From the Creators of Narita Boy: Introducing Haneda Girl

Back in 2017, Studio Koba made waves with the announcement of Narita Boy. Taking its name from Tokyo’s second-largest airport, this game seemed tailor-made for Kickstarter success. Its sleek pixel art characters navigating a neon-lit side-scrolling world offered a strong nostalgic nod to ’80s anime, yet sprinkled with modern visual touches. The game felt like a personal quest for Eduardo Fornieles, a former Friend & Foe team member, who returned to his hometown with dreams of crafting something truly special.

At that time, Narita Boy was merely a concept, but its stunning visuals were enough to propel the crowdfunding campaign to success. Fast forward four years, and the game was finally released, becoming one of Kickstarter’s shining triumphs. It was like playing a living cartoon, merging surreal storytelling with classic action-adventure elements. However, despite its captivating aesthetics, some felt the gameplay—with its basic combat and text-heavy screens—fell a bit short, occasionally disrupting the experience.

Enter Haneda Girl, Studio Koba’s follow-up title, which doesn’t share those issues. Announced last year, a demo is now available on Steam. Though the name suggests a sequel, Haneda Girl—named after Tokyo’s largest airport—is not directly connected to its predecessor. This action-platformer promises faster movement, responsive controls, and the precision needed for high-stakes wall-jumping while dodging enemy fire.

Players step into the shoes of Chichi Wakaba, a swift sword-wielding girl capable of flitting across the screen in seconds. She lacks ranged attacks, demanding players to outmaneuver foes, employ “ghost mode” to evade lasers, or cleverly manipulate the environment, akin to classic BurgerTime tactics. But watch out—one bullet can end her journey abruptly.

However, the real twist is Chichi’s mech ally, M.O.T.H.E.R. She can hop in and out of this mechanical partner, which moves at a slower pace and can’t jump as high but boasts a powerful machine gun and can take several hits before self-repairing.

Having played the demo, I found myself frequently switching between Wakaba and M.O.T.H.E.R. This allowed me to charge attacks, shield against enemy fire, or simply unleash a barrage of bullets in frantic situations. The levels are cleverly designed to encourage this dynamic, combining tight passages and towering walls that only Wakaba can traverse with hordes of enemies that M.O.T.H.E.R. can mow down more effectively. It seems feasible to speedrun primarily focusing on Wakaba, but the duet between the two characters is what truly makes the demo engaging. There were moments when I was tempted to race straight to the goal, only to opt for a strategic pause followed by a burst of controlled chaos.

Of course, sometimes I threw caution to the wind, and yes, I often paid the price. As the trailer hints, experiencing a few (or many) virtual demises is part of the journey.