Owlboy from D-Pad studio is looked upon incredibly fondly by fans and critics alike as one of the most enjoyable indie titles around, but also one of the best modern exponents of pixel art. There’s no doubting that the game’s visuals were astounding, and many had hoped that Owlboy developer Simon Stafsnes Andersen would get his way and make the dream Chrono Break game that he compiled on YouTube several years ago. All pining aside, it’s time to cast our eyes towards a realistic future. Several weeks ago, it was announced that D-Pad were on the verge of announcing their new game at GamesCom 2022 in Germany, but, nearly two weeks early and it’s been announced early – Vikings On Trampolines is coming.
Vikings On Trampolines ticks a lot of boxes at face value. That same gorgeous pixel art that won us over instantly with Owlboy? Check. 1-4 player co-op craziness? Sign us up. PC and consoles? You bet.
While the cat is out of the bag a little early, the developer did declare a fortnight ago that it “will be revealing it’s NEW GAME at Gamescom #gamescom2022 (AUG 24-28),” so it’s reasonable to conclude that while the announcement is out there, that the game itself will still have a place of prominence within the event, whether that is at Geoff Keighley’s Opening Night Live, other showcases, or simply on the show floor.
The game is embracing its lighthearted name with an equally lighthearted experience. The press release accompanying the game declares key details about the game’s story, but also its accessibility for players of all levels of experience. “Featuring a Story Mode that sets you on a quest to stop the gaseous villain Balloonie, as well as a head-to-head Versus Mode, Vikings on Trampolines is packed with minigames, battles, mind-blowing bosses, balloon-soccer and more. All of this can be played with a single thumbstick, opening the game to players of all ages and ensuring that you can become a master of air-time in no time,” the statement reads.
The project itself is something of a miracle, with it spawning from an experiment the team worked on before eventually developing into a full-sized game. “Vikings on Trampolines began life as one of our small experimental projects, which won the first Nordic Games Indie Sensation Award back in 2011,” said D-Pad Studio’s Jo-Remi Madsen. “After releasing Owlboy, we’ve since returned to the idea and developed it into a fun, fully-fledged, co-op adventure! Between Simon’s incredible art, an awesome soundtrack and a unique concept, we aim to deliver a game bursting with the character and quality D-Pad Studio is known for.”
Vikings on Trampolines will be coming to PC and consoles at a currently undisclosed date. Given that it has been six years since Owlboy launched, a somewhat imminent launch may be plausible, although Owlboy itself is notable for having been in development for nearly a decade.
