designs, physics-defying gravity, and pickups like shields, this looks like a happy marriage between Sonic the Hedgehog and the DuckTales video games.
At a mere $4.99 price point across all platforms, it doesn't need to pack in too much to give you your money's worth. Go! Go! PogoGirl will be available on Steam, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch upon release.