{"rewrite":{"id":"r_e56de5553e494c33872c6685","clusterId":"c_019f026ad013ef9d32ac9d0a","slug":"happinet-sets-yokai-buster-navinosuke-for-2027-on-switch-and-steam","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Happinet Sets Yokai Buster Navinosuke For 2027 On Switch And Steam","summary":"Happinet announced on September 10 that Yokai Buster Navinosuke will be released in 2027 for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, under its Happinet Indie Collection label. The yokai-collecting pixel RPG is set in a fictional ancient Japan where Navinosuke, an apprentice onmyo student and karakuri puppet, resolves yokai incidents across various regions. Players seal and recruit more than 200 types of yokai, which have five attributes, and build freely customized parties for turn-based battles that use a shikigami system. Development is handled by KOHACHI STUDIO, the studio led by pixel artist akio, who worked on R-Type and Metal Slug. The game was originally produced in the early 2000s for the Game Boy Advance by the Metal Slug development team, completed but shelved, and after rights processing KOHACHI STUDIO holds the IP. Happinet also said a new trailer is out and a playable exhibit is planned for Tokyo Game Show 2026.","whyItMatters":"Happinet is betting its indie label on a finished Game Boy Advance game that sat unreleased for roughly 20 years, a publishing decision that rests on archival code rather than a new pitch.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eHappinet Indie Collection is the label releasing the game, described in the announcement as a line launched to \u0026#34;select interesting indie games from around the world and provide new experiences to game fans,\u0026#34; with no genre limits.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe product listing adds details the first announcement left out. The game is single-player only with no online play, price is undecided, and text is supported in Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean. The copyright line reads \u0026#34;(C) KOHACHI STUDIO All rights reserved. Published by Happinet.\u0026#34;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe playable yokai shown so far include Senko, a fox yokai that gained divine powers after living for many years; Nekomata, a cat transformed after many years; Gashadokuro, a giant skeleton formed from accumulated human grudges; and Kurama Tengu, described as the largest great tengu in Japan. Each has its own techniques.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe revival follows a June 2025 press release that said the UI and play feel were redesigned while preserving the pixel art and direction of the original. The release window moved from 2026 to 2027, and Steam was added to the platform list alongside Switch.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKOHACHI STUDIO is developing a second original title in parallel, the action game Black Finger JET. The studio also released Marchen Forest.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"KOHACHI STUDIO holds the Yokai Buster Navinosuke IP after rights processing on a Game Boy Advance game completed in the early 2000s and shelved. The 2027 release is the second life of code its team finished two decades ago.","twitterPost":"Yokai Buster Navinosuke was completed for the Game Boy Advance in the early 2000s, then shelved. KOHACHI STUDIO now holds the IP after rights processing.","threadsPost":"Yokai Buster Navinosuke ships in 2027 for Switch and Steam, but the game was finished for the Game Boy Advance in the early 2000s and shelved. KOHACHI STUDIO, led by Metal Slug pixel artist akio, holds the IP after rights processing. The wait is the story.","newsletterBlurb":"Happinet will publish Yokai Buster Navinosuke in 2027 for Switch and Steam, with KOHACHI STUDIO holding the IP. The pixel RPG was completed for the Game Boy Advance by Metal Slug developers and left unreleased for roughly two decades. A trailer is out and a playable demo is set for Tokyo Game Show 2026.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260910-466065/\",\"title\":\"Yokai-Collecting Pixel RPG 'Yokai Buster Navinosuke' to Launch in 2027; Shelved Game 'Made 20 Years Ago' by Metal Slug Dev Team Wakes Up in the Reiwa Era\"},{\"source\":\"Denfaminicogamer\",\"url\":\"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/?p=1631226\",\"title\":\"\\\"Lost RPG\\\" from Metal Slug development members, \\\"Yokai Buster Navinosuke,\\\" set for 2027 release. A Japanese-style fantasy drawn with meticulous pixel art by veterans\"},{\"source\":\"Denfaminicogamer\",\"url\":\"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2609103d\",\"title\":\"\\\"Phantom RPG\\\" Yokai Buster Navinosuke, from Metal Slug Development Members, Set for 2027 Release; Veterans Craft a Japanese-Style Fantasy with Meticulous Pixel Art\"},{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/09/10/172045.html\",\"title\":\"'Metal Slug' Developer's 'Phantom 2D Japanese-Style RPG' Sleeping for 20 Years Is Finally Unleashed! 'Yokai Buster Nabi no Suke,' Where You Collect Yokai, Coming to Steam/Switch in 2027 \\u0026 Exhibiting at TGS2026\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":21070,"outputTokens":1659,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1789005563,"createdAt":"2026-09-10T01:54:16.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-09-10T01:58:20.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-10T01:58:20.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_019f026ad013ef9d32ac9d0a","canonicalTitle":"妖怪収集ドット絵RPG『妖怪バスター ナビ之介』2027年発売へ。『メタルスラッグ』開発チームが“20年前に作っていた”お蔵入りゲーム、令和に目を覚ます","representativeArticleId":"a_e34561c88702dacf3ba9e991","sourceCount":3,"writtenSourceCount":3,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Yokai Buster: Navinosuke\",\"Sa[meow]rai: Gin'yoku no Neko Zamurai\",\"Metal Slug\"],\"studios\":[\"Happinet\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"announcement\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-09-10T01:00:02.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-09-10T01:00:30.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-10T01:58:20.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Denfaminicogamer","url":"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/?p=1631226","title":"『メタルスラッグ』開発メンバーらの“幻のRPG”『妖怪バスター ナビ之介』2027年に発売決定。ベテランたちがこだわりのドット絵で描きだす和風ファンタジー"},{"source":"Automaton","url":"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260910-466065/","title":"妖怪収集ドット絵RPG『妖怪バスター ナビ之介』2027年発売へ。『メタルスラッグ』開発チームが“20年前に作っていた”お蔵入りゲーム、令和に目を覚ます"},{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/09/10/172045.html","title":"『メタスラ』開発者が20年眠らせていた“幻の2D和風RPG”が世に解き放たれる！妖怪を集める『妖怪バスター ナビ之介』2027年Steam/スイッチで登場＆TGS2026出展"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Yokai Buster: Navinosuke","Sa[meow]rai: Gin'yoku no Neko Zamurai","Metal Slug"],"studios":["Happinet"],"people":[],"type":"announcement","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Happinet announced on September 10 that Yokai Buster Navinosuke will be released in 2027 for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.","The game was originally developed in the early 2000s for the Game Boy Advance by members of the Metal Slug development team and was completed but never released.","Yokai Buster Navinosuke features more than 200 types of yokai across five attributes that players can seal and recruit for turn-based battles.","KOHACHI STUDIO holds the IP to Yokai Buster Navinosuke after rights processing and is developing the game under Happinet's Happinet Indie Collection label.","Yokai Buster Navinosuke and Sa[meow]rai: Cat Samurai of the Silver Wings will be playable at the Happinet booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026, held at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to September 21."]}