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The classic NES title ‘Gimmick!’ is confirmed for Switch release this July

• Jacob Chambers
• May 9th, 2023

Update #2 : Bitwave Games has announced that Gimmick! Special Edition, originally published by Sunsoft on NES in Japan and Scandinavia, will release on Switch and other platforms on July 6, 2023.

Bitwave also announces a physical edition for Switch and PS4 “later in the year” in the above trailer.

Update #1 [Thursday, August 18, 2022, 13:15 BST]: Bitwave Games announced that Gimmick! Special Edition will launch on Nintendo Switch later this year.

The release will include quality-of-life features like save and load, rewind, time attack, gallery, achievements, and more.

The game will also be shown at Sunsoft’s showcase today at 1:00 PM PDT/9 PM BST. Gamescom and the Tokyo Game Show will feature the game.

The Bitwave Games website has more information on the upcoming release.

Thursday, August 18, 2022, 10:30 BST:

The Embracer Group acquired Limited Run Games, Tripwire Interactive, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit today.

Embracer Freemode, led by CEO Lee Guinchard, will support small- to mid-sized game developers. Embracer acquired Japanese studio Tatsujin, Swedish studio Bitwave Games, and accessory brand Gioteck to support this.

Embracer Freemode will bring classic Toaplan games like Snow Bros. and Flying Shark to modern platforms and new audiences after acquiring Tatsujin.

Embracer revealed that Bitwave Games will attempt to port the classic NES/Famicom platformer Gimmick! to modern platforms. The notoriously difficult game will debut in North America. In 1993, it was introduced to Scandinavian countries as ‘Mr. Gimmick’ after being available only in Japan in 1992. In 2020, the ex-Arcadia arcade system remade it after a 2002 PlayStation rerelease in Japan.

Gimmick! was initially panned for being too difficult for younger players. In retrospect, the game’s graphics and level design have been lauded.

Sunsoft, Gimmick!’s original publisher, is hosting a digital event later today, so we may learn more about its modern platform launch.