Pokemon and Balatro-inspired roguelike with an unexpected horror twist doubled its Kickstarter goal in 20 minutes and is now 570% funded

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Pokemon and Balatro-inspired roguelike with an unexpected horror twist doubled its Kickstarter goal in 20 minutes and is now 570% funded News By Kaan Serin published 1 March 2026

"It's a very fun game!"

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(Image credit: Nara Studio)

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As hype around Pokemon Winds and Waves grew to a fever pitch this week, one indie monster-taming roguelike absolutely smashed through its Kickstarter funding goal several times over.

Wonderful Neoran Valley pulls familiar features from other games and combines it into one creature-collecting roguelike with a really unexpected horror twist, at least in its latest trailer embedded below. Developer Nara Studios says the "project was born from our love for the greatest and most impactful monster collectors and JRPGs, like Pokémon and Shin Megami Tensei, along with the roguelites that influenced us the most, such as Slay the Spire, Balatro, and Inscryption."

Wonderful Neoran Valley - A Roguelite Monster Collector - YouTube Watch On

The equally wonderful pitch for Wonderful Neoran Valley meant its Kickstarter campaign was an instant success, reaching fully-funded status within 10 minutes and doubling its first funding goal in just 20 minutes.

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At the time of writing, almost 8,000 people have contributed well over $570,000 to the game's campaign - its initial funding goal was only $100,000, and the Kickstarter page is still taking pledges for the next 28 days. Needless to say, it's a monster success on the platform.

With so many stretch goals already being passed, Wonderful Neoran Valley is now getting a Switch 2 port, a hard mode, a randomizer mode, and extra questlines and Neorans (collectible monsters) that wouldn't have been in the game otherwise. Should the Kickstarter receive at least one million dollars, Nara Studios promises to add voiceover, too.

The page also promises over 70 creatures at launch, alongside a clairvoyant protagonist who can predict an enemy's moves in battle.

Proving the universe has favorites, Pokemon Blue player accidentally catches a shiny legendary they couldn't even see: "Actually in disbelief"

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. CATEGORIES PC Gaming Platforms Kaan SerinSocial Links NavigationFreelance contributor

Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget.

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Logout Read more After blending Wind Waker with Kiki's Delivery Service last year, indie dev reveals N64-inspired Zelda-like RPG    90 minutes with Pokemon Pokopia convinced me this could be the biggest cozy game since Animal Crossing    Solo dev's Kickstarter proves there's a huge appetite for open-world RPGs inspired by early '00s classics like Gothic    "We have made back our development budget after 3 hours": Strategy roguelike Mewgenics is an instant hit    Mewgenics surpasses Hades 2's concurrent player peak on Steam, lead says it's "possible" roguelike hit Megabonk is next    "We could have just made The Binding of Isaac 2," say Mewgenics creators, and "gotten 20 million wishlists"    Latest in RPGs Demonschool dev says he "could find you 10 companies" that have pitched Bloodborne remakes, remasters, and spin-offs    RPG dev of "Planescape Torment + Disco Elysium" spent 8 years struggling to pay rent and writing over 1 million words    As Baldur's Gate 3 devs decide what to do next with Divinity, the RPG's publishing lead celebrates rise in players    "Talos have mercy": Oblivion Remastered player uses PC magic to turn Bethesda's RPG into Resident Evil    Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is "the best of our medium," says former Xbox head, because games are art and human    Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 set for a new update "nearly 15 years after the Enhanced Editions" launched    Latest in News Pokemon and Balatro-inspired roguelike doubled its Kickstarter goal in 20 minutes and is now 570% funded    Pokemon Winds and Waves' best 'mon looks awfully like another creature collector's pomeranian and even the devs noticed    Stardew Valley creator went through it 6 months before launch, and the game didn't come together until "the last moment"    Zack Snyder explains why Ben Affleck is the best big-screen Batman we ever had: “Of anybody who’s played Batman, Ben is the best Bruce Wayne.”    Princess Zelda actor "started practicing" Twilight Princess' Hylian language "over coffee" and is now fluent    Original Scream 7 directors reveal plans they had to “f*** you up” with the sequel they never got to make    GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS

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