VanillaBeast: Ace In The Hole Set For Release In 2023(!)

Parody games shouldn’t be taken seriously, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be any good. Take VanillaBeast: Ace in the Hole, for example; this looks hilarious.

Coming to PC later this year, the game will celebrate the fun of 90s arcade and console titles, from an open-world perspective. Developed by Vanilla Gaming Company, each level is designed by a different artist but encapsulates the era’s vibe.

I almost stopped typing at the reference to Leisure Suit Larry (legend), but expect to see a wealth of classic titles parodied in VanillaBeast: Ace in the Hole, such as Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!, Double Dragon and… Samurai Champloo?!!.

We created VanillaBeast as a love letter to the games we grew up playing… Except if you were playing this game as a kid, your parents would probably take away your console.

Neil Herrin, president and creative director of Vanilla Gaming Company.

That’s a good quote. Sold. Here are some moving images:

VanillaBeast: Ace in the Hole isn’t out until Q4 2023… bugger, that isn’t a typo. Well, that’s what the wishlist is for. Click it.