We already knew it was coming, but Playdate – the cute boutique handheld console with the crank – has just announced its second second of games, and one of those is a brand-new project from the massively acclaimed studio behind FTL and Into the Breach.
As announced during Playdate’s latest showcase, FTL developer Subset Games’ Fulcrum Defender is “totally different” to the studio’s earlier titles, and sees players attempting to survive for as long as possible while holding back wave after wave of incoming enemies. Aiming utilises the crank as foes approach from all sides on the radar-like screen, with attack patterns growing more complex over time. As things progress, upgrades such as new weapons can be unlocked, with the key to survival being a “smart build and good aim”.
“I wanted to make a replayable experience that starts off slow and relaxing, but gradually ramps up until it becomes frantic chaos,” primary developer Jay Ma explained of Fulcrum Defender in today’s Playdate announcement. “Originally I did not plan on finishing this game, I was making it as a form of self-therapy. I have been struggling with Long COVID… and I wanted to prove to myself that I could still make games in my current state.”
Fulcrum Defender is one of 12 new games coming to Playdate as part of Season Two, with three more having so far been revealed in detail. There’s developer Pixel Ghost’s Shadowgate PD, for instance, which reimagines the classic point-and-click adventure series with new music, art, and features. It follows players – in the role of The Seed of Prophecy – as they travel deep into the titular living castle in a bid to defeat the evil Warlock Lord who resides there.
That’s alongside Taria & Como, a physics-based puzzle platformer built around swinging rather than jumping. Developed by Popseed Studio Inc and JuVee Productions, it charts the adventures of Taria, a young girl with a prosthetic leg, who sets out to rescue her sister Como in a world that constantly underestimates her.
And finally for the full reveals, there’s Dig! Dig! Dino!, from Dom 2D (Flinthook) & Fáyer (Arco). This one casts players as a crew of palaeontologists in a game about digging for dinosaurs bones, analysing strange artefacts, and uncovering long-buried secrets. “Sell off coins and treasure to build an arsenal of digging tools,” explains its announcement, “then upgrade them to go deeper and find even more bones and loot!”
Playdate’s second season costs $39 USD and will see two of its 12 included games release each week between 29th May and 3rd July. There’s also a tease for a “must-see surprise” that’ll be “something a little different”. Season Two’s remaining eight games will be properly revealed at a later date, but their titles and developers have been announced as follows:
- Chance’s Lucky Escape – Developed by Goloso Games (Spike II: The Great Emu War) and Julia
- Minamata (The Crimson Diamond)
- Otto’s Galactic Groove – Developed by Team Otto (Skwish)
- Catchadiablos – Developed by Amano Games (Pullfrog Deluxe)
- The Whiteout – Developed by Scenic Route Software (Post Hero, Generations)
- Black Hole Havoc – Developed by Cosmic Bros (Jolly Chimp Champ)
- Wheelsprung – Developed by Nino van Hooff (Gravity Express) and Julie Bjørnskov (Escape the Arcade)
- Tiny Turnip – Developed by Luke Sanderson (Paper Pilot)
- Long Puppy – Developed by Indiana-Jonas (Surmount)
- ▀▄▀▄▀▄ – Developed by Dustin Mierau (Playmaker, Path, Napster)
And if you haven’t yet picked up a Playdate, they’re now readily available on creator Panic Inc’s store for $229 USD, with refurbished units costing $179. A new yellow Playdate cover has also been released for $34 – just be aware those prices don’t include shipping or taxes, which can be pretty substantial outside the US.