Kizuna brings monochrome platforming to the ZX Spectrum
Xeif’s new ZX Spectrum platformer uses stark monochrome visuals and a comic-book adventure about a ninja escorting a young girl.
Kizuna is bringing its stark black-and-white platforming to the ZX Spectrum, with developer Xeif positioning the release as a comic-book-inspired adventure rather than a straight run-and-jump challenge. 1
The game follows Hanzo, a ninja tasked with escorting a young girl called Hana through a dangerous world. Its monochrome presentation turns each screen into something resembling a comic panel, using the ZX Spectrum's limited palette as a deliberate part of the visual identity rather than something to hide. 1
According to the developer's game page, the journey is built around more than fighting. Players have to deal with environmental obstacles, enemies and situations that reward patience and problem-solving. The relationship between Hanzo and Hana is also central to the story, with the pair needing to cooperate as they make their way through the game's hazards. 1
That gives Kizuna a more distinctive pitch than a nostalgia exercise. The ZX Spectrum's constraints are being used to define the mood: bright pixels against deep black, compact scenes that read like panels, and a focus on movement and timing over visual excess. The official page also presents the game as a release made without generative AI, a detail Xeif has chosen to highlight alongside its retro presentation. 1
The announcement was also reported by Indie Retro News, which describes Kizuna as a new monochrome platformer for the ZX Spectrum and links back to the developer's page. 2 That makes the official itch.io listing the useful reference point for the game's premise and availability, rather than treating the secondary report as the source of the announcement.
Our opinion
Kizuna looks most interesting when its old hardware target is treated as a creative constraint. The monochrome screens give it an immediately recognisable identity, while the escort premise suggests there may be more to the game than simply reaching the next platform. The real test will be whether the cooperation between Hanzo and Hana affects how the levels play, rather than staying as background story. Either way, it is a welcome example of a new game using the ZX Spectrum's limitations as a design language instead of pretending they are not there.