Developed by Batterystaple Games, the Mega Man-inspired roguelike action platformer 30XX will be officially released for Switch and PC via Steam on August 9, 2023. Previously available as an Early Access Game on Steam from February 17, 2021, the game is a direct sequel to the developer’s previous title, aptly named 20XX.
The announcement was followed up with a new shared trailer, highlighting some of the more unique features such as online/couch co-op and the permadeath-free Mega Mode.
▍30XX Release Date Trailer
▍30XX Story & Setting
Awaken a thousand years after 20XX to realize the world that needed you is gone, changed irreversibly by the advent of the Synthetic Mind and a human race that’s lost the will to reach for the stars. Explore the lush, verdant prison our world has become, and fight to save what remains. Destroy fearsome Guardians. Master unique Powers. Rediscover the thousand years we’ve lost.
Rise. Fight. Fall. Adapt. There’s a sublime meaning in this endless cycle, somewhere, buried deep.
▍30XX Gameplay
Procure new weapons and power-ups across ten randomly-generated levels, all to the sweet sounds of a retro chiptune-flavored original soundtrack. Heavily inspired by the Megaman series (in particular Megaman X), the games have players shooting and platforming through gauntlets of enemies and hazards realized in beautiful sprite work.
Much like its inspiration, 30XX features two protagonists, Nina, who uses a blue hand cannon that fires off all kinds of projectiles, and Ace, who utilizes deadly combos with his arm blade. While Nina can combine two skills to give them different properties, Ace can slot in more skills at a time. The two get access to drastically different abilities and attacks as well, adding replayability as a roguelike.
Build, share, and play custom levels with the MegaCommunity in the new Maker Mode on PC, and enjoy these levels on Nintendo Switch as well. Players will get to use the same developer tools the game was made, to design stages jam-packed with endless editing options for the trickiest of brain-teasing puzzles and the toughest speedrunning challenges, or craft your own Metroidvania.
The game features the option to play with friends, with player 2 taking control of Nina or Ace accordingly. Outside of this, the 30XX can be played in Classic mode which has players go through procedurally generated stages, or in the all-new Mega mode where stages and boss encounters can be selected like a level select.
