- Brazilian indie developer Naula Studio’s new title to launch on consoles and PC in 2027
- A new ‘Arcadevania’ title combining 16-bit pixel art and fast action
- Playable at TGS 2026, free Steam demo also released
Indie developer Naula Studio has officially announced its new action platformer , ‘Necro Pop’ .
‘Necro Pop’ is an action platformer that combines the fast combat, dungeon exploration, character progression, and replay elements of classic arcade games. The development team introduces this gameplay style with the neologism ‘Arcadevania’.
The game was designed from the beginning based on the Neo Geo MVS arcade board and AES home console, and features colorful 16-bit pixel art and a ghost protagonist named Poppi.
The adventure of the ghost girl Poppy and her battle against ‘Gloom’
The setting of ‘Necro Pop’ is a world called ‘Ghostreach’. Players embark on an adventure as Poppy, a ghost girl who fights against the evil darkness of ‘The Gloam’.
Gloom is spreading across Ghostrich, trapping ghosts, and Poppy begins a journey to rescue her captured friends.
The story takes a new turn as Poppy discovers an ancient artifact capable of granting her a body. Using her newly acquired physical abilities, Poppy drives out Gloom, explores the dungeon, and rescues her companions.
As you progress through the game, new abilities, upgrades, and hidden elements appear, providing the fun of repeatedly exploring various dungeons.
‘Arcadevenia’, combining arcade action and dungeon exploration
Naula Studio defines ‘Necro Pop’ as an ‘Arcadevania’ game that combines the intuitive action of classic arcade games with elements of exploration, growth, and secrets.
Poppy can create her own unique combat and exploration style by combining various attacks and abilities. A wide range of abilities are available, from charged attacks for powerful blows to magic like fireballs, bubbles to aid movement, and Pogo actions to move by stomping on enemies.
The game also includes an element where mysterious minions join as allies to assist in combat. The development team explained that they designed the game to allow players to freely combine and experiment with attacks, magic, and movement abilities, rather than forcing a specific playstyle.
16-bit pixel art filled with affection for Neo Geo
‘Necro Pop’ was developed based on Naula Studio’s interest in classic pixel art and Neo Geo hardware.
The game was designed for the Neo Geo MVS arcade board and AES home console, utilizing vibrant, cartoon-style pixel art to depict ghost characters and the world. Another eye-catching element is the 16-bit world, which allows for repeated exploration of various dungeons by leveraging the capabilities of Neo Geo hardware.
‘Necro Pop’ was developed primarily for Neo Geo but will also be released on modern platforms. Versions for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam) are scheduled for release in 2027.
Tokyo Game Show 2026 Demonstration and Steam Free Demo Revealed
Naula Studio plans to showcase a playable version of ‘Necro Pop’ at Tokyo Game Show 2026, which will be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, from September 17 to 21.
A free demo has already been released on Steam that allows you to experience the entire third stage of the game. Through the demo, you can preview core gameplay such as combat, movement, and dungeon exploration, and you can also add it to your wishlist on the Steam page.
Meanwhile, ‘Necro Pop’ is Naula Studios’ second new title targeting the Neo Geo platform. It is drawing the attention of both the industry and users for faithfully continuing the studio’s extraordinary dedication to classic hardware and its unique approach, following its predecessor, ‘Vengeance Hunters’.
Information regarding ‘ Necro Pop ‘
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Naula Studio |
| Publisher | Unidentified |
| Genre | Action Platformer (“Arcadevania”) |
| platform | Neo Geo MVS, Neo Geo AES, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam) |
| Release date | 2027 (Physical Neo Geo version available for pre-order via Theraonion, console and PC release dates TBD) |
| language | Unidentified |
| Reactions/Evaluations | Immediately following announcement, no official reviews available, free Steam demo currently available |
| Steam Page | Shortcut |
