GoKawiilEx-Hazelight Studio Shapefarm Debuts Co-op Game Orbitals for Switch 2
Shapefarm, a studio founded by former Hazelight developers, has released its debut couch co-op title Orbitals, drawing heavily on retro anime aesthetics reminiscent of Cowboy Bebop, Evangelion and Sailor Moon. The game follows two young space colonists, Maki and Omura, as they navigate a stranded colony threatened by radiation storms and reliant on respawn machines called IMs to survive.
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Orbitals arrives as the couch co-op genre is largely defined by Hazelight's own hits like It Takes Two and Split Fiction, so a studio built from that same talent pool entering the space invites direct comparison and scrutiny. Its design tweaks, ensuring both players stay actively engaged rather than one holding a button, suggest the genre's mechanics are still evolving even among studios sharing the same creative lineage.
- Shapefarm, founded by ex-Hazelight developers, released its debut game Orbitals for Switch 2.
- The game blends vintage anime influences with a sci-fi story about surviving in a radiation-damaged space colony.
- Orbitals refines Hazelight's co-op formula by keeping both players continuously engaged rather than passively assisting.
Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller — Couch co-op only works if both players have a comfortable controller, and the Switch 2 Pro Controller is the natural second gamepad for long Orbitals sessions. Its full-size grips and standard layout beat splitting a pair of Joy-Cons when you're playing through an entire story together.
See Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: cnet.com — Tyler Graham, 2026-09-05
Published there as: “Orbitals Review: The Perfect Couples Co-op Game for the Switch 2”
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