Storybook Inspired Art and Playful Whimsy make Little Nemo and the Guardians of Slumberland Wishlist-Worthy
DIE SOFT's dreamy platformer is coming Q1 next year
Explore a dream world as the iconic Little Nemo, armed with toys, candy, and stuffed animals in this cute & colorful Metroidvania adventure. Experience NES-era platformer gameplay in a vast, non-linear world that has been hand-animated frame-by-frame, as you unlock new abilities to progress. (Steam)
Winsor McCay was an artist and animator born in the late 1860s in either Michigan or Canada (records are sketchy). He passed in 1934, so you might wonder why I’m bringing him up in a discussion about a game coming out in 2026. (I love bringing a little history into these stories.)
McCay created a comic strip called Dream of the Rarebit Fiend in 1904, where the character of Little Nemo originated. A year later, Nemo took center stage in Little Nemo in Slumberland, where DIE SOFT’s upcoming Little Nemo and the Guardians of Slumberland takes its inspiration from.
Guardians of Slumberland was first seen on Steam in 2022, and a Kickstarter soon followed. Named a “Project We Love,” the Kickstarter was successful, raising just over $80,000 on a goal of $65,000. The game was featured as part of the Wholesome Games Direct in 2023 (when it made its way to my own Steam wishlist) and, most recently, The MIX Summer Game Showcase on June 3rd. At that event, studio DIE SOFT revealed that the game had a targeted release window of Q1 2026 and released a new demo for the occasion.
The demo was everything I wanted. For a Metroidvania to capture me, thrill me, and keep me invested, and for me to want to feature it here or on social media, it has to be special.
Nemo’s adorable. Check.
The world looks like something you’d find on the pages of a storybook. (Look at the screenshots a little further down, the hand-drawn textures on everything are incredible.) Check.
Pajamas with different powers? Check.
Platforming that makes sense ? Check.
But beyond that, I loved the approach DIE SOFT took to gameplay. Yes, there was a standard ‘difficulty’ level the devs recommended you play at, and I did for a bit, but when I was fighting the boss you meet in the level, I couldn’t quite get past it. (Maybe it’s the MS or maybe it’s because I feel like games in the genre seem to boil down to being rhythm games, and I’m no good at those.) I ended up backing out to give myself a little extra health, but there was also an option to slow down time if that’s how you take your game tweaks.
Also, if you want to make it harder, you absolutely can. There’s no gatekeeping here!
There’s also plenty of hints in the demo of things you’ll discover in the full game. I found one pair of Nemo’s PJs that’ll be discoverable in the world that upped my strength, but you’ll also be able to find some of Nemo’s toys, which will give you new skills, and other collectibles. (I thought it was clever tying the toys to skills, because I have a six-year-old, and at that age, 90 percent of the toys you buy for them ARE to help them ‘level up.’)
The music is also brilliant, composed by Peter Berkman of Anamanaguchi (!!!). You’d think that with the vibe of the art and the era they’re evoking, the studio would have gone for something with a more chip-tune feel, but I’m glad they stayed away from that route.
As of publishing, the demo for the game is still up and running, and I encourage you all to take a peek. You can also keep up with the studio at their website, Bluesky, or Twitter.