Retro cute 'em ups are having a bit of a moment. Hot on the heels of the announcement of Muchi Muchi Pork! & PinkSweets Boosted, the Cotton series is to expand with both physical and digital releases of Cotton Reboot! and Cotton Reboot! High Tension!
The two titles from Clear River Games see the return of Cotton the witch, who first appeared in Japanese arcades in 1991 and became something of a mascot of the genre. Now, you'll be able to relive her sugar-fuelled adventures with a choice of either HD or X68000 original mode (also see our pick of the best retro game consoles).
Blending nostalgic arcade shooter mechanics with whimsical aesthetics, cute 'em ups offer both challenging gameplay and comforting charm for players seeking alternatives to darker, hyper-realistic modern titles. Beneath the cuteness lies demanding mechanics: bullet patterns, boss fights, and scoring systems that can make them easy to play but difficult to master.
In Cotton Reboot, players will be able to choose the original X68000 soundtrack or a remixed one when the game launches on Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5.
There's also Cotton Reboot! High Tension! coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The second instalment in the Reboot series by Beep, developed by Studio Siesta/Rocket Engine, introduces new mechanics and more extreme enemy attacks
Cotton Reboot! will have both physical and digital releases on Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 arriving on 22 October. Cotton Reboot! High Tension! will have a physical release on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 and will be available from digital stores for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 from the same date.
