Fans of retro-style games have a new entry to look forward to that has serious GBA vibes:Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo. Retro gaming covers a vast period of time stretching all the way from the very first video games to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 era. But generally, when people think of retro, they imagine pixels, bright colors, and digitally generated sound. Pocket Trap’s upcomingPipistrello and the Cursed Yoyofits right into that description.
The 2D top-down adventure game,Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyois laying claim to the title of first Yoyovania. Traversing a city with four distinct neighborhoods and associated crime lords to take down, the player wields a yoyo both as a weapon and a useful navigation tool. Learning clever new tricks throughout the playthrough will enable protagonist Pippit to reach seemingly unreachable places, overcome challenges, andsolve puzzles.
Pocket Trap and publisher PM Studio have announced thatPipistrello and the Cursed Yoyowill be releasing for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox Series X/S on Jun 01, 2025. Preorders are already open, and a demo is currently available for those eager to check it out. To get the physical version of the game, fans will need to grab the Collector’s Edition, which also comes with a Pippit plushie. The promo image shows only a PS5 and Switch box, so it’s unclear if there will be an Xbox or PC version of the Collector’s Edition.
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo: A Modern Game with a Retro Feel
For those who don’t know, a pipistrelle (pipistrello in Italian) is an adorable microbat whose egg-shaped body only reaches about two inches long. In the story-driven,retro-style experienceofPipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo,Pippit the bat is on a mission to restore the prestige of his family after his aunt has been abducted. Along the way, he can collect 20 passive upgrades and over 40 badges to equip, and the various possible combinations will give the determined pipistrello different abilities or alter his yoyo’s behavior. Additionally, there are more than 80 collectibles, like life upgrades and other goodies, hidden throughout the city.
Developer Pocket Trap is a small Brazilianindie studiofounded in 2013. So far, it has releasedDodgeball AcademiaandNinjin: Clash of Carrots, both with a zany, colorful, and lighthearted feel. The company also co-created the animated seriesNINJINfor Cartoon Network Brazil and HBO Max.
