Contrast Games has confirmed that Akatori, its 2.5D momentum-driven Metroidvania, is in development for Nintendo Switch 2 and is scheduled for a digital release on the Nintendo eShop worldwide in 2027.
The announcement clarifies platform plans for the studio’s latest project and outlines core systems, world design, and release timing.
Players will control Mako, a young monk raised in the Firebird Temple, who must journey through a set of interconnected realms to halt a corrupting force known as the Amber Storms.
Accompanying Mako is a mysterious red bird sealed within her staff; that signature staff is central to both combat and traversal.
Contrast Games describes the staff as a versatile tool that functions as a weapon, a traversal device and a key to world secrets.
In journalistic terms, Contrast Games confirmed the development platform and release window, and the publisher-provided feature list details how combat and movement combine.
The studio explained that players can chain ground and aerial combos, launch the staff as a projectile and retrieve it mid-flight while performing glides, wall-hooks, slides and parkour across highly vertical environments.
Key verified features reported by the developer and publisher include:
- Hybrid combat: Players can swap between staff and fist attacks on the fly to adapt to enemy types and situations.
- Expansive biomes: The game world spans more than 10 distinct biomes, each at different stages of historical development and inhabited by unique species.
- The Kohakujō hub: A parched, rocky wasteland once home to ancient gods that now connects the various worlds and introduces persistent environmental hazards.
- Visuals and audio: Akatori combines crisp pixel art with smooth 3D models and a dynamic soundtrack that adapts to on-screen action.
- Enemy and boss encounters: The game features over 50 regular enemy variants and more than 10 bosses, each with unique designs and mechanics.
- Narrative focus: The story follows Mako and her avian companion through themes of growth, self-discovery and friendship.
Contrast Games’ confirmation gives Nintendo Switch 2 owners a clear target: Akatori will arrive digitally via the Nintendo eShop in 2027.
The studio’s emphasis on staff-based traversal and a momentum-driven Metroidvania loop positions Akatori as a title to watch for players interested in action-oriented exploration on Nintendo’s next-generation handheld/home hybrid.
The announcement clarifies platform plans for the studio’s latest project and outlines core systems, world design, and release timing.
Players will control Mako, a young monk raised in the Firebird Temple, who must journey through a set of interconnected realms to halt a corrupting force known as the Amber Storms.
Accompanying Mako is a mysterious red bird sealed within her staff; that signature staff is central to both combat and traversal.
Contrast Games describes the staff as a versatile tool that functions as a weapon, a traversal device and a key to world secrets.
In journalistic terms, Contrast Games confirmed the development platform and release window, and the publisher-provided feature list details how combat and movement combine.
The studio explained that players can chain ground and aerial combos, launch the staff as a projectile and retrieve it mid-flight while performing glides, wall-hooks, slides and parkour across highly vertical environments.
Key verified features reported by the developer and publisher include:
- Hybrid combat: Players can swap between staff and fist attacks on the fly to adapt to enemy types and situations.
- Expansive biomes: The game world spans more than 10 distinct biomes, each at different stages of historical development and inhabited by unique species.
- The Kohakujō hub: A parched, rocky wasteland once home to ancient gods that now connects the various worlds and introduces persistent environmental hazards.
- Visuals and audio: Akatori combines crisp pixel art with smooth 3D models and a dynamic soundtrack that adapts to on-screen action.
- Enemy and boss encounters: The game features over 50 regular enemy variants and more than 10 bosses, each with unique designs and mechanics.
- Narrative focus: The story follows Mako and her avian companion through themes of growth, self-discovery and friendship.
Contrast Games’ confirmation gives Nintendo Switch 2 owners a clear target: Akatori will arrive digitally via the Nintendo eShop in 2027.
The studio’s emphasis on staff-based traversal and a momentum-driven Metroidvania loop positions Akatori as a title to watch for players interested in action-oriented exploration on Nintendo’s next-generation handheld/home hybrid.
