Gotta Protectors: Cart of Darkness is a tower defense action video game developed and published by Ancient. In the west, it is published by 8-4.

About

It’s another fine morning in Magicadia… except your castle has suddenly turned into a tank. And what’s this about a dark prophecy that could lead to the end of all video games? A CONFUSION IS YOU.

Choose your Gotta Protectors and get ready to hack, slash, and spell-sling your way through an epic campaign of over 100 thumb-blistering maps—plus dozens more available as optional downloadable content bonus chapters!

The rules are simple. Put Princess Lola into the castle to start it rolling down the tracks. At the end of the tracks is an enemy castle. Smash YOUR castle into THEIR castle to destroy it—but don’t let the enemies wipe out the Princess’s HP first!

Key Features

• Choose from eight playable Gotta Protectors, from a meat-loving mage to a nudist ninja.
• Play solo or with up to four players via couch co-op, local wireless, or over the internet (Nintendo Switch Online membership required for internet play).
• Face off against dozens of enemies at a time and test your wits against unique bosses like Crab and Golem!
• Customize your heroes with a bevy of unique and tactically diverse skills, from the defensive to the outright offensive.
• Rock out to an infectious chiptune soundtrack by the one and only Yuzo Koshiro.
• Perform secret feats to unlock collectable game carts, each one a milk-snorting send-up of a real, actual game for the Something-or-other Entertainment System.
• Cover your screen with classic gaming literature whenever nature calls for a pause.
• Laugh, cry, and hurl to a timeless story that will mangle your heartstrings.

Four Downloadable Content Packs

• DLC Pack 1: Mega Blastin’ Trax + Bonus Scenario A
  • Option to play the entire game soundtrack in “MD” and “88” sound chip formats.
  • 20 new bonus stages (Bonus Scenario A).
  • New skills for the Fighter and Archer characters.
• DLC Pack 2: Pocket Power Trax + Bonus Scenario B
  • Option to play the entire game soundtrack in “GB” and “WS” sound chip formats.
  • 20 new bonus stages (Bonus Scenario B).
  • New skills for the Ninja and Oracle characters.
• DLC Pack 3: Japanicom Trax + Bonus Scenario C
  • Option to play the entire game soundtrack in “FDS” and “VRC” sound chip formats.
  • 20 new bonus stages (Bonus Scenario C).
  • New skills for the Amazon and Old Guy characters.
• DLC Pack 4: Super Wavetable Trax + Bonus Scenario D
  • Option to play the entire game soundtrack in the “SFC” sound chip format.
  • 20 new bonus stages (Bonus Scenario D).
  • New skills for the Mage and Prince characters.

The wait is over for Japan’s indie darling, Gotta Protectors: Cart of Darkness. The 80s are calling—collect—and it’s up to you to dust off your carts and put an end to the bodacious bad guys threatening Magicadia once and for all!