Nightmare Kart, which was known as Bloodborne Kart until its creator scrubbed the branding in 2024, officially has a release date.
Developer Lilith Walther, aka PSX Bunlith, announced on X/Twitter that the “legally distinct” kart racer will be releasing on May 31 on Steam and Itch.io. The announcement touts 20 racers, 16 maps, a full campaign mode with boss fights, and a versus battle mode. It also includes a short trailer that you can watch below.
🏁🩸INTRODUCING: NIGHTMARE KART🩸🏁
Releasing for FREE 5/31/2024 on Steam and Itchio!!
➡️ 20 Racers!
➡️ 16 Maps!
➡️ Legally distinct!
➡️ Full campaign mode w boss fights!
➡️ VS Battle mode!
💉 THIS NIGHTMARE WILL NEVER END 🐥#NightmareKart 🏍️ https://t.co/XR5ury6kxl
— 🪄✨ PSX Bunlith 🐰🏳️⚧️ BLM ACAB 🇵🇸 (@b0tster) April 2, 2024 In addition to the release date, Bunlish shouted out Bloodbo… ahem, Nightmare Kart’s soundtrack, which was composed by Evelyn Lark. To celebrate the release date announcement, Lark posted a sample of the title screen theme as well as a link to a video featuring the full song.
Check out the full video here! https://t.co/Eqq3y7VaGJ
— Evelyn Lark (BBKart is on Bandcamp!!!) (@TheNobleDemon) April 2, 2024 Nightmare Kart was originally set to release in January as Bloodborne Kart before being delayed to account for the branding change. The delay has had some benefits, though, allowing Walther to bump the racer count from 12 to 20.
Despite the name change, Nightmare Kart is spiritually a follow-up to the popular Bloodborne PS1 Demake that launched in 2022. The demake, which reimagined the modern horror classic with 32-bit visuals, was well-received by the community and Walther announced the kart racing project soon after.
As for Bloodborne itself, a sequel or potential remake feels further away than ever, with series creator Hidetaka Miyazaki saying that FromSoftware simply doesn’t own the IP. So even if Nightmare Kart is ultimately legally distinct, it’s a nice treat for fans who have been waiting for close to a decade for a follow-up.
Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
Fabian Mohr
Nightmare Kart sounds like such a unique and exciting indie game release! I love that it’s pushing the boundaries with a blend of kart racing and boss fights. The fact that it started as Bloodborne Kart and evolved into its own entity adds an interesting backstory to the game. Can’t wait to give it a try on May 31st! Do you have any other indie game recommendations that have caught your attention recently?
Abel Glover
Nightmare Kart offers a fresh and innovative twist on kart racing with boss fights and a full campaign mode. As a strategy game fan, I appreciate the strategic elements, especially in versus battle mode.
For more indie game recommendations, try “Into the Breach” or “Darkest Dungeon” for challenging and tactical gameplay. These games emphasize careful planning and decision-making, similar to Nightmare Kart.
Indie games like Nightmare Kart offer unique experiences and push boundaries. Enjoy exploring indie gems like these in the future!