| Title | Virtua Unlimited Project |
| Released | Apr 25, 2024 |
| Developer | Virtua Ride System |
| Publisher | Neverland Entertainment |
| Platform |   |
| Genre | Action, Platformer, Indie |
| Rating | T |
| Pricing | $10.99 |
| Proton | Proton 10.0.1 (beta) |
Completed on Linux on Normal
HowLongToBeat Time: 6½ Hours | My Clear Time: 6 hours 42mins
Virtua Unlimited Project Background
Virtua Unlimited Project is a 2D action side-scroller developed by Virtua Ride System and published by Neverland Entertainment, funded via Kickstarter in March 2024. It surpassed its goal of ¥450,000, raising ¥999,485 by April 17. Inspired by the Mega Man Zero series, the game fuses high-speed pixel combat, VTuber theming, and character customization through ability cards and passive upgrades.
The development team includes experienced copywriters OKHJ, Stor, and Chilly; programmer Ridley HungerZ; artists Blue, Wish Better, and Cherry Fox; composer Xiawei; and producer Aizawa Kana, who coordinated the Kickstarter vision.
The title screen that kicks off this pixel-powered VTuber ride.
Virtua Unlimited Project Experience
A save file that flexes your digital warpath.
Before playing, I had experience with nearly every Castlevania and Metroid title, plus Bloodstained, Mega Man 11, and Mega Man Network Transmission. This gave me solid footing in classic action platformers.
Virtua Unlimited Project Impressions
Introduction
The calm before the corrupted storm.
Virtua Unlimited Project wastes no time, throwing players into tight, reactive combat as Aizawa Kana, a VTuber Operator diving into Neo Babylon, a fractured cyberspace overrun by corruption. Kana uses ESP, a combat protocol that mimics enemy abilities, to restore order.
The retro pixel art isn’t just aesthetic; it supports a combat system designed to test skill and reward experimentation.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Movement in VUP is always earned, never free.
Movement & Combat Flow
Kana’s controls are tight, rewarding precision and timing. Wall grabs, dashes, and double jumps have weight, demanding commitment without feeling stiff.
Attacks lock to eight cardinal directions, emphasizing positioning and jump height. Level design and enemy placement reinforce this limited aiming.
Boss fights demand movement, memory, and nerve.
Boss Fighters & Combat Pacing
Queen battles shine as fast-paced puzzles requiring pattern recognition and spacing mastery. Arenas stay minimalistic, focusing on movement over gimmicks. Difficulty spikes feel fair, and losses earned.
Elemental synergy adds heat to your loadout.
Support skills let you rewrite the fight mid-run.
Card System Integration
Defeating Queens grants Boss Cards: active, elemental abilities with cooldowns that reshape combat strategy. Combined with Support Summons and Extension Chips, these form the core of playstyle customization.
Art & Audio
Dashing through data with CRT flair.
The pixel art is expressive and clean, reminiscent of early-2000s handheld games. Character portraits balance anime charm with VTuber stylization, while attack animations stay crisp and readable.
Optional filters like scanlines and soft blur boost retro vibes without sacrificing clarity.
The synth-rock and electronic soundtrack complements the virtual battleground vibe but is mostly under strict DMCA protection, limiting availability.
Unique Features and Mechanics
Elemental damage keeps the pressure burning.
Elemental Damage System
Virtua Unlimited Project replaces traditional ammo-limited weapons with rechargeable elemental abilities used by both player and enemies. Each element interacts differently with foes, requiring you to consider weaknesses and resistances. This system encourages experimentation with your loadout, without the frustration of limited resources.
Kick first, cancel later.
Extreme Flying Kick
This signature move grants a brief window of invincibility on impact and can interact with enemies and certain environmental objects. It can also be canceled into or out of other special moves, allowing skilled players to chain combos, reposition quickly, and avoid damage dynamically.
Kana’s allies jump in for the assist.
Support Summons
Summoning defeated VTubers activates Support Skills that provide powerful assists during regular combat and boss fights alike. This mechanic adds a layer of strategy and encourages you to tailor your support choices to complement your playstyle and the enemies you face.
Training modes that prep you for the chaos.
Refight Queens or test your limits in a rush.
Training Room
The training room allows you to learn mechanics from movement to advanced options, refight bosses for money, and take on a Boss Rush mode.
The V.R.S. menu keeps your gear in check.
Extension chips boost your tactical edge.
Card & Extension Loadouts
Virtua Unlimited Project’s customization centers on Boss Cards and Extension Chips, giving players meaningful control over Kana’s combat and movement.
- Boss Cards are active abilities earned by defeating Queens. These elemental EX moves have cooldowns and significantly change combat strategy, encouraging smart use and synergy with enemy weaknesses.
- Extension Chips are passive upgrades slotted into a limited grid and consume RAM resources. They offer tactical perks like faster charge or terrain-specific bonuses, and the RAM pool can be upgraded up to eight times, reaching a maximum of 16 units.
This system creates a modular loadout that rewards experimentation and lets players tailor Kana’s playstyle deeply without feeling grindy or overwhelming.
Virtua Unlimited Project Verdict
Virtua Unlimited Project brings fast-paced, momentum-driven action to the table, paired with deep customization that lets you tailor Kana’s abilities to your playstyle. The standout Queen boss fights strike a perfect balance between challenge and fairness, and the tough final boss delivers a satisfying payoff to the experience.
If you’re a fan of classic platformers, this game will feel like a love letter to your childhood favorites. It captures the tight controls of Mega Man and the atmospheric exploration of Castlevania, blending them with its own unique VTuber-inspired twist. The result is a familiar yet fresh take on precision platforming and rewarding combat.
On the technical side, it shines just as brightly. After a few tweaks with Proton on Linux, the game ran smoothly and proved itself a polished gem for platformer fans, especially within the niche Linux gaming crowd.
At a price of just $10, it’s hard to ask for more. You’re getting a tight, challenging platformer with a creative edge and plenty of replay value, making it an absolute steal for fans of the genre.
Virtua Unlimited Project TLDR
Virtua Unlimited Project (Linux)
8.5
Very Strong
Summary: Virtua Unlimited Project blends tight, reactive combat with a deep customization system that rewards experimentation and skill. Its standout boss fights, layered abilities, and sharp pixel art make it a must-play for fans of the genre.
It’s a game that flew under the radar but deserves much more attention. At $10, it’s a hidden gem that comes highly recommended.
