It is not very often anymore that we see an arcade shooting game that brings us back to the pure joy of Galaga and others of that era, but in a sense, that is exactly what Cotton Fantasy sets out to do. It is a bold task, but Cotton Fantasy does a great job of paying homage to the genre, while being sure to keep fans of the series captivated through the narrative.
Published by: ININ Games
Developed by: SUCCESS
Reviewed on: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: May 20th, 2022
Let’s Fly
For those who are unaware, Cotton Fantasy is a side scrolling shooter that uses a basic joystick and three button control scheme. Each character has a different set of mechanics that really change the flavor of the game, but the basic gameplay does not change from the formula you will learn when you first boot up the story. Your job is to kill as many enemies as you can, while dodging their incoming fire and collecting various items that pop up on the screen. Each level has a different design to it, and this has implications in aesthetic and in gameplay.
The Story
The campaign is fairly short and this is good, because the game suffers from the lack of a save feature. If you plan to play through the campaign, you will have to sit down for the entirety of it, or you will lose your progress. During the missions, there is not much narrative building. Most of that takes place between the missions in cut scenes, which have beautiful cut scenes, with a really great art style. Each playthrough follows the format as follows: you play the opening, you mix and match 5 levels (at first this is just the standard 6 and you unlock more later) and then play through the finale level(s). This gives you are wide variety of replayability, and coupled with the different characters mechanics, offers hours of gameplay from a relatively short story.
While I must confess I am not overly familiar of the story of the Cotton Series, from the research I have done, I do believe that the story of this game will serve to please those long term fans of the series. If you are like me and had never touched the series, you will easily be able to follow along in the story.
The Design
The soundtrack to the game was overall serviceable. I don’t think it is going to be up for a Grammy anytime soon, but I did feel that it added to the experience of the game. The arcade roots are ever present throughout the gameplay, but Cotton Fantasy looks and plays like a dream. The framerate was smooth at all times, and the settings varied enough to continue to be appealing to the eye.
Cotton Fantasy:Bringing back a Genre from the Past
I never thought I would find myself enjoying a new sidescrolling shooter again. Cotton Fantasy proved me thoroughly wrong. It was a a blast to play, and the creators deserve kudos for their execution. The game could have benefitted from a few more game modes and a save feature but overall it was a really enjoyable experience. I would recommend the game to anyone who asked and am excited to see where this series heads next.