Get set for that squelch sound all over again
Forever Entertainment — clear lovers of the ’90s gaming scene — has announced that it has entered into a partnership with developer G-Mode to develop a remake of Data East’s forgotten arcade brawler Night Slashers. Neither a release window nor platforms were confirmed, as it appears that the new title is still in its pre-production stages.
Released to arcades in 1993, as Data East was entering the twilight era of its coin-op production, Night Slashers is a three-player scrolling brawler that utilizes the typical gameplay mechanics of titles such as Final Fight and Violent Storm, but applied a gory horror theme, inspired by the bloodlust of the video game scene during that post-Mortal Kombat period. Players choose from one of three heroes — cyborg monster hunter Jake Smith, vampire stalker Christopher Smith, and paranormal martial artist Hong Hua Zhao — before battling it out against a horde of gross, horror-themed enemies.
Check out the action in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber Nintendo Complete.
Our heroes take on an army of zombies, werewolves, and demons, while facing off against familiar bosses such as not-quite-Dracula and not-quite-Frankenstein’s-monster. None of the enemies are named in-game, no doubt to keep Universal’s lawyers at arm’s length. Bursting chests, dismemberment, and poorly animated decapitations are the order of the day, with most of the enemies facing a splatteriffic demise, complete with a really repetitive (and horrible) sound effect.
With its nostalgic but sound concept, and the current renaissance of the brawler scene, a remake of Night Slashers is an excellent idea. Of course, whether the development team delivers a title with the visual style and gameplay depth of some of the more modern examples of the genre remains to be seen, but it’s still a curious acquisition, one that fans should definitely keep an eye out for. Quite literally. In the meantime, Forever Entertainment will be looking to satiate gorehounds with its upcoming remake of Sega’s House of the Dead, which is expected presently.
