Cotton Fantasy points its broomstick westward next month

destructoid.com:

ININ Games has announced a western release date for all-new shmup sequel Cotton Fantasy, which was previously released in Japan in 2021, (with the far superior title of Cotton Rock ‘n’ Roll). The cartoonish arcade adventure will launch on PS4 and Nintendo Switch on May 20.

Cotton Fantasy is a brand new entry in the cult, long-running Cotton franchise, and sees the titular witch reunited with her sexy space pal Silk as the duo embarks on another button-punching mission into the stars. Someone is stealing all of the magical candy, Willow, from Fairyland. With the thought of her supply of sweet treats being exhausted simply too much for Cotton to bear, our heroes jet off to reveal the villain behind this mystery.

With 16 delightfully animated stages, six playable characters, multiple modes, and even a bevy of secret unlocks, Cotton Fantasy hopes to be a mighty comeback for the cute-’em-up franchise. The sequel features an overhaul scoring system, new gameplay mechanics, fully HD visuals, and remixed soundtrack featuring some of the classic tunes pulled from the entire Cotton franchise.

Cotton Fantasy is a sort of “grand finale” of the Cotton comeback. The new title follows on from the release of remake Cotton Reboot, the rereleased Cotton Guardian Force Saturn Tribute, and an array of physical reprints. The franchise is unlikely to set the world on fire in this day and age, but for shmup fans and cute-’em-up fans, there will always be a place in video gaming for the dopey sorceress and her friends.

Cotton Fantasy launches May 20 on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.