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Final 12 months I talked at size in regards to the Chromatic, a brand new Recreation Boy machine developed by ModRetro. Again in September, in my intensive preview, I talked about a number of of the video games that ModRetro is formally publishing alongside the launch of the machine. Now, you will need to be aware that these titles are appropriate with authentic Recreation Boy techniques, together with the unique GBC, GBA and a few even are playable in your favourite previous brick, the unique DMG Recreation Boy. As such, on this article I’ll be reviewing six of the launch titles which have been launched and specifically contemplating them from the attitude of authentic {hardware}, since that’s what nearly all of gamers will be capable to play these video games on.
Every title is developed by a special studio, however all are revealed beneath the ModRetro label. The video games include a pleasant little guide with illustrations and suggestions for the sport, in addition to a bangle allure you can connect to your system. There’s loads of selection in these first releases, and the corporate is releasing a minimum of 4 extra video games in 2025, so Recreation Boy followers positively have some new issues to stay up for this 12 months.
Dragonyhm – Spacebot Interactive. Works on all Recreation Boy techniques.
Dragonyhm is certainly probably the most formidable out of those six video games. It’s a large-scale fantasy RPG set in a magical world the place the protagonist’s father, Kurtis, is the protector of the Dragon’s Seal. As his son, Kris, awakes in the future to search out his father has disappeared, it’s as much as him to take up the sword and shield the residents of Archend from monsters, fiends and the return of the dragons.
The sport takes clear inspiration and cues from conventional turn-based RPGs. Should you like Dragon Quest you’ll just about really feel proper at dwelling. In its writing and world-design Dragonyhm higher resembles one thing like Hyperlink’s Awakening, with loads of non-compulsory side-quests that may get you extra upgrades and weapons. At its core, you’ll must discover a method to enter a number of dungeons, defeat highly effective bosses and resolve puzzles to observe the story. The visible design is particularly putting, with clear sprites and correct coloration usages in the event you’re taking part in on a Recreation Boy Shade or Advance. I additionally actually favored the music, with fairly a little bit of selection by way of the areas and battle situations you’ll come throughout.
I feel my greatest gripe is the best way through which you carry out fight within the sport. Specifically early on, you’ll typically wrestle towards enemies which are on the identical stage as you’re and might be continuous chugging well being potions to remain within the battle. Grinding is the secret right here and whereas there’s an elemental system at play right here, it tended to boil down for me to hitting with my strongest transfer and hoping I might not run out of mana or particular assaults. I did like the best way through which the sport encourages selection in your method for constructing your stats. Should you defeat an enemy with a traditional assault and achieve a stage up, your energy will enhance. However in the event you do the identical with a magical assault, your mana will enhance (suppose Last Fantasy II). It’s one thing I solely discovered whereas shopping the guide, however I do like that participant development isn’t restricted to a set scale, however relatively primarily based upon your most popular strikes and actions. It could actually construct pressure and launch inside a single battle in the event you are inclined to favor magic over energy and must face an opponent stronger towards these stats.
However I feel Dragonyhm actually nails the tone and magnificence of formidable Recreation Boy titles like Last Fantasy Journey/Mystic Quest, the place you’ll be able to see that years of improvement expertise permit it to suit as a lot content material as attainable into this cartridge. Virtually like a misplaced Recreation Boy sport, that you simply hear about from cult followings. A couple of puzzles even require translating a cipher you can resolve utilizing the guide, however in the event you’re actually devoted (or caught on a practice with out the guide) you’ll be able to hold notes of vital occasions, clues and secrets and techniques unfold all through the world. That steadiness between puzzle design and turn-based journey provides it a enjoyable aptitude all its personal. I’ll say that this sport presently lacks any guides or suggestions, so it may be a bit tough at occasions to navigate the world and discover out the place it is best to go subsequent. However for these keen to get misplaced in a easy, however participating RPG, Dragonyhm is extremely value looking for out!
8/10
In The Darkish 2, Pearacidic Video games and Grumpy Perform. Works on all Recreation Boy techniques.
That is one for the die-hard puzzleheads. In The Darkish 2 is a direct continuation of a standalone sport, known as In The Darkish (launched in 2022) which is a mix of a story journey and a simple puzzle sport. What units it instantly aside from different puzzle video games or high-score chasers is that the sport is surprisingly story heavy. After the occasions of the primary sport, which noticed a virus spreading all through the galaxy solely to be prevented by the courageous sacrifice of one among Captain Penn’s associates, Captain Penn is distributed out to search out the designer of the virus. Informed by way of vivid and beautiful tableaus and with particularly nicely written textual content, the sport sees you touring to a number of planets and techniques searching for the creator of the virus.
