Battle Princess Madelyn
Battle Princess Madelyn feels like a Ghouls ‘n Ghosts superfan’s passion project, and that’s kind of what it is.
Battle Princess Madelyn is a 2D action game that follows the journey of Princess Madelyn, a knight in training, and her dog Fritzy. It should feel familiar to any fan of similar run and gun/platformer games of the time such as the aforementioned Ghouls ‘n and Ghosts and its precursor Ghosts ‘n Goblins as it aims to emulate the gameplay of that era.
It’s no surprise that the game isn’t more well known, coming from a smaller less established studio and appealing to fans of a niche genre.
The lead developer, Christopher Obritsch, named the game after his daughter as it was she who inspired him to create it. The idea occurred when his daughter told him that girls can’t be knights. The story is built on this basis of empowerment, and Madelyn is a surprisingly bad-ass protagonist.
Battle Princess Madelyn is at the top of this list as it falls short in some areas, yet it provides a solid experience for those in the right niche who want a new take on some old classics. You may not have heard of Causal Bit Games before, but their first title leaves a good impression.