Unveiling the Epic Journey: How Zelda, Metroid, and Hollow Knight Breathed Life Into the Ultimate 2023 Game Boy Masterpiece, Kudzu+

The non-linear adventure game, Kudzu, has not only met but greatly exceeded its $15,000 Kickstarter goal, currently sitting at $46,195. The project is projected to be completed by December 2023. Taking inspiration from iconic games such as The Legend of Zelda and Metroid, the lead developer, Chris Totten, aims to push the boundaries further, akin to the success of Hollow Knight on the Nintendo Switch. Ultimately, his goal is to deliver a fresh and captivating experience for Game Boy enthusiasts.

Nods To Old School Nintendo Games

Players must quickly strategize as they take on the role of Max, an apprentice gardener on a quest to find his mysteriously vanished mentor and master gardener, Zoen, amidst the worldwide invasion of the Kudzu plant species. The game pays homage to classic games such as The Legend of Zelda, where Max awakens at the beginning of the Kudzu world, similar to how Link is eventually awakened. Max serves as a vessel for players to experience a sense of familiarity with "Link's Awakening."

Drawing inspiration from various games like Super Metroid and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Radical Rescue, Kudzu incorporates unique twists. Instead of receiving a heart to restore life, players are rewarded with a jar of Kudzu jelly, serving as a health potion, after defeating enemies. While Kudzu borrows elements from different games, its creator, Totten, aims to make it a distinct and original experience.

Content: Kudzu incorporates some established genre elements from the library, but I aimed to create a game that aligns more with modern game design principles. Taking inspiration from games like Hollow Knight and considering their world structure, similar to my appreciation for Metroid, I realized that I enjoy playing Metroid, but it feels somewhat outdated as I have to backtrack a lot to find what I need. With this in mind, I wanted to create a game that incorporates more modern features and responsiveness.

In Kudzu, unlike Super Metroid's guns and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' nunchucks, Max initially wields a machete to defend against enemies such as snakes, giant bugs, and living plants, as well as to cut down the invasive kudzu species. Alongside classic Nintendo games, Hollow Knight was a significant source of inspiration for the Metroidvania style of Kudzu as well.

I think extensively about the structure of level design, and within that realm, there are many aspects that diminish the impact of games like Super Metroid... However, Hollow Knight successfully achieves the creation of a highly accessible world, allowing players to navigate through it in their preferred manner. This is precisely the vision I aimed to realize in Kudzu.

The Game Boy Community

Initially launched in Japan in April 1989, the Game Boy quickly dominated the handheld gaming market as it later arrived in North America that same year. Although production of the Game Boy ceased in March 2003, a thriving community continues to fondly recall the gaming era it symbolized. Totten, the developer, revealed that crafting Kudzu, a game for this cherished console, felt like the logical choice. Despite originally planning for a smaller-scale project, the development process took seven years and ultimately expanded into something much grander than Totten had anticipated.

I adored Game Boy as a child and owned one during its initial surge of popularity in the early 1990s. What fascinated me was the discovery of GB Studio a few years ago, which allowed people to create Game Boy games without the need for complex native assembly language coding. This accessibility greatly appealed to me and made Game Boy development more inclusive.

What resonated with me was the approachability of GB Studio and the fond memories I had associated with it. The presence of a dedicated homebrew community, filled with passionate individuals, further solidified the enduring love for Game Boy. It's not just a matter of being unable to purchase a new Game Boy at a store like Target; there exists a vibrant community of homebrew developers and avid players.

Totten has collaborated with Mega Cat Studios, a video game development and publishing company based in Pennsylvania, to bring Kudzu to life. Working with Mega Cat has been a great experience for Totten, as the studio is renowned for creating new physical games for beloved Nintendo consoles such as the Sega Genesis and NES. This positions them perfectly to work on a homebrew game like Kudzu. The homebrew community has been active for years and typically relies on emulators, which can also be played on mobile and PC platforms.

Kudzu is likely to resonate with nostalgic Nintendo gamers, especially those who can pick up on the subtle inspirations Totten has woven into the game. While the storyline may not be as intricate as that of an insect warrior battling through a ravaged kingdom or mutant turtles embarking on a mission to rescue against a Ninjitsu master, Kudzu has the potential to showcase what a Game Boy game could look like in 2023.

Kudzu is expected to have a physical Game Boy cartridge by December 2023.