With this as a backdrop it does really feel misplaced that the sport is absolutely nothing greater than a set of light-fipping puzzles. Every puzzle you’re introduced with a grid of 3×3, 4×4 or 5×5 lights. Every gentle will be turned off by choosing the sunshine, however doing so will activate all the encircling lights. The target is similar each time, flip off all of the lights to resolve the puzzle. There are extra challenges akin to discovering out what the quickest answer is, principally designated as ‘par’. However past that, don’t anticipate many surprises with regards to the gameplay.
Now on its face, that could be a actually laborious promote. Even puzzle followers will inform you that selection and constructing upon your data is what units a very good puzzle sport aside. With In The Darkish 2, it does take a little bit of digging on the participant’s half to get up to now. As you full increasingly grids, you begin to get a way for how you can obtain the answer, however attending to that time entails fairly a little bit of trial and error. There aren’t any hints, besides the indication of what the quickest transfer will be, however the ramping up of problem feels surprisingly pure. I used to be really at nighttime (pun meant) at first, simply flicking random lights on or off. However in time I obtained rather more grip and sense with how the puzzles had been designed and used my expertise to resolve puzzles in fewer strikes.
I feel the story bits are an excellent method to hold the participant engaged. In between puzzles you’ll be able to stroll round, discuss to your crewmates and study extra in regards to the planet you’re visiting. There’s a stunning quantity of world constructing and character to what may’ve been a easy menu puzzle sport. I don’t suppose it can flip right into a mainstay for me personally, however I’ve picked it up once in a while over the previous few weeks and solved a number of boards whereas commuting to work. The extra modes—like a free play mode that presents you with randomized puzzles and the problem mode through which you must clear a number of boards in a row—are good time wasters. Although I’ll say that with these modes I did really feel the distinct lack of the story and world that tie In The Darkish 2 collectively. A correct puzzler that has a taste all its personal, it could be definitely worth the pickup in order for you some crunchy mind teasers.
7/10
Patchy Matchy Puzzle Browsing, Tom Sutton. Works on all Recreation Boy techniques.
I’ve raved at size about how a lot I loved Patchy Matchy in each my Chromatic assessment and my preview final 12 months. Suffice it to say that Patchy Matchy sits in that lovely center floor of understanding precisely what the Recreation Boy was all about. Quick and easy, however extremely engrossing gameplay classes that hold the motion going as you get higher on the sport.
Patchy Matchy is a tile-matching sport the place that you must join objects in strains of 4 to take away them from the board. Suppose bejeweled or sweet crush, however in a way more compact kind. With out power-ups, you’re merely relying in your potential to maneuver the cursor as rapidly as attainable to swap across the shells, stars and totems on the sector. Bubbles can get in your manner as obstacles that block different objects, however clearing a line apart from them removes them from the board as nicely.
The velocity ramps up over time, however in the event you can rating 999 factors you clear the sport. Clearing the sport, nonetheless, isn’t simply restricted to attending to the tip. The true replayability is in unlocking the seventeen achievements, which require you to increase monumental combos and hold your rating rising as a lot as attainable.
As a rating chaser sport it’s actually harmful, as a result of I stored getting sucked again into taking part in some extra of Patchy Matchy. It appears like a quintessential Recreation Boy sport at occasions. In all honesty, as a lot as I really like the model of Tetris that’s packed in with the Chromatic, I’d have chosen Patchy Matchy because the pack-in (Patch-in?) title. It simply works so nicely for these gadgets in the event you sit down and play it for only a minute.
The largest sleight towards Patchy Matchy is that it’s really designed for an authentic Recreation Boy. I secretly want that the sport had assist for Recreation Boy Shade with a bit extra model and aptitude to its visuals. It’s completely purposeful and doesn’t have any distracting visuals, however it could grow to be a bit boring to have a look at for a chronic play session.
Nonetheless, the core of the design is what counts right here and the sport is only a ton of enjoyable to play. I put this cartridge again in my Recreation Boy many times and I don’t suppose I may give it a lot increased reward than that!
8.5/10
Tales of Monsterland DX, Joel J. Video games. Works solely on Recreation Boy Shade or newer gadgets.
Should you’re speaking Recreation Boy, you’ve obtained to have a platformer, and whereas the upcoming Child T-Rex and Hermano look superb, Tales of Monsterland DX is the one platformer within the launch lineup. The sport takes inspiration from video games like Monster Boy and instantly stood out to me with its beautiful aesthetic. The story sees a boy get up in a mysterious city. He doesn’t understand how he obtained there however goes on a quest to discover a manner again dwelling. The city is threatened by an onslaught of monsters and an evil wizard. As you discover, you discover mysterious potions that rework you into a number of varieties, together with a wolf that may transfer boulders and a mermaid that makes it attainable to swim.
Insofar as platformers go, Tales of Monsterland DX feels fairly good to manage. The leap is fairly tight, with platforms and cash guiding the best way you need to discover the land. There may be additionally an motion button you can assign to both your sword or the actions of your transformations. It doesn’t attempt something that may be thought-about too difficult, though I’ll say that some bosses may get a tad irritating at occasions. However too typically the sport is missing problem and the problem stems from navigating your manner by way of its world. Some guideposts is usually a bit obtuse; specifically, discovering the primary potion was a little bit of a problem since I didn’t realise you can stroll by way of sure items of terrain. Apart from that I obtained caught as soon as, the place I had saved solely with one coronary heart and no continues earlier than the ultimate boss, which means I needed to backtrack all the best way to the city to regain my hearts and accumulate a further power-up to beat the sport. At sure occasions it appears like there are too many quirks within the design of the world and pacing of the sport that hinder it from changing into really nice. Small visible glitches and longer than common wait occasions between menus. In addition to a sport over booting you straight again into the primary menu as an alternative of supplying you with an possibility to instantly restart out of your final save.
That being stated the music is certainly a spotlight, with some nice tunes that instantly seize the vibe and really feel of the areas you go to. Whether or not it’s the upbeat music when setting out in your journey, or the darkish tones of the wizard’s tower, the accompanying tunes all the time hit the nail on the pinnacle. The sport isn’t that lengthy, solely slightly over two hours to see all the things, nevertheless it doesn’t overstate its welcome. With a pleasant sizzling cup of tea and a blanket on the sofa I performed by way of the sport in a single sitting, and whereas I don’t suppose it’ll have that a lot of a long-lasting affect, it was a pleasant time. I’m hopeful that Joel J Video games learns from this expertise and will get to construct one other sport that may ship on its ambition. Tales from Monsterland DX is a step in the precise route, however a number of stumbles make it fall simply brief for my tastes.
7/10
Toki Tori: Final Version, Two Tribes. Works solely on Recreation Boy Shade Suitable Gadgets.
Disclaimer: For my day job I’ve labored with the workforce from Two Tribes on archiving their video games on the Netherlands Institute of Sound & Imaginative and prescient. I’ve no direct connection to the event or launch of this model of the sport on Chromatic, however hold this in thoughts with this explicit assessment.
Let’s be frank, you’ve most likely performed Toki Tori in a roundabout way or one other earlier than. Although its authentic launch was reduce brief by a late launch on the Recreation Boy Shade because the Recreation Boy Advance took the world by storm, Toki Tori lived on in its many re-releases on just about any machine you’ll be able to think about. Even specialised restricted re-releases of the unique sport for the Recreation Boy Shade can be found for these searching for the unique expertise.
So why return? Why launch yet one more model of Toki Tori? Effectively, to listen to the parents from Two Tribes discuss it: ‘How typically do you get the possibility to re-create your authentic work however in the best way you’ve meant it for authentic {hardware}?’. It’s a good level and by all means Two Tribes has positively succeeded in placing the ‘final’ in Toki Tori: Final Version. As acknowledged by way of the disclaimer, I’m intimately acquainted with the unique Toki Tori, so seeing a revved up model of the unique was type of thrilling. You possibly can discover the enhancements virtually instantly as Toki Tori runs sooner, mechanically climbs over ledges and the sport’s presentation simply feels that little bit extra polished.
All that helps to re-establish and ensure why Toki Tori has remained such a staple for a lot of lovers of the Recreation Boy Shade. I feel that few puzzle video games do pretty much as good a job of instructing the participant how you can play as Toki Tori does. The degrees are designed in such a manner that you simply instantly get a way of how you can navigate its methods and obstacles. I’ve performed by way of Toki Tori so many occasions and there’s this stage within the first world that also methods me up in any case these years. The objective is straightforward, accumulate all of the eggs which are unfold out throughout the stage. Toki Tori can’t leap over enemies or gaps and solely makes use of particular power-ups a set variety of occasions per stage. That one stage within the first world all the time methods me, with the structure guiding me a particular method to the eggs, however following that laid out route will get you caught with a single egg lacking. It teaches the participant magnificently how you can play the sport and first plan out a route themselves relatively than merely leaping each hole or climbing each ladder.
