Yars Rising revives a 40-year-old Atari game as a modern metroidvania

How many of you had “sequel to a game from 1982” on your Nintendo Indie World Showcase bingo card? If so, you just won big. Yars Rising is a modern metroidvania take on the Atari 2600 classic Yars’ Revenge, and all it took was 42 short years to reach fruition. By my math, this is the longest break between sequels in gaming history, and it's not even close. 

That’s not the only interesting tidbit about this game. As previously mentioned, it’s a metroidvania, but this one is made by WayForward. For the uninitiated, the company’s basically a metroidvania and retro-gaming factory, going all the way back to the Game Boy Color and the original Shantae. Since then, WayForward has released a slew of fantastic Shantae titles and many other games in the metroidvania genre, including the criminally underrated The Mummy Demastered. WayForward also helped with Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, which is considered the spiritual successor to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The devs know their stuff.

Now, Yars Rising may be the sequel to Yars’ Revenge, but that doesn’t mean it plays anything like it. The original was an early version of what eventually became known as shoot 'em ups, like R-Type and Ikaruga. The new one is a sidescrolling platformer in which you play as a person, and not a flying alien bug. However, there looks to be plenty of narrative nods to the original.

In addition to traditional metroidvania action, the developer promises “a balance of stealth and combat” and plenty of “retro-inspired mini-games.” It’s coming to consoles and PCs later this year. In the meantime, I’ll start preparing for Yars Returns in 2066.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/yars-rising-revives-a-40-year-old-atari-game-as-a-modern-metroidvania-163023972.html?src=rss https://www.engadget.com/yars-rising-revives-a-40-year-old-atari-game-as-a-modern-metroidvania-163023972.html?src=rss
Created 1y | Apr 17, 2024, 4:50:24 PM


Login to add comment

Other posts in this group

Netflix is already using generative AI in its original shows

Netflix admitted during its

Jul 18, 2025, 9:30:25 PM | Engadget
Microsoft unceremoniously kills off the Xbox Movies & TV store

Microsoft has rather abruptly closed down its Movies & TV app, which is accessible on Xbox and Windows PCs via the Microsoft Store. This allowed people to rent or buy movies or TV shows natively th

Jul 18, 2025, 7:10:23 PM | Engadget
Remedy lays out its plan to fix FBC: Firebreak, which includes improved onboarding

Remedy has announced plans to fix FBC: Firebreak and restore the good will of

Jul 18, 2025, 7:10:21 PM | Engadget
Meta says it won't sign the EU's AI code of practice

Meta said on Friday that it won't sign the European Union's new AI code of practice. The guidelines provide a framework for

Jul 18, 2025, 7:10:19 PM | Engadget
DuckDuckGo now allows you to filter out AI images in search results

DuckDuckGo is making it easier to wade through some of the AI slop that has taken over the internet in recent months. This week, the company

Jul 18, 2025, 4:50:07 PM | Engadget
Engadget Podcast: Ancestra director Eliza McNitt defends AI as a creative tool

Eliza McNitt is no stranger to new media. Her 2017 project, Fistful of Stars, was a fasc

Jul 18, 2025, 4:50:06 PM | Engadget
Xi Jinping warns against China's overinvestment in EVs and AI

Chinese President Xi Jinping has bluntly questioned a nationwide rush of investment into the AI and EV industries. As

Jul 18, 2025, 4:50:05 PM | Engadget