The Shapeshifter recently concluded an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign. Taking in well over $70,000 from nearly 900 backers, the Kickstarter almost tripled the takings from GreenBoy Games' previous campaigns. In fact, the game is Dana Puch's most ambitious game yet. The Shapeshifter is the fifth original Game Boy title released by Puch's Greenboy Games, and it incorporates all of the experience the developer has accrued in his time making games for the old handheld.
As a result of all this experience, The Shapeshifter is set to be a very impressive Game Boy title. In the game, players take on the role of Elliott, a "very clumsy protagonist." On a camping trip with his friends, Elliott encounters an elf that grants him a unique power. This power forms the central mechanic of the game - the ability to transform into any animal a player touches. In addition to this ambitious mechanic, the game pays homage to some of the best Game Boy titles out there. Game Rant got to speak with The Shapeshifter's lead developer, Dana Puch. During the interview, Puch touched on developing for old consoles, taking inspiration from family, and even some French philosophy.
Q. You've developed many original Game Boy titles before, what makes this your most ambitious game?
A. Indeed, The Shapeshifter is my most ambitious game because I'm applying all the techniques and mechanics that I can make in a game. I have also improved the graphics (compared to my first Game Boy games) and added a more original plot to the game. All these elements make it one of my most complete games to date.
Q. What do you consider most challenging about developing for older technology?
A. For me, the most challenging and exciting thing about developing for the Game Boy are the restrictions. Surely you will know a creative trend of the 60s, the Oulipo movement, where you had to be creative with some given restriction. It meant creativity by restriction. For example, there was the “Abecedaire”, a task where you needed to create a text in which the initials of successive words are followed in alphabetical order. Developing games for Game Boy is more or less the same. You have to make a game from 32kB to 1MB using only 4 colors. You also have a predefined green palette, only 4 music channels, and a limit of objects on screen and objects per line. These are all restrictions! You cannot create what you want, but you have to be creative enough to make a good game.
Q. Were you ever tempted to just release the game on PC? Why did you decide not to?
A. I have been developing for PC and Android, and the problem is the lack of satisfaction developing for those platforms. I would surely make more money launching this game on PC. But, since the creation of GreenBoy games studio I have wanted to offer exclusive games for Game Boy users only. The Game Boy was the first console that I bought with my own money and I have a very special affection for it. There are a lot of people who are already developing for PC, so I prefer to make games on the platform that fulfills me the most.
Q. €10 Kickstarter backers get a digital copy of the game compatible with Game Boy emulators. In your opinion, how important are ROMs and emulation for the games industry?
A. Emulation for the retro game industry is crucial and necessary! It helps bring video game culture closer to younger generations. Even so, at Greenboy games we want to go one step further, and we want to support the use of old video game systems as well as cartridge games. That is why I do not sell ROM files without purchasing a physical cartridge (except on Kickstarter). There is another point that must be taken into account, and that is that normally ROMs are loaded in very powerful computers. These often support a game with lots of CPU, GPU, and RAM. These specifications surpass the gaming experience of a super tiny 32kB game. I often say that if you want to enjoy a skateboard, you should go to the skate park, not to an F1 track.
Q. In The Shapeshifter, your character can morph into the animals they touch to accomplish the various quests in the game. Is there a piece of media that inspired this really unique mechanic?
A. Well, it was my 5-year-old son’s idea. Right after we finished watching a superhero movie, I asked him what superpower he would like to have. He replied that he would like to become any animal he touches. That was the spark that unleashed the game.
Q. What's your favorite Game Boy Game, and why?
A. My favorite Game Boy game is The Shapeshifter! If you mean officially released games by Nintendo, I love Gargoyle's Quest. Combining the RPG elements with platforming blew me away when I was young. I also love Super Mario Land and Tetris (of course). I would have enjoyed a game like Monkey Island on Game Boy, so maybe my next game will have some similar aspects.
Q. Do you find the Game Boy or the NES harder to develop for? Why is that?
A. I'm certainly more used to creating Game Boy games because of the number of games I have already published (and those that I have not published). For the NES version of The Shapeshifter I have two excellent programmers with a lot of experience. I've done it this way because after the first part of The Shapeshifter I can fully immerse myself in The Shapeshifter II. If the first part is a bombshell, the second will be even better!
Q. From all of the trailers for the game, it looks like there are lots of different gameplay styles in The Shapeshifter. What is your favorite type of game to play?
A. Indeed, the game has different styles and mechanics. Personally, the styles that I like the most are graphic adventures, point and clicks, or RPGs. Shooters or platforms are also fun. Puzzle games and titles like Tetris are also on my favorites list. The game is a parody of a clumsy protagonist with a power that does not know how to handle. So, during The Shapeshifter you can find 'point and click' sections, action/adventure elements, platforming... and downhill slalom with skis!
Q. If you could change into any of the animals from The Shapeshifter, which one would it be?
A. The chameleon, without a doubt. He has the power to become invisible.
Q. What can fans of Green Boy Games expect in the future?
A. Greenboy Games has specialized in exclusive game releases for Game Boy users only. All my games start from scratch, both in terms of design and programming. They do not take advantage of other creators' designs and I try to make the game idea as original as possible. My intention is to create high-quality games and take full advantage of what the Game Boy is capable of. I want to avoid stereotypes and avoid looking like a clone of other games. I hope Greenboy Games will help maintain the legacy of retro gaming and give the cartridge a long life.
The Shapeshifter will release on Game Boy and NES.