{{Short description|2026 video game}} {{Use American English|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox video game | title = Mina the Hollower | image = Mina the Hollower cover art.png | caption = | developer = [[Yacht Club Games]] | publisher = Yacht Club Games | director = | producer = | designer = | programmer = | artist = | writer = | composer = {{ubl|[[Jake Kaufman]]|[[Yuzo Koshiro]]}} | engine = | platforms = {{ubl|[[Linux]]|[[macOS]]|[[Nintendo Switch]]|[[Nintendo Switch 2]]|[[PlayStation 5]]|[[Windows]]|[[Xbox Series X/S]]}} | released = May 29, 2026 | genre = [[Action-adventure]] | modes = [[Single-player]] }}
'''''Mina the Hollower''''' is a 2026 [[action-adventure game]] developed and published by [[Yacht Club Games]]. It released on [[Linux]], [[macOS]], [[Nintendo Switch]], [[Nintendo Switch 2]], [[PlayStation 5]], [[Windows]], and [[Xbox Series X/S]] on May 29, 2026. ''Mina the Hollower'' is inspired by the gameplay and graphics of action-adventure games developed for the [[Game Boy family]] of [[video game consoles]]. The game received critical acclaim.
== Gameplay == [[File:Mina the Hollower gameplay.png|left|thumb|The protagonist fighting an enemy with the whip]] The game's main character is Mina, a genius inventor and mouse who has created advances in Spark Technology. She is a Hollower, a member of a guild dedicated to studying the Earth. She wields a whip, called the Nightstar, as a weapon, allowing her to attack in four directions. Additionally, Mina can take advantage of a technique known as "Hollowing". This grants her the ability to burrow underground for a short time as a way to traverse short distances quickly and cross gaps, while being invincible.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Moss |first=Gabriel |date=2026-05-13 |title=Mina the Hollower is Like Link’s Awakening With a Grudge {{!}} IGN Preview |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/mina-the-hollower-preview-bloodborne-zelda |access-date=2026-05-20 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>
Alongside her whip, Mina can use other weapons such as hatchets and daggers, holding only one at a time. Trinkets can be equipped to provide permanent boosts to her navigational and combative abilities. Sidearms can also be found throughout the world, providing Mina with a wide variety of support and combative roles; unlike Trinkets, however, Sidearms are lost upon death.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Yacht Club Games Presents 2022 |url=https://www.yachtclubgames.com/blog/yacht-club-games-presents-2022/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527210146/https://www.yachtclubgames.com/blog/yacht-club-games-presents-2022/ |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |access-date=May 20, 2022 |website=Yacht Club Games}}</ref>
The game is in a [[3/4 perspective|3/4 isometric perspective]], similar to [[Game Boy Color]] games such as ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX]]'' and [[The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages|''The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons'' and ''Oracle of Ages'']].<ref name=":1" />
== Synopsis == The game revolves around Mina, a skilled inventor and "Hollower" who travels to Tenebrous Isle to discover why her Spark Generators (which she invented to power the island) have gone out.<ref name=":1" />
=== Setting === The game takes place in a 1700s [[gothic horror]]-inspired world populated by [[anthropomorphic animal]]s.<ref name=":1" /> It is primarily set in Tenebrous Isle, with various levels surrounding the hub city of Ossex. One of the levels in the game includes Nox's Bayou, a poisonous swamp which hosts one of the generators.
=== Plot === Mina makes an expedition to Tenebrous Isle, home to the philanthropist Baron Lionel. Lionel acts as Mina's patron, funding her research on the isle and subsequently leading to its rapid development. Standing in her way is Thorne, a bat who served as the former head of Lionel's guard, before betraying the Baron and destroying the generators alongside his shock troopers.
