Bandai Namco has announced a game based on the upcoming ShinKamen Riderfilm, the latest issue of Japanese gaming magazine WeeklyFamitsu has revealed. Titled SD Shin Kamen Rider Ranbu,the game is describedas a side-scrolling beat ‘em up, and is set to release in Japan on March 23 for theNintendo Switchand PC.
Shin Kamen Rider is the new movie reimagining of the long-running Kamen Rider franchise of tokusatsu (special effects) series. It is written and directed byHideaki Anno, ofNeon Genesis Evangelion fame, and is also scheduled for a March release in Japan. The movie is the third of Anno’s tokusatsu film reboots, following 2016’s ShinGodzillaand 2022’s ShinUltraman. Shin Ultraman will see screenings in U.S. theaters beginning this month.
RELATED:Bandai Namco Avoids Its Own Question About More Tales Remasters
Per the Famitsu report, SD Shin Kamen Rider Ranbu will follow the plot of the film, to the point that spoilers for the movie are noted. Players will take up the role of Riders from the movie, earning strengthening upgrades through battle, and even powering up by removing their coat, in reference to the coated and coat-less costumes for the Rider that have been glimpsed in the movie’s promotional material.
The “SD” in the game’s title would also seem to indicate its style. Specifically, it will be “Super Deformed”, a term used in Japan to denote particular designs featuring large heads, squat body proportions, and stubby limbs. Kamen Rider SD has been a stylized spin-off of the franchise since the ’90s, and it has received multiple video games in that specific style released for the Japanese versions of the NES, SNES, and Game Boy. SD versions of Kamen Riders also crossed over with similarly-styled versions of characters from the Mobile SuitGundamand Ultraman franchises for the Compati Hero Series games, which started their release history on the NES in Japan.
Famitsu reports that SD Shin Kamen Rider Ranbu will be priced at 3,520 yen, or about $27 USD. This lower price, alongside the stylization elements, indicates that the game will likely be a simpler tie-in affair for the movie, available exclusively as a digital download. Whether there is any possibility of the game being translated into English or released in the west is uncertain. Both the Shin Godzilla and Shin Ultraman films saw releases in U.S. theaters, with home video releases coming later, and it seems likely that the Shin Kamen Rider movie will follow suit. English releases for the Kamen Rider franchise entries have picked up in recent years, including Blu-ray releases of some series and even a simulcasted streaming release for the FUUTO PI anime spin-off. It remains to be seen if such an opportunity will be afforded SD Shin Kamen Rider Ranbu.
