Crafting a custom Game Boy game for a unique presentation
Crafting a custom Game Boy game for a unique presentation
We’re always looking for new ways to push the boundaries of our capabilities, and this internal project was the perfect opportunity.
We set out to create a game that harnessed a sense of childhood nostalgia – for us this meant the original 1989 Nintendo Game Boy. With this project, we combined our technical expertise with creative execution while staying true to the spirit of retro gaming.
The Brief
We set ourselves the challenge of developing a fully functional and custom-built game for the original 1989 Nintendo Game Boy. The brief was to craft something unique that would demonstrate our capabilities and could be used as part of a planned presentation to an agency partner in the entertainment industry.
Our Solutions
Research & Development
We started by considering the constraints of the 8-bit platform. This shaped our design and development approach, allowing us to work with our development solution in mind – in this case GB Studio. This solution is designed for retro game development and enabled us to focus on the creative aspects of the game.
Game Design & Mechanics
Discovery of the limitations of the Game Boy platform and learning the features of GB Studio enabled us to design engaging game mechanics. The storyline was simple but fun. It was set in a location familiar to the players, with a series of puzzles they needed to solve to reach the end. Each small group shared a Game Boy, taking turns to solve the puzzles. Each puzzle was carefully timed to align with the presentation, keeping engagement high. This interactive approach kept the audience engaged and blended gameplay with discussion. We even threw in some retro sweets!
We set the storyline in locations that were familiar to the players.
Graphics
Given the Game Boy’s 160x144 resolution and limited colour palette, we generated graphics (based on asset packs from Itch) that illustrated locations familiar to our audience in a retro themed fashion.
The players had to solve puzzles to progress to the end of the game
Testing & Hardware Deployment
We tested the game on original Game Boy hardware, flashing ROMs onto cartridges and running them on real devices. While emulators helped speed up iteration, the finished build was checked on physical hardware to ensure the game performed as expected.
The Results
We developed and deployed a Game Boy game that entertained our audience and demonstrated our technical and creative expertise. Integrating the custom-built game into our presentation created an interactive, memorable experience that resonated with our agency partner. The positive feedback we received reinforced the value of taking calculated risks and pushing the boundaries of our capabilities.
The game created a fun experience that went down well with our agency partner.
If you're interested in finding out more about this project or discussing bespoke development with us, please get in touch here.