== Development == ''Mina the Hollower'' originally began as a side project by Yacht Club Games employee Alec Faulkner to hone his coding and artistic capabilities, and was not originally intended for commercial release. Development on the solo affair, then under the name ''Gothic'', caught the attention of Yacht Club management, who viewed the title as a favorable pairing to the studio's flagship ''[[Shovel Knight]]'' series. On February 2, 2022, a [[Kickstarter]] campaign was launched to support development, which raised USD$1,239,584 from 21,439 backers. When including other sources of crowdfunding, the game raised over USD$1,400,000 for the studio.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="GI_Feature">{{Cite magazine |last=Van Aken |first=Alex |date=November 2022 |title=The Making of Mina the Hollower |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[Sunrise Publications]] |pages=10–11 |volume=32 |issue=351}}</ref> Originally scheduled for release on October 31, 2025, the game was later delayed to May 29, 2026.<ref name="date">{{cite web |last1=Denzer |first1=TJ |title=Mina the Hollower gets late May 2026 release date |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/149025/mina-the-hollower-release-date |website=Shacknews |access-date=6 May 2026 |date=6 May 2026}}</ref><ref name="date2">{{cite web | last=Hagues | first=Alana | title=Mina The Hollower Finally Lands On Switch 1 & 2 In Just A Few Weeks | website=Nintendo Life | date=May 6, 2026 | url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/05/mina-the-hollower-finally-lands-on-switch-1-and-2-in-just-a-few-weeks | access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref>
''Mina the Hollower'' was designed to mimic the visual appearance of a [[Game Boy Color]] title. This stylistic decision was made while still a side project for Faulkner, inspired by a slew of Game Boy games he had been playing in his personal time. In an attempt to pay homage to early [[Handheld game console|portable gaming]] and remain as authentic as possible to the original Game Boy hardware, ''Mina'' abides by the technical limitations of the Game Boy, containing no 3D assets and limiting pixel design to four colors per tile.<ref name="GI_Feature" /> The lone exception to this philosophy is the game's [[widescreen]] resolution.
The developers' interest in scary stories and [[horror game]]s, as well as creating the darker-in-tone ''[[Specter of Torment]]'' [[downloadable content]] for ''[[Shovel Knight]]'', is what inspired them to create a darker game. The gameplay and story draws influences from such games as ''[[Castlevania (1986 video game)|Castlevania]]'', ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening]]'', and ''[[Bloodborne]]''. Other influences include the [[Disneyland]] rides ''The Haunted Mansion'' and ''Pirates of the Caribbean''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schepper |first1=Jeremy |title=Mina the Hollower: An Interview with Sandy Gordon of Yacht Club Games |url=https://www.nettosgameroom.com/2024/10/mina-hollower-interview-with-sandy.html |website=Netto's Game Room |date=28 October 2024 |access-date=28 October 2024 |archive-date=29 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241029200727/https://www.nettosgameroom.com/2024/10/mina-hollower-interview-with-sandy.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The soundtrack was composed by [[Jake Kaufman]], with two guest tracks from [[Yuzo Koshiro]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2022/03/mina-the-hollowers-soundtrack-gains-streets-of-rage-composer-yuzo-koshiro |title=Mina The Hollower's Soundtrack Gains Streets Of Rage Composer Yuzo Koshiro |last=Hagues |first=Alana |website=Nintendo Life |date=March 2, 2022 |access-date=May 20, 2022 |archive-date=May 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520103754/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2022/03/mina-the-hollowers-soundtrack-gains-streets-of-rage-composer-yuzo-koshiro |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Reception == {{Video game reviews | MC = (NS2) 89/100<ref name="MCNS2">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/mina-the-hollower/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch-2 |title=Mina the Hollower for Nintendo Switch 2 Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |accessdate=May 27, 2026}}</ref><br>(PC) 91/100<ref name="MCPC">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/mina-the-hollower/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Mina the Hollower for PC Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |accessdate=May 27, 2026}}</ref><br>(PS5) 89/100<ref name="MCPS5">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/mina-the-hollower/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-5 |title=Mina the Hollower for PlayStation 5 Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |accessdate=May 27, 2026}}</ref> | OC = 98% recommend<ref name="opencritic">{{Cite web |title=''Mina the Hollower''|accessdate=May 29, 2026 |website=[[OpenCritic]] |language=en |url=https://opencritic.com/game/19213/mina-the-hollower}}</ref>{{efn|Based on 58 reviews}} | GI = 8.8/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Hilliard |first=Kyle |date=May 27, 2026 |url=https://gameinformer.com/review/mina-the-hollower/refined-throwback |title=Mina the Hollower Review |website=[[Game Informer]] |accessdate=May 27, 2026}}</ref> | GB = 3.5/5<ref>{{cite web |last=Minotti |first=Mike |date=May 27, 2026 |url=https://giantbomb.com/reviews/mina-the-hollower-review |title=Mina the Hollower Review |website=[[Giant Bomb]] |accessdate=May 27, 2026}}</ref> | GRadar = 4.5/5<ref>{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Dustin |date=May 27, 2026 |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/adventure/mina-the-hollower-review/ |title=Mina the Hollower's classic Zelda vibes channel Bloodborne to create one of my new retro-style favorites |website=[[GamesRadar+]] |accessdate=May 27, 2026}}</ref> | GSpot = 9/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Watts |first=Steve |date=May 27, 2026 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mina-the-hollower-surpasses-the-greatness-of-shovel-knight/ |title=Mina The Hollower Surpasses The Greatness Of Shovel Knight |website=[[GameSpot]] |accessdate=May 27, 2026}}</ref> | HCG = 4.5/5<ref>{{cite web |last=Ignacchitti |first=Ivanir |date=May 27, 2026 |url=https://hardcoregamer.com/review-mina-the-hollower/ |title=Review: Mina the Hollower |website=Hardcore Gamer |accessdate=May 27, 2026}}</ref> | IGN = 10/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Claiborn |first=Samuel |date=May 27, 2026 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/mina-the-hollower-review |title=Mina the Hollower Review |website=[[IGN]] |accessdate=May 27, 2026}}</ref> | NLife = 9/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Talbot |first=Ken |date=May 27, 2026 |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch-2/mina-the-hollower-nintendo-switch-2-edition |title=Mina the Hollower - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Review (Switch 2) |website=[[Nintendo Life]] |accessdate=May 27, 2026}}</ref> | NWR = 9/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Ronaghan |first=Neal |date=May 27, 2026 |url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/75717/mina-the-hollower-switch-2-review |title=Mina the Hollower (Switch 2) Review |website=Nintendo World Report |accessdate=May 27, 2026}}</ref> | RPG = 4.5/5<ref>{{cite web |last=Radcliff |date=May 27, 2026 |url=https://rpgamer.com/review/mina-the-hollower-review/ |title=Mina the Hollower Review |website=RPGamer |accessdate=May 27, 2026}}</ref> | SN = 10/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Denzer |first=TJ |date=May 27, 2026 |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/149311/mina-the-hollower-review-score |title=Mina the Hollower review: Mouse on haunted hill |website=[[Shacknews]] |accessdate=May 27, 2026}}</ref> }}
=== Pre-release === Will Greenwald of ''[[PCMag]]'' called the game ambitious in a preview, comparing it to "''Castlevania'' meets ''Zelda''" and describing the presentation as "charming". Stating that he was "very impressed" with the game's [[software demo|demo]], he called the mechanic of diving into the ground "unusual", but stated that he quickly got used to it as a natural part of gameplay.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Greenwald |first=Will |date=2022-03-30 |title=Mina the Hollower (for PC) Preview |url=https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/mina-the-hollower-for-pc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331000347/https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/mina-the-hollower-for-pc |archive-date=2022-03-31 |access-date=2026-05-20 |website=[[PCMAG]] |language=en}}</ref> Thomas Whitehead of ''[[Nintendo Life]]'' stated that he was ultimately "left excited" by the game after playing the demo, calling it an "excellent return" for the studio after making numerous spin-offs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/features/hands-on-mina-the-hollower-mixes-zelda-castlevania-and-plenty-of-git-gud|title=Hands On: 'Mina The Hollower' Mixes Zelda, Castlevania, And Plenty Of 'Git Gud|last=Whitehead|first=Thomas|website=Nintendo Life|date=February 3, 2022|access-date=May 20, 2022|archive-date=May 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520103754/https://www.nintendolife.com/features/hands-on-mina-the-hollower-mixes-zelda-castlevania-and-plenty-of-git-gud|url-status=live}}</ref> Alex Stadnik of ''[[Game Informer]]'' called it a "gorgeous homage".<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2022/02/02/mina-the-hollower-new-gameplay-today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203001943/https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2022/02/02/mina-the-hollower-new-gameplay-today|url-status=live|archive-date=February 3, 2022|title=Mina the Hollower Preview|last=Stadnik|first=Alex|magazine=[[Game Informer]]|date=February 2, 2022|access-date=May 20, 2022}}</ref>
===Post-release=== {{Expand section|date=May 2026}} ''Mina the Hollower'' received "generally favorable" reviews for the Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 versions while the Windows version received "universal acclaim", according to the [[review aggregator]] website [[Metacritic]].<ref name="MCNS2"/><ref name="MCPC"/><ref name="MCPS5"/> On review aggregator [[OpenCritic]], 98% of critics recommended the game.<ref name="opencritic"/>
{{clear}}
== Notes == {{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|https://www.yachtclubgames.com/games/mina-the-hollower/}}
{{Yacht Club}}
[[Category:2026 video games]] [[Category:Action-adventure games]] [[Category:Indie games]] [[Category:Kickstarter-funded video games]] [[Category:Linux games]] [[Category:MacOS games]] [[Category:Nintendo Switch games]] [[Category:Nintendo Switch 2 games]] [[Category:PlayStation 5 games]] [[Category:Retro-style video games]] [[Category:Single-player video games]] [[Category:Video games about mice and rats]] [[Category:Video games about talking animals]] [[Category:Video games developed in the United States]] [[Category:Video games featuring female protagonists]] [[Category:Video games set on fictional islands]] [[Category:Windows games]] [[Category:Xbox Series X and Series S games]] [[Category:Yacht Club Games games]]