New D&D campaign Neon Odyssey blends Cowboy Bebop and SNES games into the perfect setting

I don't think I've ever fallen so hard for a D&D adventure as I have with Neon Odyssey, and it seems like gamers agree; this blend of RPG questing, Cowboy Bebop, and SNES classics is now over 8,500% funded.

Neon Odyssey combines beloved anime and classic '80s vibes with D&D for a phosphorescence-soaked new world by Legends of Avantris, the team behind folk-horror setting Crooked Moon. Available to back via crowdfunding on Kickstarter, it has a $60K goal… but is currently sitting at well over $5 million in funds with weeks to go before the campaign ends. I'm not sure I've seen a D&D project so stratospherically popular before, but it's completely understandable; besides offering something not really seen from the best tabletop RPGs, it has a killer aesthetic combined with phenomenal marketing. Check out the animated trailer on the Kickstarter page and tell me you aren't all in.

Rather than being a neon-hued reskin of current-edition D&D (5E), this campaign builds on it with a new class, starship combat, vehicle rules, 20+ subclasses, a host of character species, monsters, and an entire universe of lore. This is all split across three distinct books; a core handbook, setting guide/bestiary, and an expansion with a profession system alongside loads of extra missions.

I've been digging through the free playtest materials that are available via the Kickstarter page, and damn – this is a comprehensive package, not a pipe-dream. Classic D&D classes have been intelligently reworked to fit a sci-fi setting, and its vehicle rules are well thought-out. They're certainly more in-depth than what we got with Spelljammer: Adventures in Space, anyway. Because that was such a missed opportunity, it's nice to see someone making good on the promise.

However, the thing that gets me is its nostalgia-driven approach to lore. There are species drawing from a host of inspirations here (including Star Fox ), and its vehicle rules contain unashamed references to F-Zero. Neon Odyssey is clearly a love-letter to all things '80s/'90s, whether it's SNES video games, anime, or even Saturday morning cartoons like the Biker Mice from Mars.

Considering how good the team's previous project, Crooked Moon, was, I've got a really good feeling about Neon Odyssey. It's gonna be a long wait before the proposed November 2027 delivery…

• See all D&D deals at Amazon

For something to play while you wait for Neon Odyssey, don't forget to check out the best board games or the best card games.