If you have the rights to one of the most popular 1980s animated television shows, and you combine it with retro game art and style, it’s likely you could come up with something that looks as fun to play as the just announced G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra. This upcoming title from developer Maple Powered Games and publisher Freedom Games looks like it could have been created over 30 years ago for arcade machines.
The game’s press release says the storyline is one that’s pretty typical for the G.I. Joe animated series, as the Joe team members once again fight to stop the evil terrorist organization Cobra from trying to take over the world.
The game itself is a 2D side-scrolling brawler, where you control beloved Joe characters like Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Roadblock, and more as they fight off Cobra’s forces, led by the evil Cobra Commander. The fight will take Joe to numerous locations on land, sea, air, and yes, even outer space.
Freedom Games says:
Wield an arsenal of weapons, explosives, and more as you combat the ferocious forces of Cobra and take on Troopers, Ninja Vipers, HISS Tanks, the deadly Crimson Guard and more. String together powerful combos and master the special abilities of each character to turn the tide of battle. Master dodging and parrying to overcome the odds and save the world. Assemble up to four players in both online or couch co-op in either Story or Arcade Mode.
The game combines hand-drawn 2D pixel artwork with animated cutscenes created in the style of the original TV show, along with a retro arcade-style soundtrack.
The game is due out in the first quarter of 2024. It will be released on Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG for Windows, Mac, and Linux, along with the Nintendo Switch console. So far there’s no word on if it will launch for Xbox or Playstation platforms.