Update [Fri 30th Dec, 2022 06:00 GMT]: Bertil Hörberg has provided an update about his new game Onion Assault. It'll be arriving on the Switch eShop on 26th January 2023 for $7.99 / £7.19.
Original article [Tue 29th Nov, 2022 10:45 GMT]: Bertil Hörberg, the Swedish game developer who brought us the modern classic 3DS title Gunman Clive, has recently been showcasing Onion Assault, an upcoming platformer that looks to pay loving homage to Super Mario Bros. 2.
Based on the trailer above and the additional footage from Hörberg's below tweet, the game focuses on the ability to leap onto enemies heads and haul the beggars up into the air before chucking them at whatever you see fit. This also applies, of course, to various objects that you happen to come across on your journey, including - you guessed it - onions. Also, can we talk about how the foliage is seemingly bopping along to the music? Adorable!
The game may have, up until now, flown under your radar as it appears as though Hörberg is handling almost ever aspect of its development and release solely, citing in a previous tweet that leading a team has previously led to burn out. Having said that, the game is still the end result of a collaborative effort, with artwork led by Daniel Ribera Olsen and Felicia Hellsten, and music provided by Arne Hörberg.
Onion Assault has most recently been submitted for review on Steam and is currently on track to release on the Switch in January 2023. Judging from the delightful gameplay showcased in the trailer, this definitely looks like one to keep an eye on!
Is this one you're looking to pick up come January? Let us know with a comment!
[source mobile.twitter.com, via youtube.com]
Comments 45
Pelle Lok?
Surely that's Serious Sam! lmao!
Wow this looks amazing! Thanks for filling us in because I hadn’t heard of it.
not bad. i always wanted a new super mario game in super mario 2 style
lök means onion
@BananaMetallurgica Here's a remix of the Super Mario Bros 2 theme tune in New Super Mario Bros style. Love it.
It reminded me of Gunman Clive before I saw it was from the same guy. But it's bad news to me.
@Clyde_Radcliffe thanks. I love it
This could be good. Character designs are not the strongest. I hope some more work will be put into them and the character animations. The cell shading really works though. And Gunman Clive was good fun.
No, looks terrible
Don't like the art style
Visually it looks nearly identical to Mechstermination Force, which is a game I love, so I'm very hopeful for this.
Seems more like a budget Klonoa. Props for the homage, but the aesthetics leave a lot to be desired so far.
Tbh in terms of 2D Mario platformers- I’d love a Super Mario 4, Super Mario World 2, and/or a new Super Mario Land.
… Wun can only hope.
The artstyle looks cheap, but some some mechanics looks interesting.
I thought of Gunman Clive when I saw the trailer. It looks promising.
Super Mario Bros. 2 is my favorite Mario game of all time, so much that I'm excited for this and will probably purchase, regardless of its slightly-generic appearance.
(and yes I know the history of the game very well - I got the game when I was six or seven years old, and the cartridge said "Super Mario Bros. 2", so that's real enough for me)
Gunman Clive and Mechstermination Force are both phenomenal games at bargain bin prices. I'll play anything this guy makes. Very happy to see he's still at it!
Having good experience with his previous games, I have high hopes for this one, despite the art direction.
Not only is it an inspiration of Super Mario Bros. 2/Doki Doki Panic/Klonoa but it expanded on those ideas. Nowhere in those old games could you use the veggies to solve puzzles. Definitely looking forward to this.
Nintendo should accept super Mario Bros. 2 (or Super Mario USA as Japan knows it) and use some of it ideas in future games... I really loved it on NES.
@daveMcFlave I dont get people claiming its not a "real" Mario game... It started as a real Mario prototype, then used the ideas for another game (Doki Doki), and then returned to its original spiritual franchise, Mario. Even Miyamoto was very involved in its creation.
And its far superior Mario game that the "lost levels".
I was nearly going to sleep on this until I heard that it was by Bertil Hörberg. I might still wait for Super Rare to issue a physical release like they did with Mechstermination Force though.
I will try this out. I loved the Gunman Clive games, I have yet to play Mechstermination Force.
Nice to see a rare SMB2-like; So underused. And Horberg's behind it? I'm interested.
Gunman Clive was super cute and had some clever ideas.
You lost me at "pays homage to smb2" , but then had me at "from the director of Gunman Clive". This game looks great. Also super punch patrol is underrated.
But… I always thought the clouds in some levels looked like onions in Mario THREE.
This looks interesting, i'm still holding out hope for a new 2D Super Mario game in the SMB2-style, Nintendo haven't done anything in that style since the SMB3-remake on Gameboy advance added throwable turnips to the game (With those e-cards, seems like i'm one of the very few to have bought those), but this game looks like a fun title to hold me over for a bit.
Looks fun! Couldn't get into Gunman Clive but absolutely loved Mechstermination Force
@fenlix Yeah the main character looks like he's from some base template
@Serpenterror That's true for SMB2 but the Klonoa games are filled with puzzle solving using the throwing mechanic
I love SMB2 and Atari’s classic Food Fight, so if this game lets me chuck more vegetables at baddies, I’m there! It looks like a lot of fun.
What's the deal with updating old news instead of just writting a new one?
This looks fun.
Uh oh! I'm outta here!
You're right calling Gunman Clive a modern classic. I've got a lot of faith in this!
@fenlix I kind of like it, saves time because you don't have to read an entire article, just the news you came for!
Haha my first thought upon seeing the thumbnail was “this looks like gunman Clive”. It’s nice to see him using more color.
Day one purchase 😊
It looks like a cheap smart phone game.
The overall look reminds me of the old browser flash games I used to play, which isn't a good thing in this case, unfortunately.
Still, I've heard good things about the creator's past games, so this may still end up being okay.
The gameplay looks pretty good, but the art-style and some overly generic character design choices are fairly off-putting.
@Zequio They brought over a bunch of Mario 2 concepts for Mario 3D World and Captain Toad. And Kensuke Tanabe cited Mario 2 as an inspiration for some of the new gameplay ideas in Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze. They even bet the GBA launch on a Mario 2 remake back in the day. I’d say Nintendo’s designers are well aware that Mario 2 is a masterpiece worth bringing back ideas from.
If it’s nearly off to lot check I doubt they can overhaul the character designs. I agree they look a bit bland but I will definitely check this out as Gunman Clive games were v good
Everyone: graphics don’t matter
Also Everyone: graphics look bad I’m not buying this
@chefgon bit of a reductionism, but I'm sure you know that. Graphical quality is important, but should be viewed as a function of fidelity and art style. The "graphics don't matter" mantra is usually used against the focus on photorealism.
That said, this game looks pretty bad man.
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