The tax man cometh…

Sunsoft has announced that their casual co-op game Ikki Unite is now available on Steam PC.

Known outside Japan as both Farmers Rebellion and Boomerang, the original Ikki was released in 1985 and puts players in the midst of peasant riots (or “mostly peaceful” demonstrations) in feudal Japan.

It’s time for the autumn harvest, but a swarm of locusts has consumed almost all the fruits of your labors. When the tax man comes demanding taxes, it’s time to throw off these abusive taskmasters once and for all!

The original Ikki arcade game was ported to the Nintendo Famicom in Japan, but Western gamers had to jump through import hoops to snag a physical copy for themselves. According to Sunsoft, the original Ikki was described as “kusoge” (crap game) due to a lack of realism from staging a popular uprising with only two players.

Ikki Unite includes a number of upgrades over the 1985 original, including online multiplayer, leaderboards, as well as other tweaks and updates. However, Sunsoft promises that “the core of this pixel period drama remains untouched.”

Here’s the official breakdown of Ikki Unite from Sunsoft, followed by a recent trailer:

Our setting is feudal Japan. The rice crops have failed, but when local landlords refuse to adjust their tax demands, the villagers take matters into their own hands. Arise, take up arms, and overthrow the callous lords determined to grind every last ounce of humanity from your soul.

The task is daunting for one average farmer, but luckily, you aren’t an average farmer! Gather up to 16 friends, select from 16 unique characters – exploration, enhancement, offense and recovery –and go wild in Ikki Unite’s expansive, but easy-to-learn battles. No fellow rioters nearby? No problem! Slide into a matchmaking room and join miscreants from around the world in your bid to secure justice for your home.

Each player starts on a different part of the map and fights to clear all foes, eventually teaming up to take down the regional boss before time runs out. Ikki Unite lets you play almost entirely with the D-pad, so while you might be creating chaos on screen, controlling it is easy and intuitive. Should you or an ally fall in battle, all is not lost. Simply stand over them for a few moments to restore their fighting spirit, and they can leap back into the fray.

Features:

• Riotously fun, easy-to-learn battle system
• Nearly two dozen character classes to master
• Picturesque pixel art created in the jidaigeki style
• Local and online multiplayer mean there’s always someone to riot with

Ikki Unite is now available for Steam PC. If you’re keen to be an early adopter, there is a special 40% launch discount until 22 February.

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