Cassette Beasts 2002 Finally Gets Solid Release Window

Of all the Pokemon-like games on the market, 2023’s Cassette Beasts is hands-down one of the best, and fans have been eagerly awaiting news on the sequel, Cassette Beasts 2002. And not only did fans recently get a new look at the upcoming video game, but they also got a locked-in release window.

Cassette Beasts 2002 is bringing the creature-collecting RPG series back with a new adventure that puts a distinctly early-2000s spin on the original formula. Developed by Bytten Studio and published by Raw Fury, the game is set in Nodnol, a retro-inspired version of 2000s London where players will confront an occult mystery with their beasts (of which there are 250+). Like the original Cassette Beasts, players can record creatures onto cassette tapes and transform into them during turn-based battles.

Cassette Beasts 2002 is Releasing in March 2027

Now, Cassette Beasts 2002 is scheduled to launch in March 2027 for PC, PS5, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X/S, as confirmed in a brand-new trailer (seen above). Hopefully, the developer/publisher announce a concrete release date sooner rather than later, but the trailer is enough to chew on for now. One of the biggest additions is the ability to fuse different monster forms. With more than 250 beasts available, Cassette Beasts 2002 allows players to create more than 50,000 possible combinations, with every fusion being fully animated. It’s hard not to imagine Pokemon Fusion as applied to Cassette Beasts, but it’s also clearly more than that.

Build your perfect top ten one reveal at a time.

Furthermore, players will also meet 12 companions throughout the story, each with their own motivations, quests, and personal stories. These Cassette Beasts 2002 characters can be befriended or romanced, with stronger relationships also helping players create more powerful beast forms. This gives the adventure another layer beyond simply collecting creatures and building the strongest possible team, while making it stand out more from other Pokemon-like games, including Pokemon.

Image via Bytten Studio.
Image via Bytten Studio
Image via Bytten Studio.

Multiplayer is another major part of Cassette Beasts 2002. Players can trade cassettes with friends, fight alongside each other during random encounters, compete in 1v1 battles with power scaling, and work together to investigate the game’s occult mystery. Unfortunately, it seems that Cassette Beasts 2002 will not support local co-op as the first game did.

Find the odd one out before the timer hits zero.

With its unique setting, its cassette-based creature collection, and the introduction of fusion, Cassette Beasts 2002 is looking to be everything it promised. The sheer number of possible beast fusions alone is incredibly enticing, while it will be interesting to see how all these features come together when it launches in March 2027.