Gimmick! 2 is a 2024 platform game developed by Bitwave Games and published by Sunsoft and Clear River Games. Gimmick! 2 was released on September 5, 2024, for Windows, Linux, and Nintendo Switch, with PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions releasing in Japan on December 19, 2024, and in the United States and Europe territories on January 30, 2025.
Gimmick! 2 is the sequel to Gimmick!, a platform game released in 1992 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game follows a yōkai named Yumetaro in a magical journey to rescue the young daughter of his former companion, a girl who has since grown up and passed Yumetaro to her child. Gimmick! 2 received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the preservation of its predecessor's difficulty.
Synopsis and gameplay
Gimmick! 2 is a 2Daction-adventureplatform game that follows the yōkai protagonist Yumetaro[a], who embarks on a magical journey to rescue the young daughter of his former companion, a girl who has since grown up and passed Yumetaro to her child. When the child is mysteriously taken away, Yumetaro leaps through a portal to save her.[3][4]
The game retains much of the original game's mechanics, though the classic sprite-based visuals have been upgraded to high-resolution graphics and the removal of the score, item, and life systems.[5] The core gameplay revolves around mastering star-conjuring techniques, allowing the player to take down enemies, turn switches, and also ride on it to reach hidden collectibles that require precise timing and aiming. Yumetaro can also jump, and run.[4][6]
The game can be played in an easier "assisted mode" or, in the more challenging "Gimmick!" mode, which stays true to the original game's level of difficulty.[7][8]
Development
Gimmick! 2 was developed by Bitwave Games and published by Sunsoft and Clear River Games.[9] 1992's Gimmick! originally gained limited recognition due to its restricted release in Japan and Scandinavia, but it became highly regarded by NES enthusiasts and industry figures like Shigeru Miyamoto and Masahiro Sakurai for its advanced mechanics, unique level design, and the technical feat of its physics-based star mechanic.[10][11]
30 years after the release of Gimmick!, Swedish developer and game director Niklas Istenes—a devoted fan of the original game—has been dedicated to reviving the classic by creating a sequel since 2013.[12] Istenes founded Bitwave Games with the ambition of reintroducing Gimmick! to modern audiences. Initially, however, his efforts to acquire the rights from Sunsoft were met with resistance, largely due to Bitwave's lack of industry experience. The opportunity for a renewed partnership with Sunsoft arose after Embracer Group, a prominent Swedish video game company acquired Bitwave in 2020, which pitched the game.[10][11][12] This acquisition strengthened Bitwave's credibility and allowed Istenes to approach Sunsoft once more, this time successfully securing the rights to develop Gimmick! 2. Many of Bitwave's staff had not known about the original game when it was developed, due to its obscurity. During Embracer's significant restructuring in 2023, layoffs threatened the project's continuity. Lead programmer Olof Karlsson, who had previously taken leave due to burnout, returned to the team, motivated by their collective dedication to bring the sequel to life. In an effort to stay true to Gimmick!'s core experience, the team chose to streamline gameplay, focusing on the essential elements that defined the original and reducing any extraneous features.[10][11]
Music
David Wise created the soundtrack for Gimmick! 2.[13][14][15] The soundtrack was recorded live in Sweden in collaboration with Joel Bille and creatively overseen by Pelle Cahndlerby.[14][16][17] The game's music features both remixes of tracks from the original Gimmick! and new compositions, incorporating live-recorded instruments that blend traditional Swedish sounds, like the nyckelharpa, with Japanese musical influences to honor the game's Japanese roots.[17][18] Music for the final levels of the game, however David couldn't been able to hear or see.[16]
Release
Gimmick! 2 was first revealed in June 2024,[19][20][21] also during the program "SUNSOFT is Back! Part 5!" that same month in Japan.[22] And later showcased at Gamescom, in August at Cologne, Germany.[23] Tomomi Sakai, designer, programmer, and artist of the original Gimmick!, was not involved in the development of Gimmick! 2, since he had left Sunsoft years prior. He only learned about the project when it was publicly announced, for which Bitwave Games later issued an apology.[13][24]
Despite the setbacks, Bitwave Games succeeded in releasing both a rerelease of the original Gimmick!, titled Gimmick! Special Edition on July 6, 2023,[25][26] as well as a sequel, Gimmick! 2, on PC and Nintendo Switch in September 5, 2024.[9][26][27][28][29][30] And released on other consoles (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S) in Japan on December 19, 2024,[31][32][33][34] and Worldwide in January 30, 2025.[7][33][35][13] Physical release of the game was made on PS5 and Switch.[36][37]
Much like its predecessor in retrospect, Gimmick! 2 was well received from critics, gaining "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic,[38] and "Strong" reviews on OpenCritic.[42] In Japan, four critics from Famitsu gave the game a total score of 29 out of 40.[39][40]
Nile Bowie of Nintendo Life gave Gimmick! 2 a "Great" rating, describing the game as "easy recommendation for fans of retro platformers and a no-brainer for lovers of the original. Its cutesy, feel-good vibes belie a trove of super-tough but cleverly crafted challenges that are surmountable with practice, precision, and patience. What's clear is the absolute reverence that developer Bitwave Games has for the source material. Dispel any notion of this being a retro cash grab; this is the sequel that the underappreciated and ahead-of-its-time NES classic has always deserved."[8]
↑ Tokunagi, Hirotaki (December 19, 2024). "高難易度の物理アクションゲーム「ギミック! 2」家庭用ゲーム機版が発売"[Highly difficult physics action game "Gimmick! 2" home console version released]. Game Watch Impress (in Japanese). Retrieved June 8, 2025.
↑ Toshin, Kagami (2024-10-03). "桜井政博も認めたファミコンの傑作が令和に蘇る！ 色褪せない名シリーズ『Gimmick! Special Edition』＆『Gimmick! 2』レビュー"[A Famicom masterpiece recognized by Masahiro Sakurai is reborn in the Reiwa era! A review of the timeless classic series "Gimmick! Special Edition" and "Gimmick! 2"]. Real Sound｜リアルサウンド テック (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2024-10-03. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
↑ "サンソフトの名作ACT続編『ギミック!2』Steam版リリース―星を投げたり乗ったりしながら大冒険！初心者向けのアシストモードも搭載"[SUNSOFT's classic action sequel "Gimmick! 2" released on Steam - A great adventure while throwing and riding stars! Includes an assist mode for beginners]. Game*Spark (in Japanese). 2024-09-06. Archived from the original on 2024-09-05. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
↑ "【サンソフト】 超激レアなレトロゲームの完全新作 『ギミック! 2』の家庭用ゲーム機版が12月19日に一斉発売決定！"[[Sunsoft] The home console version of the completely new, super rare retro game "Gimmick! 2" will be released on December 19th!]. Hakouters (in Japanese). 2024-12-22. Archived from the original on 2024-12-22. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
↑ Aetas (2024-12-19). "サンソフトの高難度物理アクションゲームの続編が登場。「ギミック! 2」，コンシューマ機向けに本日発売"[The sequel to Sunsoft's highly challenging physics action game has arrived. "Gimmick! 2" is out today for consoles.]. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2024-12-19. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
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