Normally I’d say a studio name like “Super Awesome Hyper Dimensional Mega Team” is way over the top, but this particular developer has already brought us a perfect-scoring title in Pro Zombie Soccer after all! If that debut didn’t make it clear the folks at Super Mega Team are living up to their label, then their next project certainly will if our time with it so far is any indication. Starring an over-rambunctious trainee witch who accidentally opens a dimensional rift that spills Tribble-like furballs into her world, Supermagical creatively folds Bust-a-Move style gameplay into the Castle Defense genre.
Supermagical’s single player campaign has you wandering an overworld map to defend towns against the waves of furballs bearing down on them. If even a single one reaches the town gate it turns into a bomb and blows the place to kingdom come, so this is a deadly serious task despite the game’s deviously lighthearted tone. The furballs – okay, they’re actually called “Minix” – thankfully have a weakness. If you shoot one of their own kind into a group of three or more of its color, pool-style, that clump will vaporize. As a nice bonus, any Minix that are separated from the horde by their disappearance will get zapped and leave behind coins you can use for supplies purchases and upgrades between levels.
Naturally, it’s the upgrade process that gives Supermagical depth and lasting appeal — the sheer fun of bouncing these furballs around notwithstanding. The sequence of colors in your Minix queue isn’t always appropriate for dealing with the horde, but luckily our heroine picks up spellcasting friends along the way. Letting go of the game’s aim slider and tapping on a familiar gives you access to spells that target hard-to-reach Minix or produce other helpful effects. In a pinch, you can also switch the color of your ammunition by feeding the ill-fated furball candy through a radial menu. These are available in limited quantities at shops, so suffice it to say Supermagical carries a strong resource management challenge. The player can also scour the overworld map for ingredients and visit home base to concoct new spells between levels.
As you can no doubt tell from the high-res screenshots, Super Mega Team aren’t sparing any expense when it comes to the game’s presentation! Damien Sanchez’ orchestral score, especially, is to die for — give a few of the tracks a listen here. No official word on when Supermagical is likely to hit as the devs are still putting the finishing touches on a multiplayer mode, but keep an eye on the Super Mega Team Twitter feed for the latest news.