Next Up Hero in the works for Switch

Next Up Hero is in development for Switch, Digital Continue and Aspyr have announced. Digital Continue was founded by Joe Tringali, the co-founder of Scribblenauts developer 5th Cell.

In the game, you’ll play as one of nine heroes and battle enemies with an assortment of weapons. The hook here is that when you die, an Echo of your hero is left behind. That Echo can then be used by the next hero as an AI companion.

Next Up Hero is currently slated for early 2018. View additional information and a trailer below.

So you think can slay all the monsters and win eternal glory, is that it? Bad news, hero. In the Spiral Shards, we can only send in one hero at a time to fight the Ceaseless Dirge. At some point, a flaming blue fireball, mech mortar rocket, or giant spike of doom is going to hit you in the face, and you’re going to die. That’s when the fun begins.

When you die, you’ll leave behind an Echo of your hero on the battlefield. The next hero in line will be able to resurrect your Echo as an AI battle companion. Take turns continuing each other’s games, fighting and dying with friends until you have an entire army of Echoes by your side. Everyone dies. Heroes continue.

Next Up Hero is a 2D action adventure driven by Community Continue. Next Up Hero is inspired by friends taking turns at the arcade to beat unfairly difficult games, and designed so beating a session is a shared victory and more fun than playing on your own.

Choose from nine heroes with an assortment of weapons and abilities to suit your playstyle, from swords and rocket launchers to laser turrets, bongo drums, and boomerangs. Coming this fall, Heroes who complete feats of greatness will gain entry into the Champions Trials, a monthly contest in which Digital Continue throws the hardest monsters they have at you.

Developed with community feedback, Digital Continue will incorporate community ideas to improve characters, gameplay, weapons, attacks, and enemy types for the final game.

Next Up Hero is the first game from Digital Continue, founded by Joe Tringali, the co-founder of 5TH Cell, creators of Scribblenauts, Lock’s Quest and Drawn to Life.

Features

Community Continue – Engage in a cutting edge style of cooperative play, Community Continue, where beating community sessions is a shared achievement, and more fun than playing on your own.

Champions Trials – Heroes who complete feats of greatness will gain entry into the Champions Trials, a monthly contest in which Digital Continue throws the toughest challenge they have at you in specially-designed levels. Work together with the community to solve puzzles, defeat challenging enemies, and unlock new rewards. You will probably die.

Spotlight Sessions and Leaderboards – Compete with the community in daily, weekly and monthly leaderboards! Play in sessions with your favorite streamers, or join celebrities in exclusive VIP sessions!

Customized Heroes – Defeat monsters and steal their abilities. Combine monster attacks, character skins, and Ancient abilities for thousands of deadly potential loadouts!

Choose Your Own Achievement – Customize your next goal using a Mad Lib style journal system. Complete those goals to earn the Grand Tokens necessary to gain entry into the deadly Champions Trials.