Hyper Light Drifter

Hyper Light Drifter
Developer(s)Heart Machine
Abylight Studios (Switch, mobile)
Publisher(s)Heart Machine
Abylight Studios (Switch, mobile)
Designer(s)Alx Preston
Beau Blyth
Teddy Dief
Casey Hunt
Programmer(s)Beau Blyth
Teddy Dief
Artist(s)Alx Preston
Sean Ward
Writer(s)Casey Hunt
Composer(s)Disasterpeace
Akash Thakkar
EngineGameMaker Studio
Platform(s)Linux, Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
Release
  • Linux, OS X, Windows
  • March 31, 2016
  • PS4, Xbox One
  • July 26, 2016
  • Switch
  • September 6, 2018
  • iOS
  • July 25, 2019
  • Android
  • June 17, 2024
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Hyper Light Drifter is an action role-playing game developed and published by Heart Machine. The Microsoft Windows, Linux and OS X versions were released in March 2016, and the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions in July 2016. A Special Edition port of the game, featuring additional content, was released by Abylight Studios for the Nintendo Switch in September 2018, for iOS devices in July 2019 and for Android devices in June 2024.[1][2][3]

The game pays homage to 8-bit and 16-bit games, and is considered by its lead developer Alx Preston as a combination of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Diablo. Preston originally launched Kickstarter funding for the title for approximately US$27,000 to develop the title for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux computers, but ended up with more than US$600,000, allowing him to hire more programmers and artists, and expanding the title for console and portable platforms through stretch goals. Though originally scoped for release in 2014, various improvements in the game and issues with Preston's health set the release back.

The game received generally positive reviews upon release. A successor, Hyper Light Breaker, is set to enter early access in 2025[4].

  1. ^ "Abylight Studios will release Hyper Light Drifter on Nintendo Switch™". Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  2. ^ "Hyper Light Drifter Special Edition now available on iOS". Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  3. ^ Morris, Iwan (June 17, 2024). "Hyper Light Drifter Special Edition is a new, enhanced version of the classic for Android". pocketgamer.com. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  4. ^ "Hyper Light Breaker - Early Access Coming Early 2025 - Steam News". store.steampowered.com. August 20, 2024. Retrieved November 7, 2024.