Windjammers 2
A flying disc sequel with hand-drawn visuals and new characters.
Dotemu both developed and published this 2022 sports title, a sequel to the 1994 Neo Geo original co-created by Data East and SNK. Launching on January 20, 2022, for several platforms, Windjammers 2 earned broadly favorable reviews for its visuals, fresh content, and refined gameplay.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Dotemu
- Producer
- Christian Cortez, Alban Ligouzat
- Designer
- Jordi Ascensio
- Programmer
- Kévin Delbrayelle
- Artist
- Simon Périn
- Composer
- Seiichi Hamada
- Hiroaki Yoshida
- Harumi Fujita
- Sylvain Hellio
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch
- PlayStation 4
- Stadia
- Windows
- Xbox One
- Released
- January 20, 2022
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Windjammers 2 is a sports game played from a top-down perspective, where players throw a flying disc into their opponent's goal while defending their own. Scoring 3 or 5 points occurs by landing the disc in the yellow or red zones respectively; if a player fails to catch the disc before it hits the ground, the opponent receives 2 or 4 points depending on the arena. A set is won by reaching 15 points or having more points after 90 seconds, with time continuing after scores. Ties count for both players, and a match requires winning two sets. The game features 13 playable characters, including all six from the original Windjammers plus four new ones: Jao Raposa of Brazil, Max Hurricane of Canada, Sammy Ho of China, and Sophie De Lys of France. A secret character, Disc Man, is selectable via a trick at the character selection screen. Two additional characters, Anna Szalinski of Poland and the cyborg Jamma GX03, were added in a free update. Each character has unique attributes and an EX Move for gameplay advantages. Players compete on 10 courts, including all six from the original game, with different goal zones and properties. Single-player and local multiplayer modes are available, along with an Arcade Mode for championship play. Cross-platform play launched between Windows and Xbox One, and expanded to all systems in October 2023.
Development
Dotemu approached Paon DP, the intellectual property owner for Windjammers, to develop a port of the original game and a new sequel. Kevin Delbrayelle, who had retro-engineered the first game during its port production, led the sequel's technical development. The game features hand-drawn 2D animation visuals, similar to Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap and Streets of Rage 4. Pre-production began in late 2017, and the title was announced during a Nintendo Direct in August 2018. Originally planned for a 2019 release on Nintendo Switch and Windows, it was delayed to early 2020, then again to 2021. Versions for PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Xbox One were added during development. The game released on January 20, 2022, with an Amazon Luna version on November 4, 2022. A free update in October 2023 added two characters, a training mode, and reworked online functionality including cross-platform play, spectator mode, and online lobby support.
Reception
Windjammers 2 earned mostly positive scores from critics across most platforms, according to Metacritic, though the PlayStation 4 version landed in the mixed-to-average range. Eurogamer highlighted how faithfully the game stuck to the original, with the core mechanics feeling identical beneath the updated look. Nintendo Life praised the new visuals, comparing them favorably to the artistic refresh seen in Streets of Rage 4. TouchArcade took issue with the game's lack of instruction, noting that newcomers face a steep learning curve thanks to no training mode and a tough CPU opponent even on easy. IGN liked that every move had a clear counter, so players never felt cheated by unfair tactics. PCMag enjoyed how different character playstyles created interesting matchups, like choosing between a speedy Brazilian or a powerful German. Destructoid appreciated the hand-drawn 2D art but found the control scheme frustrating, since the throw button doubles as the dash button, making it hard to stop dashing. Game Informer praised the controls, depth, presentation, and soundtrack, but criticized the thin content and missing tutorial. GameSpot liked the fun gameplay, added depth, and online play, but pointed out poor accessibility and a lack of content. PC Gamer found the characters and pacing appealing, though the difficulty was punishing. Shacknews lauded the mix of old and new content, smooth gameplay, visuals, soundtrack, netcode, options, and performance, while noting issues with arcade difficulty, balance, and accessibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Windjammers 2?
Windjammers 2 was designed by Jordi Ascensio.
Who composed the music for Windjammers 2?
The music for Windjammers 2 was composed by Seiichi Hamada, Hiroaki Yoshida, Harumi Fujita and Sylvain Hellio.
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