Kickstarter has brought us some of the current generation's more interesting experiences. From spiritual successors like Yooka-Laylee to original hits like CrossCode, many projects have tapped into our nostalgia for retro gaming – though not always for the better. Bringing us an 8-bit fantasy adventure, The Shapeshifter is next in line.
Developed by Green Boy Games, you play as Elliot, an ordinary human who runs into an elf whilst camping. Asked to help save the elven world from a wizard's spell, Elliot is given the power to turn into any animal he touches, letting him traverse a wide range of environments.
Unlike other projects, there's no Switch release planned here; this one is a Game Boy exclusive and it's already close to being funded. With an aim of €6000, it sits at €5564 at the time of writing and you can check out the Kickstarter campaign here, which is due to end on March 18th (update: it has reached its first goal).
As you might expect, there are stretch goals included, too. Reaching €21,000 will secure two new chapters for The Shapeshifter, €30,000 means all physical shipment will come with a collectable coin, and €40,000 will see Green Boy Games bring this game to NES.
An early access ROM is available for €10, playable via a Game Boy Emulator and scheduled to launch in May 2021. Physical collectors will be pleased to hear that higher tiers include a physical Game Boy cartridge from €35, packed with an instruction booklet and cardboard box. A limited physical edition is also available with a unique numbering, though this is limited to 100 units.
Will you be backing The Shapeshifter on Kickstarter? Let us know below.
[source pocketgamer.com, via kickstarter.com]
Comments 25
There have been some brilliant Game Boy games recently, dunno why there’s a surge of support but it’s always cool to see what people can do with such a humble bit of tech.
Kickstarter link in the article is broken.
Nope from me, as they have done the classic American thing of calling a tortoise a turtle (0.56sec).
These modern games for old consoles are great but I really wish more of them were directed at the Gameboy Advance - mine and many others favourite system of all time. It was in the best position to be a celebration of pixel based games.
@brunojenso what is your favorite way to play GBA games? I have a gameboy advance, but the non-backlit screen makes it pretty much unplayable for me. I was hoping to get an analogue pocket, but they sold out fast.
This does look interesting and I'll definitely keep an eye on it.
But sadly it looks like their other games have been very bad, (with a couple of exceptions).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLepAgeE7EY
And the company itself doesn't fill me with confidence. They seem focused on creating a premium product - expensive physical only releases - but less focused on quality; from that review, it seems like the packaging is poor and the cartridges are cheap (no save battery in games that sorely need one) and the games themselves mostly don't play well. It seems like they think the exclusivity and expensiveness is enough to make it worthwhile.
I don't think that's enough anymore - especially with companies like Spacebot Interactive and other independent developers on itch.io on the scene - there's a lot of great gameboy homebrew out there now - high quality games available on cartridges and as roms for decent prices.
I hope this game is good though - trailer does look interesting - but I'd be wary of supporting them.
Can you buy the physical edition if you're not a backer? I definitely want to pick this up for my re-shelled gba sp. Just hope its accessible and fun!
@Brumblescope best way to play GBA games today is either via a "Gameboy Macro" (google or look on Etsy or eBay) or a modified GBA with a bright LCD (see the article https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/12/feature_creating_the_ultimate_game_boy or search on google or Etsy or eBay for something like "gba lcd ips")
@Brumblescope There are several good options, but nothing quite beats an IPS Screen modded original unit with your original games and a flash cart. For me that's due to the form factor and not having to concern yourself with emulation. I have a screen modded Indigo OG GBA with black buttons - it's an excellent marrying of the nostalgic model of my youth with a bit of modern flashiness.
Other good options are (in a rough order of best to 'worst':
Modded PS Vita Slim (I'm a believer the Slim is the far superior model despite what most say).
Modded PPSgo
Retroid Pocket 2
Gameboy Micro (I still have one and love it for occasional use).
To me a requirement is that it can display the pixel's perfectly and sharply. Strictly speaking that counts out the PSPgo but somehow it manages to scale GBA beautifully - and it's form factor is incredible as a 'true-pocketable'.
I've heard the RG351P is great for GBA too, and there are more options than these of course. I'd include the GBA SP which I've owned but using headphones is a big deal for me and Nintendo not including a port (without an adapter) was unforgivable - plus it is quite cramped for long play and my micro is better for short play.
If I could get one I'd consider the Analog Pocket IF it can be side-loaded or works with flash carts like the Everdrive - but Analog are being cagey with that info.
@Lone_Beagle I'm personal not a fan of the Macro mods. It uses the inferior DS Lite screen. Modern IPS screen are too good by comparison. Plus you have the black bars on all 4 sides due to the DS resolution and have to use half a DS UI for operation. Seems messy and the remaining clips for the clamshell just look weird. It's just not a GBA but half a DS - but that's just my view.
@brunojenso @Lone_Beagle This is awesome! You guys know your GBA's. I may actually try to mod mine. Have either of you done the mod yourself, or did you buy a modded GBA? How tricky is it? I've got the original GBA white and grey model.
