During the Future Games Show Spring Showcase 2026, developer Halberd Studios unveiled a brand-new gameplay trailer for their highly anticipated Metroidvania, Mariachi Legends. The trailer, which also aired during the FGS Live From GDC segment, provided a deeper look at the game’s brutal combat and striking pixel-art aesthetic.
Described by the developers as a love letter to the original Playstation era of Castlevania, Mariachi Legends transports players to the heart of Mexico. You step into the boots of Pablo Cruz, a detective who has brokered a deal with Death herself. In exchange for the power to transform into the supernatural warrior La Sombra, Pablo must hunt down an immortal man who has dared to defy Madre Catrina.
The new trailer showed off some of the core gameplay player can look forward to in Mariachi Legends:
- Dynamic Combat: Players can switch between swords, guns, and whips, utilising a combo-heavy beat-em-up style combined with precise platforming.
- The Power of La Sombra: A showcase of the transformation mechanic, allowing Pablo to unleash devastating magical abilities and executions.
- Day-Night Cycle: The world of Santa Mascota evolves in real-time. The trailer briefly showed the change from day to night, which can open new paths, change enemy behavior, and reveal hidden secrets.
Halberd Studios confirmed that Mariachi Legends is currently on track for a Q2 2026 release window. The game is set to launch on PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
