Where to get it

2016 · Action · Adventure

20XX

20XX is a co-op-friendly action platformer roguelite. Explore procedurally generated levels, collect new weapons and abilities, purchase upgrades, and crush ferocious bosses! If you are a fan of roguelikes or Mega Man, 20XX is for you!

Released: 12 October 2016
Platforms: Nintendo Switch PlayStation 4 Windows Xbox One
Genres: Action Adventure Arcade Indie Platformer Roguelike Shooter
Developers: —
Publishers: —
Series: 20XX
Modes: Co-op Multiplayer Single-player
Perspective: Side view
Themes: Action Science fiction
Country: United States
Age ratings: ESRB E10+CERO A USK 6 PEGI 3 GRAC 12+
Languages: Chinese (Simplified), English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Spanish (Spain)
Copies sold: 300,000 as of 2023-12-14
Time to beat: 6hmain story41hcompletionist

About

20XX is a platform game developed by American studio Batterystaple Games. The early access version was released for Microsoft Windows on Steam on October 12, 2016, and in full on August 16, 2017. PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One versions were released in July 2018. A sequel, 30XX, was released on Steam Early Access on February 17, 2021, and in full on August 9, 2023.

Players say

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Inspired by Mega Man X, players must defeat enemies and complete difficult platforming challenges to finish a stage. In contrast to Mega Man X, stages are proceduraly generated based on level segments, or "chunks", and allow for both local and online co-op. Rather than giving several lives, the game has permadeath, but is a "roguelite" in that the player can use Soul Chips earned during the level to unlock new types of passive upgrades to buy, and gain upgrades for the next attempt of that particular run.

During levels, players can use bolts gained as currency to buy passive upgrades or to restore health or energy in vending machines. They can find upgrades in treasure chests and other places. Upon beating a boss the player can choose between multiple rewards: the boss's power (granting them a new special ability), bolts, or a random passive upgrade.

Story

The game follows Nina, an armored girl armed with a power blaster, and Ace, an armored boy with an energy sword, in the aftermath of a robotic uprising. Traveling from their base on the Ark, a space station orbiting the Earth, they have been hired to clear dangerous locations infested with robots running amok.

Development

20XX began development after a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter in the spring of 2014, when the game was called Echoes of Eridu. Following a successful Kickstarter, the game joined the Fire Hose Games accelerator program and appeared in the Indie Megabooth at Penny Arcade Expo 2015.

The game was developer Chris King's first commercial game, and its development was prompted by the belief that it was his last chance to do such a risky thing as game development without a family to support, as he was in his late 20s. The idea behind the game was due to his belief that Capcom had ceased to make enough Mega Man titles, and that he and other fans desired more of that style of gameplay.

Reception

Nintendo Life described the gameplay as addictive, and, although they felt some aspects were a bit repetitive, they said the upgrades and customization made up for it. Nintendo World Report recommended it to fans of Mega Man and platform games, but they felt it should have more story.