The ModRetro Chromatic reignited my love of classic handheld gaming in a way I would have never imagined. From the premium materials used to design it to the feelings of nostalgia it evoked from the moment I opened it, I was in love. But something even more exciting is the promise of new games that can function on this piece of hardware and the authentic Game Boy and Game Boy Color. It gives developers a chance to put their projects into the world, and I dove into 6 additional titles that prove why Retro Handheld Gaming is still alive and well.
Six Different modretro chromatic Games That All Feature Completely Different Experiences
The Release Bundle that ModRetro offers comes with a total of 6 games, all of which feature wildly different experiences. The adorable Toki Tori is a classic, brought to life on the vibrant screen of the Chromatic. Whereas Traumatarium: Penitent is an old-school dungeon crawler that kicked my ass more than I’d like to admit.
Videos by VICE
Each game presented here is developed by small teams or single developers. And as I mentioned before, even if you have no intention of buying a ModRetro Chromatic, they’re also fully compatible with original hardware. FPGA Game Boys and Analogue Pocket included. I’ll be sure to include compatibility information before each micro-review, but without any further ado, here are my thoughts on each game presented in the ModRetro Release Bundle.
‘Dragonyhm’ Is AN Epic Turn-Based RPG Built WIth Love
- Genre – RPG
- Playtime – 10+ Hours
- Compatibility: Game Boy Color, ModRetro Chromatic
Dragonyhm is one of the coolest titles available on the ModRetro Chromatic, offering a small-scale RPG adventure that feels much larger than its runtime. Beautiful sprite work, incredible music, and a great sense of adventure make Dragonyhm feel like something I would have obsessed over as a child.
It wears its inspirations on its sleeves, with great turn-based battles that feel both modern and suitably retro. But most importantly, the world is just a joy to explore and the overarching story is incredible to experience. A smattering of optional bosses make this one worth the price of admission and could become your next favorite classic turn-based RPG.
The development team skirted the developmental hassles of working with old hardware masterfully, and I would love to see more adventures set in the world of Dragonyhm. It feels right at home on the handheld, and I could see plenty of new fans falling in love with this one.
Verdict: Strongly Recommended
‘Patchy Matchy Puzzle Surfing’ Is Possibly My New Favorite Puzzle Game on the modretro chromatic
- Genre – Puzzle
- Playtime – Unlimited Replayability
- Compatibility: Game Boy, Game Boy Color, ModRetro Chromatic
Puzzle games are one of my biggest weaknesses, so I was expecting big things when I jumped into Patchy Matchy Puzzle Surfing. Little did I know that I was about to find something completely unexpected, leaving a strong impression and a wanton need to return as often as I could. This is one of those games that pressures me to stock up on batteries because I can’t put it down.
The premise is simple: match different shapes with one another and clear the board. However, the pace is brisk and the visual styling is incredibly strong. It also has a very catchy soundtrack that makes flying through these boards a breeze. With any puzzler, it’s infinitely replayable, and every round feels more hectic and intense than the last.
Patchy Matchy Puzzle Surfing is an incredibly charming puzzler that quickly won my heart over. And honestly? It may be one of my most played games on the handheld so far. Its price tag may sound steep for a puzzler, but it’s one of those games you can come back to over and over again until the end of time and love it every time you boot it up.
Verdict: Strongly Recommended
‘Toki Tori Ultimate Edition’ Is A Classic Reborn
- Genre – Platformer
- Playtime – 20+ Hours
- Compatibility: Game Boy Color, ModRetro Chromatic
Toki Tori Ultimate Edition is technically a re-release of the semi-obscure Game Boy Color title of the same name. I played as the titular bird, navigating through increasingly difficult stages with new gimmicks. Every stage was full of hazards that I needed to carefully work through to collect many items.
Toki Tori has been around for quite some time, and with several sequels available with enhanced visuals, its retro charm is more for those who may have missed out on it the first time around. And since a pre-owned copy of the original game is going for sometimes x10 as much as this, I can say that the Ultimate Edition is worth the money.
It’s a charming little puzzle platformer, but if you played the original? It may not be worth the cash. If you’re searching for a great way to burn through a few hours after a stressful day at work, however? I would say give Toki Tori Ultimate Edition a spin.
Verdict: Recommended
‘Tales of Monsterland DX’ is a Cutesy modretro Platformer with Lofty Ambitions
- Genre – Platformer
- Playtime – 2+ Hours
- Compatibility: Game Boy Color, ModRetro Chromatic
Tales of Monsterland DX is an adorable and breezy little platformer game, filled with charming and unique enemies and dangers to avoid. It’s influenced by the classics, such as Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins and Kirby’s Dreamland with its cutesy characters and great level design.
While not too difficult, it offers enough of a challenge to not feel boring. Smacking enemies around never got old, and was one of my favorite parts of the game. Plus, gathering up different power-ups made this adventure go off in directions I wouldn’t have typically imagined it would have.
The only point I can hold against Tales of Monsterland DX, in reality, is its short runtime. If you’re a platforming master, completing this one in just a couple of hours is an unfortunate reality. But honestly, plenty of older Game Boy platformers fell into the same pitfall, and it doesn’t overstay its welcome. I would love to see more from Joel J Games in this world, and this is a great first taste of what could come in the future.
Verdict: Recommended
‘In The Dark 2’ Is A Graphically Impressive modretro Puzzler With An Incredible story
- Genre – Adventure/Puzzle
- Playtime – 20+ Hours
- Compatibility: Game Boy, Game Boy Color, ModRetro Chromatic
In The Dark 2 is one of the most graphically impressive titles offered in the Release Titles bundle. After booting it up and watching the gorgeous cutscenes, I was immediately entranced. With its impeccable retro-futuristic visuals and creative puzzles, I had to see this one through to the end.
I would strongly suggest watching some gameplay of In The Dark 2 to see if it’s your type of game. If it resonates with you, there’s nothing on the market quite like it. It offers a deep story and plenty of interesting and varied types of gameplay. In my eyes, it is one of the standout release titles available in the bundle.
From start to finish, I was drawn right in. While its visuals and story initially drew me in, the amount of strategy that was needed to progress through the challenging puzzles won me over in the end. It’s a great example of what teams can do with retro hardware to make these games feel modern, yet like something we’ve all experienced in the past. Beautifully done.
Verdict: Highly Recommended
‘Traumatarium Penitent’ Kicked My Ass and Stole My Name, And I Still Loved It
- Genre – