Navinosuke: The Yokai Buster Revival Set for Switch and PC in 2027
Kohachi Studio's Ryota Seki and publisher Happinet are reviving the abandoned SNK RPG with its original pixel art and design documents.
Kohachi Studio director and CEO Ryota Seki is partnering with Japanese publisher Happinet on the Navinosuke: The Yokai Buster Revival Project, the two announced. The revived creature-collector RPG is scheduled to launch on Nintendo Switch and PC in 2027, according to cbr.com.
The project draws on decades-old pixel artwork and design documents from the original version and is being developed with members of the original team. A demo is also in development.
The game features more than 200 collectible yokai, turn-based battles in which three supporting yokai fight alongside the main fighters, and a yokai encyclopedia. New guide characters have been added to make the game more accessible to modern players.
Seki said roughly 90% of the original content has been finalized, with additional scenarios and improvements still being added.
Two decades after the original was shelved
Nearly 20 years ago, SNK was forced to abandon development on Navinosuke: The Yokai Buster. In the early 2000s, Seki was presented with the scenario and design assets while employed at SNK, but no playable build remained. Seki spent the next 20 years looking for an opportunity to bring the game to life.
Quick answers
When does Navinosuke: The Yokai Buster come out?
The game is scheduled to launch on Nintendo Switch and PC in 2027.
Is there a demo?
A demo is currently in development, according to the announcement.
What is the Navinosuke: The Yokai Buster Revival Project?
It is a revival of an SNK RPG that was abandoned nearly 20 years ago, led by Kohachi Studio's Ryota Seki with publisher Happinet.