Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, the game developer Sunsoft put out a variety of memorable games on NES, ranging from novel licensed games like Batman and Fester’s Quest to unique originals like Blaster Master. Not all of their games made it to America back in the day though, such as the recent Switch re-release Trip World. One of those games finally made it to America on Virtual Console more than a decade ago: the fascinating proto-Metroidvania Ufouria: The Saga. Originally launching on Famicom in 1991, Ufouria was ahead of its time with its non-linear style but was often too obtuse for its own good. That’s what makes the quasi-remake sequel Ufouria: The Saga 2 so welcome: it takes the intriguing framework of the original, modernizes it, and packages it all together with a gorgeous craft-like presentation.

You start off playing as Hebe, a weird-looking creature who awakens from his bed (located right next to his toilet) and sets off on an adventure as aliens have disrupted his world and brain-washed his friends. The general flow of this 2D platformer reminded me of the Monster Boy games, as you travel to different areas, slowly amassing a gaggle of other playable characters that can then bring you to other areas. Soon after adventuring to the Ufouria Fields, Hebe teams up with O-Chan (who can swim on top of water), Sukezaemon (who has a floaty jump), and Jennifer (who can swim underwater). More abilities and unlocks in addition to the characters open up the full world, made up of a variety of different areas with pleasant visuals usually ending in a simplistic boss fight that tasks you with tossing projectiles and timing butt stomps.

The hook is that every level you enter changes slightly when you enter it. As far as I can tell, it’s just a few different layouts or pieces that are stitched together, but this feature makes it so replaying the stages isn’t a chore, because you tackle different challenges and can find different collectibles. You will need to find a sizable amount of battery collectables to progress the story, as abilities and progress are gated by collecting specific amounts. What you need to do and where you could go to do it is far more clear than it was in the original, showing that Sunsoft has learned how to be less obtuse over the past 30 years. It also helps that the platforming and light combat just feels nice on the entire journey. It’s a joy to toy around in this world, especially alongside a delightfully quirky story with cute writing.

Uforia: The Saga 2 stays a gentle, enjoyable romp through and through, complete with excellent music and stunning visuals. The art style is in line with Nintendo and Good-Feel’s yarn, wool, and crafted outputs starring Kirby and Yoshi, though not quite to the high standard of Nintendo’s look. Much like the original, the animation for each of the four playable characters is endearing. O-Chan still crawls by laying down on his back and shimmying around. The personality and style is off the charts.

It’s amazing that Sunsoft revisited Ufouria after multiple decades, especially because Ufouria: The Saga 2 feels like a full realization of the endearing game. It won’t take you more than a few hours to save the day, but it stays fresh throughout that play time whether you’re a newcomer to games or a well-worn Metroidvania veteran. I hope this isn’t the last time we see Hebe and his friends.