Press Kit for Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus

Accolades

Fact Sheet

Game Name: Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus
Developer: Squid Shock Studios (Christopher Stair and Trevor Younquist)
Publisher: Humble Games, Marvelous Inc.
Release Date: 17 July 2024
Platforms: Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Price: $19.99
Studio Contact: squidshockstudios@gmail.com
Press Contact: press@goodgamesgroup.com
Link Tree: Squid Shock Studios
Social Media: Twitter, Discord, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram

About Bo: Path of The Teal Lotus

Bō is a hand-drawn 2D Metroidvania based in a colorful world of Japanese folklore. You play as a tiny Celestial Blossom (tentaihana) that grows from lotus blossom after being blessed by the moon kami.

Use your legendary bō staff to bounce and move fluidly through a delightfully-demonic east asian fever dream. Use the tight movement and reset system to reach areas efficiently and gracefully.

Features

  • A familiar 2D side-scrolling action platformer that merges classic hand-drawn animation and scenery with new atmospheric bells and whistles that make the experience wondrously novel yet cozily familiar.
  • Tight platforming controls. Bō feels amazing to control and players will feel great agency as they enter a flow state navigating the many platforming challenges.
  • Explore a mysterious world! The world of Bō is open and interconnected. Explore everything from haunted bathhouses to a thriving Japanese-inspired metropolis. Find ways to travel back to areas that you thought you explored fully and unlock new paths and surprises.
  • Gather and collect ingredients and relics. Mine the valuable resources in the Uzumaki Cave or harvest bizarre flora in the Midori Forest Region.
  • Unlock powerful new abilities! Brew and drink arcane teas to unlock Bō’s shapeshifting staff abilities. Including the Mochi Mallet, Lotus Dash and the Grappling Gun.
  • Daruma doll sidekicks! Collect daruma dolls throughout your journey to summon in combat. All daruma dolls begin with 1 eye filled in. They can be upgraded to a 2-eyed daruma that enhances the original daruma’s abilities in combat. These loveable daruma dolls will be by your side throughout your journey.
  • A large cast of bizarre and adorable yokai (monsters from Japanese folklore) as well as many original characters based on Japanese cultural archetypes. All of these characters and enemies are brought to life with traditional hand-drawn 2D frame-by-frame animation. Help them with their side quests or just stop by for a chat and a cup of tea.
  • Epic Boss Battles! On your journey you will encounter many massive monsters from Japanese folklore. Use your gained knowledge and skill to vanquish them and advance further in your quest.
  • Beautiful hand-drawn and immersive areas and landscapes with traditional Japanese inspired trimmings.
  • An gorgeous original score composed by Moises Camargo (Moixhka), that beautifully blends traditional Japanese instrumentation with modern orchestral music. Guest composer Manami Kiyota of Xenoblade Chronicles fame composed 2 tracks for the game as well.

Tanuki Kabuki: Major Content Update Fact Sheet

Overview

Tanuki Kabuki is the first major, FREE content update for the 2D Metroidvania action-platformer, Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus. Launching approximately one year after release, the update introduces a high-stakes Boss Rush Mode framed within a theatrical experience inspired by traditional Japanese Kabuki Theater. It significantly enhances replayability, combat mastery, and character engagement.

Release Details

  • Release Date (All Platforms): November 13, 2025.
  • Price: FREE Content Update (requires base game).

Tanuki Kabuki Key Art


Key Features of the Tanuki Kabuki Update

🎭 Boss Rush Mode – Face the Ultimate Challenge
🔥 Solo Mode: Challenge all the bosses from the main game individually in a tailor-made Kabuki play reenactment of their boss battle.
🔥 Gauntlet Mode: Take on a curated sequence of boss fights back to back to test your endurance, skill, and knowledge of each fight.
🌀 Seals: Enable optional self-imposed handicaps that add a new level of difficulty to each fight and increase reward payouts after victory.
👏 Audience Reactions: Every battle is performed in front of an audience that cheers (or jeers) based on your performance. Win the crowd’s favor to increase your rewards after each battle.
🎨 Stylized Kabuki-Inspired Visuals: Every Boss Rush battle takes place on an ornate grand stage!

New Quest – Tanuki Tracker 🦝

Mischievous tanuki are hiding across Strange Garden, using their transformation magic to stay incognito. Hunt them down with Bo’s staff, reveal their true forms, and race them in high-speed platforming challenges. Each victory unlocks new theater features, such as:

🏹 A Combat Rehearsal Room – Train your skills and test different combat loadouts.
🎶 A Tanuki Kabuki Band – Listen to the game’s soundtrack in a jukebox-style fashion within the theater.
🏠 Bo’s Room Customization – Purchase and display a vast array of furniture and collectibles in Bo’s personal space.

Sagara Doll Gacha Machine & Bestiary 📖

A brand-new gacha machine allows you to collect 77 unique Sagara Dolls across multiple rarity tiers—Common, Uncommon, Rare, Legendary, and God-tier. These dolls represent characters and enemies from your adventure. Display them in the Kabuki Theater and view their details in a dedicated bestiary menu.

Bo’s Room Customization 🏡

Bo now has a personal space within the Kabuki Theater! Earn props, wallpapers, and decorative items by completing challenges, then decorate Bo’s cozy home to your heart’s content.

Video

Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus Release Date Trailer

Tanuki Kabuki Update Trailer:

Screenshots

All Screenshots Available Here:Download

DOWNLOAD:

SCREENSHOTS for Base Game
SCREENSHOTS for TANUKI KABUKI

Key Art

Bo Key ArtDownload

Character Sprites

Full Character List available here:Download

Logos

All LogosDownload

Video Interviews

Selected Articles

About Squid Shock Studios

Squid Shock Studios is an indie game studio founded by Chris Stair & Trevor Youngquist. They are based in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Their mission is to build immersive and exciting worlds for you to explore and enjoy!

Squid Shock Studios was established in 2020 and they are the developers of Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, a 2.5D metroidvania based on Japanese Folklore, currently available on Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch.