As homemade projects go, this is a fun one. A game dev has recreated Sonic the Hedgehog 1 for the Game Boy, designing music and animations that echo Green Hill Zone (the first and some might say most iconic scene from the original Sonic game). Usually seen in technicolour on a Sega console, like the Mega Drive or Master System, this project brings a slightly simpler vibe as it is presented in black and white for the smaller screen of Nintendo’s Game Boy.
Using a game maker studio called GB Studio that doesn’t appear on our list of the best game development software (but we’re looking into it), YouTuber RetroSilver draws out the level and adds in famous game elements such as the rings, trees and creatures, resulting in a mostly-pretty-accurate Game Boy game experience. The video (see it below) takes you through the process in quite a lot of detail, and it’s an entertaining watch. See it below.
I Made Sonic for the Gameboy – YouTube
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RetroSilver’s video takes us through the whole creation project, from building a test level to drawing out the characters of Sonic and Dr Robotnik. The creator is pretty self-deprecating about his attempts to make the famous art simple enough to work on a Game Boy screen, but what he achieves actually works well on the low-fi screen. The music is also created, and the sound effects sound pretty accurate. The whole thing is super-evocative and actually makes me want to play it immediately.
Instead of using a proper Game Boy, RetroSilver uses an emulator because, as he puts it, he isn’t sure it is even going to work and so doesn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on the real thing. This outlook informs much of the vibe of the video, which has a charmingly ad hoc vibe (though you do get the impression RetroSilver is more in control of the situation than he lets on).
There’s enough detail in this video for you to try to have a go yourself, if you have the skills. It’s a beautifully simple project that reimagines Sonic on an iconic console that’s very different to how the game was originally intended. I’d love to see the finished project – and see how it would work across different levels.
There’s been a spate of retro game reimaginings recently, mostly using Unreal Engine 5 – such as this incredible Super Mario Bros remake, which presents the game in 3D, or this Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake that adds a modern edge to the original game. This Sonic project might be a lot simpler in form, but it’s pretty delightful all the same.
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