On New Years Eve 2019 VRFocus published its Most Anticipated VR Games Coming In 2020 and those on that list which have arrived including Half-Life: Alyx, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners and Paper Beast haven’t disappointed. ARVORE’s retro sequel Pixel Ripped 1995 was also on that list and today the released date has been announced, set to arrive next week.
After the success of 2018’s Pixel Ripped 1989 Brazilian developer ARVORE and original creator Ana Ribeiro announced the sequel the following year, showcasing the title for the first time during Oculus Connect 6 (OC6). Still featuring the same mechanics where you take on the role of a kid tasked with playing various videogames to defeat an evil villain, the title pays homage to videogames of that specific era.
Set during an exciting time for videogames when the 16-bit era was making way for the onslaught of 32-bit gaming, you play a 9-year-old boy named David who has to battle an evil goblin, the Cyblin Lord, from the first title. Set across six levels that contain nods to 1990s action RPGs, brawlers, platformers, space shooters, and racing games.
“Thanks to the success of the first game, we were able to dedicate more resources and use more experience to create a game that is an even crazier nostalgic adventure. The setting of 1995 gives us a lot of great classics to reference and a whole new world to explore,” says Ricardo Justus, CEO and Co-Founder of ARVORE.
For those wondering why 1995 was chosen, it was actually the fans who got to decide. When players completed Pixel Ripped 1989 they were present with a time machine that allowed them to choose their favourite year which then influenced the sequel. Ribeiro has previously said there are plans to make further entries in the series with 1978, 1983 and 1999 earmarked.
For a taste of what’s to come, check out VRFocus’ preview of Pixel Ripped 1995 which noted: From what’s been shown so far the sequel retains the atmosphere and humour of the original, whilst updating it with some awesome 90s mechanics and gaming references.
Pixel Ripped 1995 will be coming to Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index and Windows Mixed Reality headsets on 23rd April. A version for PlayStation VR is slated for next month, the team saying: “It has already been submitted to the Sony QA and certification process, and is expected to launch in May.” For further updates on Pixel Ripped 1995, keep reading VRFocus.