Released on Steam and Nintendo Switch on October 23, 2025, ‘THE GOOD OLD DAYS: Nuggis’s Great Adventure’ is a story-driven Metroidvania adventure game developed by Yokogo Systems of Japan and published by Gravity.
Game background and story
Set in the fictional rural town of Arostia in 19XX, Sean embarks on an adventure to repay a debt left by his missing father and rescue his friends trapped underground. Sean and his friends Foodie, Bruce, and Doc are ordinary boys who formed an adventure group called “The Noogies” and lived their lives dreaming of true adventure.
One day, when Sean returns home, he discovers that a loan shark demands payment of his father’s debt by the end of the day and that his friends are being held hostage. Instead of being discouraged, Sean sees this as the beginning of a real adventure.
Repetitive play structure and metanarrative
“THE GOOD OLD DAYS” is a game designed with multiple, short, yet dense, repetitive gameplay loops. Each loop lasts approximately 1-2 hours, allowing gamers to continue playing multiple times without fatigue.
The first loop appears to be a simple Metroidvania story of growth, but as you play through, new truths about the characters and the world are gradually revealed. The fifth loop also features a major twist that forces you to revisit the entire story, piqueing gamers’ anticipation.
The game’s unique circular narrative structure connects the ending of each playthrough to the beginning of the next, with all loops required to complete the entire story. This metanarrative revolves around themes of memory, nostalgia, and shifting perspectives, allowing gamers to discover new meaning through repeated playthroughs, a unique design.
Various gameplay styles
The goal of the game is to collect money within a limited time to repay your creditors. There are various ways to do this, including finding money in hidden places, clearing difficult stages, completing NPC events, winning lotteries, winning minigames, defeating enemies and bosses, and even committing evil deeds.
Gamers can achieve their goals in the way they are most comfortable with, boss battles are optional, and exploration paths are also freely selectable, so even gamers unfamiliar with action games can easily complete the game.
Rescuing the three trapped “Nuggies” members allows you to switch between characters. Each character has a unique personality, which influences events, actions, movement range, and more. Switching between characters is a key element in overcoming the game’s challenges and opening up new paths.
Inspired by 1980s movies
The developers say they were inspired by iconic ’80s films like The Goonies and E.T., and wanted to capture the spirit of that era—a time filled with courage, friendship, and wonder. Nostalgic Easter eggs and references are scattered throughout the game, creating a special experience for gamers who remember those times.
Technical completeness and evaluation
This exploration-based Metroidvania utilizes cutting-edge game development techniques, pushing the boundaries of pixel art gaming with mechanical and graphical innovations. It has received rave reviews on Steam, with 93% of 47 user reviews positive.
The development team is continuing to update the game after launch, and the November 10th patch actively reflects player feedback, including adjusting the required amount for the fifth playthrough from $80,000 to $60,000 and fixing several bugs.
‘THE GOOD OLD DAYS’, which stimulates nostalgia for the past with its unique concept and dot graphics that exude a retro feel, can be viewed through the link below.
