Unreleased SNES Game Dorke and Ymp Finally Got an Official Cartridge Launch in 2015

Back in the 1990s, a little Swedish company called Norse attempted to make a game for the Super NES. Dorke and Ymp was to be a charming little puzzle platformer featuring a goblin and an imp who find artifacts and deliver them to an evil wizard. Unfortunately, Norse was unable to find a publisher, so the game was never finished and never released.

Until 2015.

Piko Interactive acquired the game’s code, which was about 50% complete, and chased down the original programmer, artist, and composer to assemble the original development team. This team fixed bugs, added a new Volcano world with several levels, and added four boss fights based on the original game’s story. Then, Piko went full-on retro and released it on Super NES cartridges, homebrew style.

Instead of ripping the guts out of old SNES games — which would have removed several old cartridges from circulation and led to a product of questionable quality — Piko used cartridges manufactured from brand new materials.

To see a little-known project like this one revived after so long is nothing short of a miracle; good on Piko Interactive for taking the time to bring it back.

If you’re interested in adding a cartridge version of Dorke and Ymp to your personal collection, it’s for sale on Piko Interactive’s website. For those who want to skip the authentic Super NES experience, the game is also on Steam Greenlight.

Here’s a trailer: