Developer Piko Interactive has announced that a remaster of the classic Nintendo 64 game, Glover is coming to Steam. According to their Twitter bio, the studio claims to be purchasing old Intellectual Property to make “cool stuff!”
Glover follows the adventures of an anthropomorphic, four-fingered glove, who is tasked with guiding a magic ball through seven worlds full of puzzles and hidden surprises. The retro game falls under the platforming category and involves the player bouncing, rolling, and throwing the ball to reach the checkpoint.
The title was originally published by Hasbro in 1998 on the Nintendo 64 (N64), before launching on the PlayStation a year after. The game received generally favourable reviews upon release, and announced a sequel, though it never came to fruition.
Finally the wait is almost over. The #N64 Era Cult Classic Glover is coming soon! This version of #Glover is a completely redone from the original source code (N64 version of the game), and improved for modern PCs.#remaster #RETROGAMING #Nintendo64 pic.twitter.com/awbq00ALHr
— PIKO (@Pikointeractive) March 7, 2022
Piko Interactive aims to bring back the retro experience to modern PCs, with improved controls and visuals – “completely redone from the original source code (N64 version of the game).” The title is currently eyeing a tentative release date of April 20, 2022, and is available to add to your Steam wishlist. The team is also working on implementing achievements and Trading Cards to the game, after which it is “all systems go.”
Fans on Twitter, however, are trying to coax people into not supporting this release. As stated by user StoodUpOtomo, Piko Interactive is one of the biggest obstacles against “true video game preservation.” According to them, the studio has not only altered the unfinished code, but has refused to release the original version for archive purposes.
The company is also known to send legal threats to developers who dump and release prototype ROMs (physical/digital cartridges) by claiming that they own the rights. Others on the thread are encouraging fans to emulate the game instead of paying for a Steam release.