@Brumblescope I modded mine recently. It's not cheap and you can make mistakes. Here is my biggest advice: All the IPS kits out there give you 3M tape to attach the screen to the shell. NEVER DO THIS. It's the stupidest advice. If you ever want to change your shell again you will not be able to remove the screen without destroying it. Gluing it in is bloody stupid but they ALL tell you too. Instead use these 2 things from Retrosix and you'll have a completely reversible setup:
https://retrosix.co.uk/Game-Boy-Advance-IPS-Screen-Bracket-p201741204
https://retrosix.co.uk/Game-Boy-Advance-IPS-Screen-Dust-Guard-p249525592
Their IPS kit is too expensive - go to eBay and get one as low as £40. MAYBE use one of their shells - they are not as good as they say - but they are perfectly pre-trimmed for the IPS screen. Personally, and if you can find one in good condition, I'd use an original shell that I'd learn to trim myself off youtube. Their button's are great and I learnt to solder so I could do the 'clicky' shoulder button mod and the brightness control wires.
@Brumblescope I have a few gba games on my 2ds and my phone but I went with a gba sp for the authentic nostalgia feel, those have a back lit screen. I'd suggest the gba sp if all you want is a back lit screen and no extra investments in terms of money and time
@Bunkerneath I'm glad other people care about stuff like this - very lazy of them not to do the research - and an insult to both animals They'll be calling a dolphin a fish next.
@nessisonett likely due to GB studio being a thing. It's a really easy to use dev program and there's a super active community around it. I expect we'll see a LOT more gameboy homebrew over the next few years
Looks interesting. I will it till it release and will heck myself.
What in the world...? haha, a game boy and NES edition? Dang... it sounded really cool so was expecting an e-shop release.
@Brumblescope the true experience is suffering silently with the dim screen and a worm light. I'm just kidding there. If you haven't already, you can look up video of the modifications and reviews of kits and components to get an idea of what are some common issues so you don't have to make them yourself. I haven't done the mod, but I have seen some video and did come across the same advice to not use the strong tape that someone else shared, so that seems like good advice. Good luck with it if you go forward with it.
Looks delightfully ridiculous!
@sdelfin Ha! I've tried, the wormlight... that glare is glorious.
I'm leaning towards trying the mod. We'll see how it goes.
@Brumblescope I bought a modded GBA. Honestly, by the time you price the replacement screen & other things (like a new shell, buttons, etc.) you can usually find modded GBA's that are not that much more than the cost of those items, plus the base price for the GBA.
As @brunojenso mentioned, the LCD IPS screens for the GBA are far superior than the original DSLite screens, and so are better than a Gameboy Macro.Be aware that soldering the connections so that you can adjust the brightness might be tricky if you don't have experience. The PSP and emulation of a GBA could also be a good and less expensive option. Honestly, I always really liked the GBA ergonomics, but the PSP isn't bad and also lets you emulate other game systems as well.
Be aware that with Flash carts, the EZ-FLASH Omega sucks the life out of batteries. The Krikzz flash cart is a bit more expensive, but a lot easier on batteries.
@Lone_Beagle Yeah I totally agree about the cost and to my own expense I've learnt the hard way about how much the DIY route can cost - especially if you make mistakes as I did.
Not only do I agree but I'd go as far as to say buying a pre-modded eBay one is almost certainly going to be cheaper. The only way it's justifiable building your own is as a learning project where you get to customise exactly as you want and that is an opportunity to dabble with soldering etc...
I'm glad I DIY'd mine - I'm just not sure why I am
@Splodge The creator addressed some of your points on the Kickstarter page. This new release will:
Now I'm gonna watch the vid you linked to see if I should support this Kickstarter or not, thanks
Edit: Oof, these games aren't for me at all.
@Switcheroot
Yes, it does seem that they are taking the feedback well and acting on it. And I'm glad they're doing a rom release this time too. It is a good sign that, rather than being defensive, they are taking criticism well.
So, I was probably overly harsh. I think I was just a bit annoyed at seeing the quality of the games they were releasing Vs the prices. (I can see the submarine and football games are still on their website for 50 euro each).
But hopefully, the feedback helps this one work out better.
@brunojenso I like the idea of having a custom GBA that I built with my own two hands, but it does sound like there's a good amount of work, money, and learning involved. I'm definitely gonna do a little more research before I commit to the mod. Thanks for your guys' input.
@Brumblescope Sounds sensible mate. Also @Lone_Beagle isn't wrong about Flash Cart issues too. I have a EZ Flash Omega and if you learn to work with it's quirks and limitations it's great (just reading the manual carefully basically), but the Krikzz flash cart is a better quality product - for more £. Even then these flash carts are not as good or convenient as the options built into modern emulators such as multi save-states - so don't dismiss something like a RG351p or the new Pocket Go S30 - all of which have their strengths and weaknesses - but these two I mention will do GBA great because they have 480x320 screens - exactly 4x the GBA's pixel count and the same aspect ratio (no black bars for GBA).
Just do some research - and maybe the Switch has GBA NSO around the corner too!
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