Darkwing Duck (Capcom video game)

Did You Know?

• The game was ranked the third best Game Boy game of 1993 by Nintendo Power.
• Entertainment Weekly gave the game a B and noted similarities to the Mega Man series.

Plot

A crime wave hits St. Canard, and S.H.U.S.H. calls on Darkwing Duck to stop it. F.O.W.L. and operative Steelbeak have hired six criminals, including the Fearsome Five (The Liquidator, Megavolt, Dr. Reginald Bushroot, Quackerjack) plus Professor Moliarty and Wolfduck, an original character created for the game. Darkwing must subdue each foe to find Steelbeak and save the city.

Release

The NES version was released in North America in June 1992, followed by a Game Boy version in February 1993. The NES version was included in The Disney Afternoon Collection compilation for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in April 2017, and later for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 in 2026. A sequel pitch with 16-bit styled graphics by Headcannon was rejected, and their playable prototype was released online on January 7, 2019.

Rejected sequel

In 2018, Aaron Sparrow, lead writer for The Duck Knight Returns comic, worked with Sonic Mania developer Headcannon (including main developer Simon Thomley) and Disney comic artist James Silvani to propose a sequel to the NES Darkwing Duck game to Capcom. Simon had long been interested in making a Darkwing Duck game. The proposal was inspired partly by WayForward Technologies' DuckTales: Remastered. Headcannon created a short prototype, and those involved said they would try to get every member of the TV show's voice cast. Simon asked a Capcom representative about the prospects; after what seemed like interest, they proceeded. Further communication yielded no results, and they were advised Disney would likely reject the idea. Aaron and Simon detailed the proposal in 2019 when the demonstration was released on Headcannon's website for download, though it is shorter due to the rejection. The game used pixel graphics, vintage music, a two-dimensional perspective, and similar gameplay to the original with few changes. It featured a Game Boy Advance-like visual filter and was intended as either a spiritual sequel or a remake in the style of DuckTales Remastered. It would have included animated art by James and fully voiced motion comics between stages, set between the TV show and Aaron's comic, featuring villains Steelbeak, Taurus Bulba, and the Fearsome Five. The demo level is a sewer level. USGamer writer Matt Kim expressed hope the video would renew interest. Kotaku's Ethan Gach noted the demo lacks polish but has merit, found mouse and keyboard controls less than ideal, and speculated this may be why Capcom passed, but felt the sound and visuals showed passion. Writer William Usher criticized the sewer setting as not immediately appealing but felt the prototype was still polished.