There are games that it’s easy to predict will do well. All the numbers are in their favor, the studio is beloved, and they are talked about positively on social media. But sometimes that’s not enough. If its development has been bizarre, it has been very expensive, or the studio is in a precarious situation, it is perfectly possible that simply being a success is not enough. It may need to break the scales to be considered a triumph. And it could very well be that one of the most anticipated indies of the year, Mina the Hollower, is in that situation.
Some inspirations in the sleeve
Mina the Hollower surprises because it does not hide its inspirations. It doesn’t even try to. It is a game heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda, but specifically by the 2D games of the franchise that came after A Link to the Past, the last game released for Super Nintendo. Embracing what Nintendo did in games like A Link to the Past, Oracle of Seasons, and Oracle of Ages, Mina the Hollower takes them as inspiration to create its own identity.
Because it is true that it draws a lot from them. It has an isometric perspective of 3/4, a pixel art aesthetic similar to that of a Super Nintendo, and a mix of combat, exploration, and puzzles, but it is not exactly like a Zelda. Not only because Mina is a little mouse with a clear purpose: to discover why the spark generators that power the Dark Island are failing. But also because it has another great inspiration: the games from From Software.
Where in Zelda we only have one sword, in Mina The Hollower we have a whole variety of weapons to choose from. Each of them encourages a different playstyle, which is enhanced by a secondary weapon, in the style of Castlevania, with limited uses. This promotes combat in a way much closer to a 2D Bloodborne than to any The Legend of Zelda.
This makes the game have a higher level of difficulty than we would expect in this type of games. Something unexpected from a game that, while set in a pseudo 18th century gothic environment, is inhabited by adorable anthropomorphic animals. But where there are also deadly traps, castles filled with monsters, and of course, poisonous swamps. Just in case the influence of From Software wasn’t clear.
A study that has given it all
Additionally, Mina has to achieve something even more important than discovering what is happening on Shadow Island. She has to sell well and quickly. Why? Because the fate of her studio depends on it. Yacht Club Games, the studio behind Mina The Hollower, has stated that they are on the brink of bankruptcy and, if the game is not an immediate success, they may have to close their doors.
Now, this doesn’t seem to be a problem. Yacht Club Games are the creators of Shovel Knight, a game released in 2014 that delighted fans of retro platformers in the style of the NES. With exquisite pixel art and a devilish difficulty, it has created an entire franchise around it adored by an enthusiastic audience. The reason? The quality of their games and the care dedicated to them, establishing Yacht Club Games as a hallmark of quality.
Moreover, this is reflected in the numbers. Mina the Hollower is currently the sixth most wished game on Steam. This means that, even in the most conservative forecasts, it should reach six figures in its first twenty-four hours without any issues. If marketing and enthusiasm are on point, it could reach seven. But that remains to be seen.
Will Mina the Hollower be the next big indie hit? Everything points to yes. It is a beautiful game that is causing a sensation on social media and comes from a studio known for delivering excellent results. Whether that will be enough remains to be seen, given its situation. But we won’t have to wait long: Mina the Hollower will be released for PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S on May 29. And barring a major catastrophe, we could very well be looking at one of the games of the year.
