I felt I should share a quaint, NES-esque game series from an indie studio stationed in Brazil, Galope Studios' Ravva.
Oh. I think not many of you in the VGMaps community heard of that fantasy-based platformer game series. Well, I'll give you the rundown and the word-of-mouth spreading about that.
It stars a young owl summoner, named Ravva, who is accompanied by 4 familiar-like companions, each with their own powers the summoner uses to defeat enemies and overcome obstacles across different stages to stop threats coming in that owl's way.
The games are clearly hi-bit in their own way; the graphics are NES based, but the music and sounds were mace with the YM2612 soundchip, a rather mix of flairs of 8-bit and 16-bit aesthetics.
The first game is "Ravva and the Cyclops Curse", where it started.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GGsni-TW0AA4Ht0.jpg?name=orig)
It puts Ravva on a quest to rescue the summoner's mother, who was put under a curse by a monster called the Cyclops Lord, and its up to the little one to save her by going to his castle and stop him.
The game has 3 stages, that are split into 3 levels; Swampomile Forest, Takenouchi Desert Wasteland, and the Cyclops Lord's Castle With No Name, but the last has 4, the 4th of which is the fight against the beast himself.
Traversing through the levels require good eyes, and keen senses to overcome the many dangers the levels are infested with, and using Ravva's companion powers will surely help the summoner to reach the castle.
There is a hidden ending in the game, but the requirements for it are quite tricky. And a few hidden surprises, too.
Here's some screenshots...
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GpJJ2F1WQAARGSk.png?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GpJJ2F2WQAAzwqo.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GpJJ2FwXQAAJuin.jpg?name=orig)
Here's the trailer for the first game, too...
The second game is "Ravva II and the Phantom Library".
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G0Z14aQXIAAlOrd.jpg?name=orig)
In it, Ravva and the companions are thrown into a rather haunted library filled with worlds made of books, the kind that aren't for reading or show. They're portals to actual worlds, each holding a unique boss to face in the end. They're challenging, but fun to face!
After going through the first stage, The Forgotten Forest, you get to select the 6 stages that are all books with portals to their worlds.
The game features Ravva's companions being able to become combo forms to unleash incredible powers to blast away enemies and blockades. There's many to find and use!
The main villain herself can be fought after finishing off all the worlds, and like the previous game, it has a different ending, but the requirements are different.
There may be a few clever nods to select games you could find(one of the stages has a Bounce Man callback! its neat!).
Here's the sequel's screenshots...
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G0Z3QM7XoAA0pv9.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G0Z3RFcWUAAG4MR.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G0Z3S3qXAAAl5re.jpg?name=orig)
And the trailer for its launch...
And now, here comes the third game in the series, "Ravva III and the Netherworld Train".
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GoWRxzaW4AAhAk8.jpg?name=orig)
The new, upcoming sequel places Ravva on another new adventure; this time, to save the summoner's father by traveling through the land of the dead and its many deadly landscapes by using the one vessel that can help the little one around; the titular Netherworld Train itself!
Expect to seek out surprises and dangers beneath the new stages the game holds, because in this adventure, Ravva gains a new power, to merge with each of the 4 companions to inhibit new forms and utilize new abilities!
Here's Ravva III's screenshots...
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GaLTBNBWQAALQTU.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GoWR3vpXwAAdpMb.png?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GoWR3vrX0AEN15p.png?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GoWR3vuWAAAfCJr.png?name=orig)
And its recently made trailer...
That game's not yet released, but I have a feeling it will be very soon. The previous 2 games are out, so give these games a try!
The games are all made with Aseprite and Tiled, and they run in the engine, Unity, to let you know.
I also have a few behind-the-scenes images about the games' stages, enemies and bosses you should look...
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EMADQsWWsAADUd9.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F4yBBEYWoAAMkK0.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GolcmC0WQAAW1l5.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GHm99lqXMAAPlwn.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F6Y2l6tWUAAkpxE.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GrebrCWXAAA8ynE.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GF6QWmrXoAAX-wJ.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G0p8_HLWwAAXbWh.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GQnDKhKWwAAxzu5.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G4HtXlIWEAAqKls.png?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GGffeHGXEAA9r2s.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GGtR8mGXEAAq88w.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GFWXpdgWsAAc-Tj.png?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F2mzbzxXEAA2uG6.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F2m0bFpWMAA8D0v.jpg?name=orig)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB45TJmXgAAdZk4.jpg?name=orig)
The first was made in paper, but the rest were made digitally, through Clip Studio Paint, as I've looked into.
There's another game Galope Studios' been on the bakc burner time and again; the long-awaited platformer Meawja. IT showcases a ninja cat overcoming many obstacles across different stages to take down evil.
I'll give you a screenshot of that game that has its title for proof. Here it is...
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EOXoaemX0AIGnKR.jpg?name=orig)
Bear in mind, that studio's only got very few people(fewer than I thought, actually), and yes, their games take quite long to release, because they only have very little full-time people brought in to work on them. Hopefully with more attention and people purchasing them, it will help bring in more full-timers to lighten their load.
Here's Galope Studios' website's and social channels' links for those who want to visit.
Galope Studios' website - https://galopestudios.crd.co/
Galope Studios' YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@GalopeStudios/featured
Galope Studios' Twitter/X Account - https://x.com/GalopeStudios
Galope Studios' BlueSky Profile - https://bsky.app/profile/galopestudios.bsky.social
For the mappers, should you purchase them, feel free to map their levels out, so more people can feel ready to traverse them.
If you're eager to play them, give them a go! I'm having some fun with them.