Campaign Ends: August 9th
Platform: Windows and Nintendo Switch. Additional platforms may be possible depending on the game’s success.
The Game Boy Advance was a magical little device, home to RPG classics such as Golden Sun, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and Hamtaro: Ham Ham Heartbreak. Now, an exciting new Switch and PC game aims to bring back the golden age of GBA adventures. Heavily inspired by Quintet classics, Golden Sun, and even drag culture, I’m proud to present Tako no Himitsu: Ocean of Secrets, a new action RPG follow-up to 2021’s Save Me Mr. Tako.
Eight hundred years have passed since the great Shadow War between the human race and octopi, resulting in the latter species being wiped from history. Peace fills the land (for the most part; rising political tensions and the slow disappearance of wild animals would hint otherwise) when suddenly, the discovery of a lone octopus throws the world into turmoil and threatens to bring long-lost secrets to light. Explore a vast and beautiful world, solve environmental puzzles, fight strange shadow monsters, and discover the hidden truths behind the Shadow War!
In Tako no Himitsu: Ocean of Secrets, you’ll play as six different characters, each with unique abilities, backgrounds, and personal trauma, including a drag star, a would-be journalist, and a tragic mercenary. While the game takes place in the same universe as Save Me Mr. Tako (an adorable Kirby-esque action game), you needn’t have played the first title to understand this new installment; avid fans, however, may want to keep an eye out for some familiar places and descendants of the original cast.
Fellow humans won’t be your only companions in this game, as you’ll have the chance to befriend several long-lost octopi, each with special abilities to help you in combat and exploration. Between all the action, you can train and nurture your tentacled friends at the mythical Octopus Fountain (accessible through save points), inspired by Chao Gardens from the Sonic series. Combat will have you form a party of three in which you control one character at a time, switch between party members, use different skills, and try out flashy combo attacks using “symbiosis feathers” obtained from enemies. Symbiosis attacks come in various fun flavors, including a rhythm minigame and a stylish drag queen transformation!
Before any tiny octopi arrive to drag this article off to their aquatic abode, I should mention the game’s stirring soundtrack, featuring some very special guests. Save Me Mr. Tako players may recognize the game’s lead composer, Marc Antoine Archier. Joining him for a few tracks are Japanese fan favorites Masanori Hikichi (familiar to fans of Terranigma) and musical superstar Motoi Sakuraba (from Star Ocean, Golden Sun, and Valkyrie Profile fame). Exciting!
Tako no Himitsu has already rushed past its initial funding target and all revealed stretch goals, with other surprises remaining. The developers are planning for the game to swim your way in late 2026; until then, you can try the Steam demo featuring two chapters of GBA-style fun. I’ve had my eye on Tako no Himitsu since its announcement in 2023, and I can’t wait to delve into its beautiful pastel world. Remember, RPG friends: Octopi are teammates, not food!
Disclaimer: While it’s possible some of us at RPGFan may be backers of the games mentioned in these articles, this does not influence our coverage or our featured game choices. We make our selections simply based on the active campaigns we feel our readers might find interesting, and we are not given special access or perks by the developers.
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