Windjammers 2 Preview – PAX East 2019
DotEmu hit us with a huge surprise when they announced Windjammers 2 last summer. Being a follow up to the 1994 cult arcade hit, Windjammers 2 has a lot riding on it. Surely it should evolve and improve on the core of what Windjammers is, but it also has to stay true to what made the original great. In the short demo I played at PAX East, I can confidently say that DotEmu appears to be doing just that so far.
The most noticeable difference in the sequel is the graphics. Gone are the retro sprites and in are brand new hand drawn characters and stages. The new look gives off a very 80s-90s Saturday morning cartoon vibe. It’s somewhere between Jem and the Holograms and Dragonball Z. Though I’ll always be a fan of intricate sprite work, the new style is fitting and looks fantastic.
With regard to gameplay, Windjammers 2 feels just like it should. It’s just like playing the original, but with some new worthy additions. Along with new characters and stages, there’s a new “EX Move” bar at the bottom of the screen that builds up as you play. Once full, you can do a super move that will be extra hard for your adversary to combat. Other new moves include slapshots and jumping.
Overall, Windjammers 2 was a delight to play and one I’ll be watching closely until release. DotEmu took on an extremely difficult task in creating a sequel to a beloved game, and so far they’ve proven that they’re up to the task.
