Ludography
76/100
Players28 ratings
77/100
Critics4 reviews
More scores
Metacritic28 critic reviews
74/100
Metacritic usersuser score
67/100
GameFAQsTough
3.71/5
Player reviews
79% positive1,167 reviews
Steam Deck
Verified
Runs on
Windows, Mac
Price
US$24.99

Where to get it

Narita Boy cover

2021 · Studio Koba · Action-adventure · Adventure

Narita Boy

The retro-futuristic pixel game

Released
30 March 2021
Platforms
LinuxNintendo SwitchPlayStation 4WindowsXbox OnemacOS
Genres
Action-adventureAdventureIndiePlatformer
Developers
Studio Koba
Publishers
Team17
Modes
Single-player
Perspective
Side view
Themes
ActionMystery
Country
Spain
Age ratings
ESRB TACB MGRAC 15+PEGI 16
Languages
Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Spanish (Spain)
Time to beat
7hmain story9hcompletionist

About

Narita Boy is a 2021 action-adventure video game developed by Spanish team Studio Koba and published by Team17. The game is an action platformer that follows the titular Narita Boy as he tries to save the Digital Kingdom from the Stallions. The game was released on March 30, 2021 for Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and for Amazon Luna on April 29, 2021.

›Story

You are Narita Boy, a legendary digital hero in an epic quest through simultaneous dimensions.

The digital kingdom is under attack and you are called as their last hope of survival. Explore a vast world to find the techno sword, the only effective weapon against the threat.

Players say

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Narita Boy is a 2D platformer with Metroidvania elements, as the player explores the Digital Kingdom using their abilities to travel across the level. In each level the player must find "Techno-Keys" which allow the player to access new areas.

There are also various story segments throughout the game, where the player relives the Creator's memories and learns about why he created the Digital Kingdom.

Development

Narita Boy was funded through Kickstarter in 2017, raising €160,946. Eduardo Fornieles, Narita Boy's director, states that his childhood experiences in Spain and his time spent living in Japan influenced the story and the aesthetic of the game. When discussing the game's mix of technology and natural environments the director added, "I find beauty in the mix between organic and non-organic." The game was initially set to launch in December 2018, but was delayed to Spring 2021. The game launched on March 30, 2021.

Reception

Narita Boy received "mixed or average" reviews according to Metacritic, except for the PlayStation 4 version which received "generally favorable" reviews.

Rachel Watts of PC Gamer praised the world building of the Digital Kingdom, noting how the game used spirituality in the world. They also praised the segments where the player relives the Creator's memories saying, "These flashback moments are quietly reflective and act as a great counterbalance to all the satirical '80s macho power-fantasy present throughout the rest of the game." Ollie Reynolds, writing for Nintendo Life, enjoyed the game's combat and mentioned how each ability gave the combat more depth.

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
Nintendo Switch29 March 2021Europe · Worldwide 30 March 2021
macOS30 March 2021Worldwide
Xbox One30 March 2021Worldwide
Windows30 March 2021Worldwide
Linux30 March 2021Worldwide
PlayStation 430 March 2021Worldwide

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Collections3 collections

Years

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.