Kohachi Studio has confirmed that Navinosuke: The Yo-Kai Buster, the studio's revival of a long-abandoned Game Boy Advance project, will launch on Nintendo Switch and Steam in 2027.
The announcement follows a period of relative quiet after the title was originally slated for release in 2026.
Background and development
Formed in 2023 by former SNK and Irem developers, Kohachi Studio revealed Navinosuke as a recreation of a GBA-era game that was never officially released two decades ago.
Artist Akio Oyabu, known for his work on Metal Slug and R-Type, is leading visual development.
The studio previously confirmed another in-house project, the run'n'gun Black Finger Jet.
Platform expansion and delay
Kohachi Studio's leader Shinano Ishiguro said the project will now ship on Steam in addition to Nintendo Switch following a collaboration with Japanese entertainment company Happinet Corporation.
Ishiguro explained that adding a Steam build, implementing additional languages including English, and making general improvements to both versions have extended the timeline, and the team has pushed the release into 2027 to accommodate that work.
Playable build at Tokyo Game Show
Ishiguro also confirmed that the latest build of Navinosuke will be playable at Tokyo Game Show (TGS), which runs September 17–21 at Makuhari Messe.
The studio published updated screenshots showing English localization assets ahead of the show, and a bilingual Japanese/English trailer has been released by the developer.
Game design and features
Published details indicate Navinosuke features turn-based combat paired with top-down exploration.
Players will recruit yokai as shikigami and face creatures drawn from Japanese folklore; the studio's official materials list yokai such as Zenko (a kitsune spirit), Gashadokuro, and Tengu, each with defined attributes and skill sets.
Kohachi Studio has stated the release will support both Japanese and English at launch.
What this means for Switch owners
While the Switch version remains confirmed, Kohachi Studio has not provided a specific 2027 release window beyond the year.
The addition of Steam broadens platform availability but is cited by the studio as a primary factor in the extended development schedule.
Attendees at TGS will have the first public opportunity to play the current build and assess the English localization ahead of the wider launch.
Kohachi Studio's update gives concrete timelines and platform plans for Navinosuke while setting expectations for a delayed but more fully localized product across Switch and PC platforms.
The announcement follows a period of relative quiet after the title was originally slated for release in 2026.
Background and development
Formed in 2023 by former SNK and Irem developers, Kohachi Studio revealed Navinosuke as a recreation of a GBA-era game that was never officially released two decades ago.
Artist Akio Oyabu, known for his work on Metal Slug and R-Type, is leading visual development.
The studio previously confirmed another in-house project, the run'n'gun Black Finger Jet.
Platform expansion and delay
Kohachi Studio's leader Shinano Ishiguro said the project will now ship on Steam in addition to Nintendo Switch following a collaboration with Japanese entertainment company Happinet Corporation.
Ishiguro explained that adding a Steam build, implementing additional languages including English, and making general improvements to both versions have extended the timeline, and the team has pushed the release into 2027 to accommodate that work.
Playable build at Tokyo Game Show
Ishiguro also confirmed that the latest build of Navinosuke will be playable at Tokyo Game Show (TGS), which runs September 17–21 at Makuhari Messe.
The studio published updated screenshots showing English localization assets ahead of the show, and a bilingual Japanese/English trailer has been released by the developer.
Game design and features
Published details indicate Navinosuke features turn-based combat paired with top-down exploration.
Players will recruit yokai as shikigami and face creatures drawn from Japanese folklore; the studio's official materials list yokai such as Zenko (a kitsune spirit), Gashadokuro, and Tengu, each with defined attributes and skill sets.
Kohachi Studio has stated the release will support both Japanese and English at launch.
What this means for Switch owners
While the Switch version remains confirmed, Kohachi Studio has not provided a specific 2027 release window beyond the year.
The addition of Steam broadens platform availability but is cited by the studio as a primary factor in the extended development schedule.
Attendees at TGS will have the first public opportunity to play the current build and assess the English localization ahead of the wider launch.
Kohachi Studio's update gives concrete timelines and platform plans for Navinosuke while setting expectations for a delayed but more fully localized product across Switch and PC platforms.
