Fantastic JRPG Inspired by SNES Classics Re-Releasing After 8 Years

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Bringing older games to new platforms, or ‘remasters,’ is a fantastic way for players to discover hidden gems and beloved classics. While re-releasing games is good for business, a smart and well-timed release can also attract a whole new audience. That’s the case with Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass, a retro-style JRPG that’s getting a bigger, more complete release almost eight years after it first appeared on PC.

Despite keeping the original title, Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass is launching on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on February 5th. While the price hasn’t been revealed, the PC version currently costs $14.99. The console release was initially planned for April 2025, but the exact date was kept secret until now. The game’s trophy list is now available, and it’s interesting because the PC version doesn’t have achievements, so this gives players on PlayStation, Xbox, and (likely) Switch a first look at the platform-specific rewards they can earn.

Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass Is Heavily Inspired by EarthBound and Other Similar Games

The game’s trailer was released alongside the announcement of its release date. The trailer provides a quick overview of the game and highlights the new features players can look forward to. This enhanced edition includes improved graphics, extra levels, a new font, a classic CRT filter option, a challenging expert mode, and more enemies.

So, good news for PC players! The cool stuff from the recent update will eventually make its way back to the original PC version of Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass. The developer, Kasey Ozymy, confirmed it on social media – it will happen. Right now, the team’s focused on finishing up the PC and Mac versions of the update, so they don’t have a solid date for when it’ll hit the original release just yet, but they’re definitely planning on it.

Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass was first released on PC in August 2018 and received generally positive reviews. It has an average Metacritic score of 86 and currently holds a “Very Positive” rating on Steam, based on over 500 user reviews. Critics and players alike praised the game for its smart writing, engaging turn-based combat, and distinctive pixel art style, which often features horror elements.

The game shares a lot of similarities with popular indie titles like Undertale and Deltarune, and that’s intentional. It’s heavily inspired by classic Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) from the Super Nintendo era, such as EarthBound, which the game’s Steam page specifically references. Final Fantasy 5, the Breath of Fire series, and Yume Nikki are also listed as key influences.

Like the classic RPG EarthBound, Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass has a unique story. The game takes place inside the dreams of an eight-year-old boy during an alien invasion. Young Jimmy must defeat the Pulsating Mass, a threat that affects both his body and mind. This focus on a child protagonist and a bizarre world gives it a similar feel to EarthBound, as well as other games like Omori and Undertale.

Ozymy has put together a team to create Hymn to the Earless God, a new RPG, after a successful Kickstarter campaign that exceeded its $120,000 goal, raising $139,349. The game draws inspiration from the classic SNES series Paladin’s Quest (known as Lennus in Japan), a somewhat obscure franchise that hasn’t received much attention recently. Notably, the sequel to Paladin’s Quest was never officially released outside of Japan.

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2026-01-07 00:11