Hobgoblin 2 is an upcoming 2D action adventure set in a horror fantasy world. It is coming to the Atari 8-bit computer line (Atari XL/XE). There are a few similarities to other titles in this vain. If you loved Capcom’s Ghosts ‘n Goblins then you are in for a treat with Hobgoblin 2.
Hobgoblin 2 looks great
XXL, author of Hobgoblin 2, is active on the AtariAge forums. He has a downloadable demo available for the game there as well. So far, it looks quite good with little details all over the place.
There is no scrolling that I could see in the gameplay video released. Instead, we get a screen at a time affair here. Part of the next area scrolls into place when approaching the edge of the screen. This pretty much eliminates “blind jumps” and such. It works.
The devil is in the details
Hobgoblin 2 has some interesting graphics in place already. Safe areas to stand are clearly marked, ladders have haphazardly placed rungs, etc.
Enemies have a menacing quality to them. They also come in various sizes – some shorter than your character, others towering over him. This is awesome, seeing a variety of enemies in an 8-bit game like this. In games like Super Mario Bros you faced enemies of similar size till you reached Bowser. Not so in Hobgoblin 2, at least so far.
You might be able to help
XXL is currently looking for someone experienced in level design. You will probably need to sign up for an AtariAge account to contact him if interested. He mentioned in his first forum post on AA that he has a dedicated level editor available. If this sounds like something you want to throw your hat in the ring on, make sure you can run Windows apps (the editor is for Windows).
I will keep an eye on Hobgoblin 2 if you all want more of it. It is easy to show support – comment, share, like, show some love for these articles. That is how I know what you are interested in.
What do you think? Is there a strong Ghosts 'n Goblins feel here?
This article was originally published on Retro Gaming Magazine.