In that sense Toki Tori: Final Version is the ultimate embodiment of Toki Tori’s authentic design. Taking part in the sport like this felt like I may lastly see all of the intent and design that Two Tribes had in thoughts virtually 25 years in the past. Later phases specifically simply circulate so a lot better with out the timer counting down and the big quantity of backtracking you’re doing with this elevated velocity. It doesn’t get the honorific of being an final version as a manner of promoting, nevertheless it earns this model. It makes probably the greatest puzzle-platformers even higher and albeit, if you don’t already personal a model of Toki Tori for one more machine, that is certainly one of the simplest ways of experiencing the sport. The one caveat for returning gamers is to not anticipate any surprises, new ranges or gameplay adjustments. That is nonetheless Toki Tori at coronary heart.
9/10
Traumatarium Penitent, Eligos Video games. Works on all Recreation Boy techniques.
As widespread because the Recreation Boy was, it was surprisingly missing in a few genres. Apart from the Wizardry sequence, there weren’t that many dungeon crawlers on the unique handheld. Traumatarium Penitent (attempt saying that 5 occasions quick), seeks to treatment this with its putting visuals and world design. You play as a knight making your method to a significant fort whereas purifying the lands of evil monsters and different foul creatures. The sport takes place in first particular person, with every display exhibiting your environment, the instructions you’ll be able to stroll to and attainable interactions akin to townsfolk, bins and carriages.
At its core, you’ll be dealing with your stats all through the sport as you discover. Your vitality meter decreases with every display you discover, which means you’re all the time looking out for meals or inns the place you’ll be able to relaxation up. All of the when you run into monsters and creatures blocking your manner. Battling these takes the type of a static turn-based fight scene the place you’ll be able to defend, assault, eat an merchandise or flee. Battles typically boil all the way down to determining the patterns to the assaults, as sure enemies could have a 3rd assault that offers the best injury which you may need to block. Dying resets the sport, so make sure you hold a be aware close by to trace your passwords that file your progress.
Let’s get that out of the best way first. Sure, this sport makes use of a very good ol’ password system. Whereas these cartridges assist FRAM saves, Traumatrium has chosen to depend upon passwords consisting of ten characters. I’m nonetheless baffled by this resolution. On the one hand, there’s a sure allure and pressure to seeing your vitality stat drop with no meals and realizing your final password units you again about fifteen minutes. However alternatively, passwords had been achieved away with for an excellent motive as they take time, effort and above all are fairly inconsistent in holding observe of your development. As a wink and nod to the wrestle many gamers have had with the unique Recreation Boy, it’s cute, however surely it makes an already difficult sport really feel much more stacked towards the participant.
And difficult it definitely is. The one method to keep alive on this world is to resort to consuming your potions and meals at any time when you’ve gotten them accessible to you. The sport communicates these stats in a really obtuse method. It took me fairly a while to note that when your vitality drops, your well being factors begin to lower after. That means at occasions I may simply discover one other 5 screens, however different occasions I dropped lifeless after the second. All of it boils all the way down to managing stats, pushing so far as your meters are letting you go after which speeding again to your inn to get a password and repeat the method.
The visible model is what really units the sport aside. It genuinely has among the most beautiful backgrounds I’ve ever seen on a Recreation Boy display. The sport makes use of the unique inexperienced and black palette to its fullest extent. Characters could lack animations however their designs are putting towards the areas they inhabit. I additionally like how you’re counting on the map to plan out your route by way of the world and keep away from getting caught on lifeless ends. At its coronary heart it’s a fairly easy sport of exploration and stock administration. That’s normally a plus with regards to Recreation Boy titles, however the theming is fairly dour. Characters have little to say to the protagonist and following the story is kind of tough because it establishes its personal world of orders and rulers that requires studying the accompanying guide to make sense about.
I don’t suppose that Traumatarium is a foul sport per se. Its visible model and gameplay could be very ingenious. Nevertheless it makes some baffling selections in each its save system and battle mechanics that make it tough to advocate. For many who are persistent and stick by way of the sport’s quirks, you’ll discover a true throwback to the previous days of the Recreation Boy. Earlier than save batteries and on-line guides. Counting on getting by in battles and exploration by the pores and skin of your tooth. Personally I discover the video games’ flaws to be an excessive amount of to bear alongside its darkish setting. However there’s an argument to be made that there’s actually nothing like this sport on Recreation Boy. For higher or worse…
5/10
And that wraps up these critiques, I hope you loved them and may’ve discovered a factor or two about new video games on Recreation Boy. Are you contemplating selecting up any of those titles? And which one seems to be probably the most interesting to you? Tell us within the feedback!
