New 8-Bit Metroidvania Mawthorne 2 Launches Kickstarter

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CrazyGroupTrip is the developer name of one person who has programmed some of the best NES homebrews of the last five years. He was responsible for Shera and the 40 Thieves, Tryptic and Mawthorne 1, and now he’s whipped up a sequel to that last game, even more ambitious than the original. It is not necessary to be familiar with Mawthorne 1 to enjoy Mawthorne 2 — all you need to know is that the title character, the one with the beak and the robe, has traveled to a nearby moon and the wreckage of the space station Epsilon 3. He’s on a scavenger hunt to enhance his own powers and abilities. But this moon is definitely a planetary body that supports life — vicious life. While Mawthorne will find the upgrades he’s hunting for, he will need every one of them to survive. A large world to explore filled with monsters and hazards! Unlock 6 new forms with different stats and abilities from defeating powerful bosses! Find secrets and shortcuts hidden within the world! 3 difficulty settings for preferred gameplay experience. Saving! You can save your game at checkpoints and resume your adventure later! * Supports 5 languages: English, […]
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Looks fun. I like Metroidvania games, and this one seems simple but cool. The different forms and boss fights sound good. I’ll try the demo before I decide.
 
As someone who still owns my NES and plays it regularly, I’m happy to see developers like CrazyGroupTrip continuing to support the system. The fact that he makes physical cartridges really excites me. It’s rare to see new games in this format that look this polished. I also appreciate that he includes multiple languages on one cart — very thoughtful. I backed a few NES homebrew projects in the past and this seems to be on a higher level of quality. I’m going for the $60 tier because I love having the box and manual too. It makes the experience feel complete. Looking forward to playing it this October.
 
I’m not very familiar with NES homebrew games, but this sounds like a fun one to try. I think the graphics look nice for an 8-bit game, and I like the idea of fighting monsters on a moon. I usually play modern games, but I think I will support this one because I want to see what it feels like to play something made with care for old systems. The idea of changing forms and using new powers sounds fun and gives more ways to play. Also, being able to save the game is very important for me.
 
I like a challenge, so I hope the hard mode is actually hard. Some retro games just look old but are too easy. If this has smart level design and good boss fights, I’m in.
 
As a hobbyist developer myself, I can tell you that building a game like this for the NES is not easy. The hardware is very limited, and to create a world with multiple forms, boss mechanics, saving functionality, and multi-language support is seriously impressive. Especially for a solo developer. CrazyGroupTrip has shown strong command over the NES's limitations. If he also coded smooth platforming and clear visual cues, this will be a very fun game. I hope more people in the game dev community pay attention to this. It shows that even in 2025, 8-bit games still have space to grow creatively.
 
I don’t usually back Kickstarters, but this one is tempting. The digital version is only $10, which is cheaper than most games these days. If the demo is good, I’ll buy that tier. I just want to enjoy something different and this feels like a project made with love. Not every game needs fancy graphics. I care more about fun and exploration, and this looks like it has both.
 
This reminds me of the games I played with my brother when we were kids. Seeing a new NES game with care and creativity brings back those memories. I think my kids would enjoy watching me play this. I might even let them try, though they’re used to more modern games. Still, sometimes the simple style helps them focus more. I’m thinking of getting the physical copy just so we can have something special together.
 
Love that there are shortcuts and secrets. That’s great for speedrunning. If movement and damage boosting are good, this could be a fun one to run.
 
Six forms and hidden secrets? Sounds like a lot to collect. I hope the level layout makes it fun to go back and search for missed stuff. Some Metroidvanias get annoying with backtracking, but if this one has smart shortcuts and clear signposting, it could be very satisfying. I’m waiting to hear how long the game is. If it’s deep enough, I’ll go for the $40 cart.
 

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