The Best Retro Demakes To Play Right Now

Demakes are typically small-scale games made in the style of older consoles, such as the original PlayStation, that take beloved games developed for contemporary game consoles and “remake” them. Demakes have become quite popular in Indie game jams. These games are fan-made love letters to the original games. Two common retro esthetics of demakes are PlayStation 1 or Game Boy games.

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Working within these limitations showcases the creativity and skill of indie developers. Demake creators are often very clear that they do not claim any ownership of the original games. Despite the developers being transparent about the nature of their games, fan demakes have a history of disappearing due to copyright claims. Here’s a list of some of the most clever and creative demakes out there.

And So, The Nightmare Begins Again

Speaking of copyright claims and legal difficulties, Nightmare Kart got into its fair share of legal trouble with FromSoftware, as it was originally a reimagined demake of Bloodborne, except as a racing game. Players could race Father Gascoigne and other formidable bosses from the classic PlayStation game through the streets of Yharnam.

Since the legal dramas with FromSoftware, it has been rebranded more generically. For example, Micolash, Host of the Nightmare, has become Nicholas, Host of the Nightmare. This is a great example of the creativity of demakes and the importance of getting in before they get taken down. It’s still a fantastic game and will scratch that retro racing itch players may not know they had.

6

Portal 2D by T_Creeper

Are You Still There?

Portal 2D is a beautifully implemented reinvention of Portal puzzles in a 2D format. Losing the third dimension simplifies some of the puzzles, but learning to use the mouse and ‘E’ key simultaneously to pick up things can add an extra level of frustration.

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Those with a lot of familiarity with Portal games will be able to quickly identify the solutions. However, there is a big difference between figuring out the solution and making it happen. Fans may never get Portal 3, but Portal 2D allows players to experience the joy of solving the puzzles of the Aperture Science test labs all over again.

5

Elden Ring GB By Shin

Unfortunately, You Are Maidenless

The massive sprawling world of Elden Ring, with all its labyrinths and monsters, can be pretty overwhelming. Shin has admirably attempted to condense that baffling complexity into a 1993-style Game Boy demake. Elden Ring GB is one of the many demakes of its kind made with GB Studio, and it perfectly captures the Game Boy aesthetic.

An impressive amount of Limgrave has been included and, most importantly, a brief moment with Torrent. The combat is a little strange and some creative liberties have been taken with the source material to make it work in this format. However, those who appreciate a creative demake that shows a lot of love for the original game will find a lot to love in this demake.

4

Bit Of War By Holmade Games

I Bring The Destruction of Olympus!

The God of War franchise has changed and evolved over the years, but in all that time, Kratos has never looked so cute. Bit of War is a challenging 8-bit platformer that makes the violent bloodbath that is Kratos’ adventure strangely adorable, despite its relative faithfulness to the original God of War 3.

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It is so faithful to the source material that, to still include the dialogue and exposition of the original, there is more than one screen of scrolling paragraphs of text. As a result, the target audience is definitely those with nostalgia for the original God of War trilogy and the 8-bit aesthetic.

3

Disco Elysium By Colin

Sail Through The Abbyssopelagic Zone

This Game Boy port of Disco Elysium is a demake of the first section of the original game. The player can still choose from three archetypes: Thinker, Sensitive, and Physical. The original chance-based RPG system has been retained and functions beautifully in the Game Boy format.

Disco Elysium is a beloved cult classic that is a grim depiction of one man’s crisis and struggle to regain his sense of self. The hostility of the world around him and his confusion comes through in the demake. Colin has made great use of the stripped-back style to convey the bleakness of the hostel and its surroundings.

2

P.T./Silent Hills Demake By Jonshaw01

Watch Out For Lisa

Never actually finished the infamous P.T.? Can’t get access to the now deleted Silent Hills playable demo? Jonshaw01 has made a Game Boy-style tribute to Kojima’s unfinished project. The unnamed player-character must repeatedly walk through the same hallway over and over, investigating incremental changes in the environment.

The original P.T. is notoriously inscrutable in its method of completion. It is possible to finish the Game Boy demake quite easily and get that final shot of Norman Reedus looking suitably brooding. It captures the gradual creeping dread of P.T., even if it isn’t particularly scary in its 2D reinterpretation.

1

Bio Evil By Gypopothomas

Pitchforks At The Ready

Bio Evil 4 is a delightful demake of a few sequences from Resident Evil 4. Players get a little 8-bit Leon to shepherd through the plagas-infested countryside. It is kinder than Resident Evil 4 in that Leon has unlimited ammunition, but that is the only reprieve. The villagers are brutal, even in the normal difficulty mode, and the bear traps are just as dangerous as in the original.

The developer has obviously put a lot of love into this project and has a clear reverence for the source material. Each environment captures the feel of its higher fidelity antecedent, and 8-bit Ashley still screams Leon at the top of her lungs, albeit in speech bubble form.

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