Mika and The Witch’s Mountain appears to be an unofficial video game adaptation of Kiki’s Delivery Service, which is a Studio Ghibli film about a witch who decides to go postal, but not in the Running with Scissors sense. Created by developers Chibig and Nukefist, it’s a “mini open world” game about carrying packages by broomstick while investigating the titular mountain, flying through hoops a la Pilotwings, and savouring the balmy inconsequentiality of an island that reminds me of Super Mario Sunshine. It also now has an early access release date, 21st August, and a charming new trailer.
The early access build (Steam page here) will ship with the full main story of the game, encompassing 36 individual deliveries and 18 sidequests. That’s around five hours of play, with 18 main characters. You can also customise Mika with different outfits, and accessorise her broom with charms and trails. I, for one, would like to equip a siren and a disco ball. The broom can’t be weaponised, but it can be upgraded, and upgrade it you must if you want to reach the mountain’s summit.
The press release promises that if you pull off “perfect deliveries” you will receive “unimaginable treasures”. I don’t know mate, I can imagine a lot of crazy things. For example, a broomstick with a siren and a disco ball.
The developers are also planning a free update which allows you to pet animals (a black cat, surely), go fishing while flying around, and participate in some kind of Churro Express minigame. We can also expect additional sidequests and dungeons which will flesh out the “hidden side” of the mountain.
Kiki’s Delivery Service aside, Mika And The Witch’s Mountain puts me in mind of Brew Barons, in which you are an utter maniac who insists on doing every single thing using aeroplanes.