HOUSTON - August 12, 2025 - Independent game developer Super Item Studios is pleased to present Dono's Tale, a meticulously-crafted cozy platformer inspired by the 16- and 32-bit eras. The colorful hand-drawn visuals and catchy soundtrack will transport players back to the 1990s and the bowtie-wearing dragon protagonist, Dono, is sure to become a fan favorite.
Dono flew onto the scene just weeks ago with a Kickstarter campaign that was funded in under 72 hours. The campaign will continue through August 24 to achieve stretch goals including two-player couch co-op and a guest composition by Scarlet Moon's Soyo Oka, who is famous for her many works including Super Mario Kart, Pilotwings, SimCity (SNES), Ice Hockey, Vs. Excite Bike, and more. Backer rewards include a copy of the game starting at $15 USD along with all the fixings: the soundtrack, an art book, test build access, and more available at higher support tiers.
In Dono's Tale, players control our hungry little dragon as they jump, dash, climb, and shoot their way through detailed and colorful worlds in order to get back their precious fruit! Super Item Studios innovates on the classic platforming formula by encouraging players to experiment with chaining mobility and combat abilities to overcome the many obstacles that stand between Dono and their fruit. A demo is now available for players to get a first taste of the game's seven worlds. Dono's Tale is planned to release in early 2026 on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, Steam, GOG, itch.io, PlayStation 5, and Xbox.
"Dono’s Tale is a love letter to the 2D Platformers I grew up with," notes Super Item Studios developer Dagoberto "Dago" Duarte. "Specifically, I was inspired by favorites like Yoshi's Island, Mega Man X, Donkey Kong Country, and even some more obscure titles like Astal and Silhouette Mirage. Dono’s fast-paced gameplay takes inspiration from speedrunning and fighting games like Super Smash Bros Melee, Super Mario 64, Street Fighter Alpha 2, and even Devil May Cry, while some of the graphical elements and color palettes are influenced by other media such as the Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure series. As to our creative process, we revisit our favorite scenarios, break down what made them so fun and memorable, and reimagine those elements in a new way. The result is a game that feels both nostalgic and familiar, yet new and full of surprises. We hope you enjoy it!"
Learn more: https://donostale.com
Key Features
- ADVENTURE through a charming set of 30+ stages to retrieve your trove of fruit!
- EXPLORE a detailed and colorful world full of surprises and collectables.
- MASTER your platforming skills and Dono's many abilities to get the upper hand.
- BATTLE each world's powerful boss with clever gimmicks that will test your skills.
- LISTEN to a catchy retro-flavored soundtrack by various artists and maybe Soyo Oka.
- RELAX in a cozy world with a charming protagonist and beautiful hand-drawn visuals.
About Super Item Studios
Super Item Studios is a small and passionate independent game developer based in Houston, Texas. They create new and amazing games for everyone to enjoy! Their debut title, Dono's Tale, a charming 16- and 32-bit era-inspired platformer, is currently funded on Kickstarter and aims to release in 2026.
Learn more: https://donostale.com
Follow Super Item Studios: https://linktr.ee/Superitemstudios
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The development team at Super Item Studios is available for interview.
A press kit containing the artwork, logos, trailers, and more is available here: Press Kit
Media Contact
Jayson Napolitano, Scarlet Moon Promotionsjayson@scarletmoonpromotions.com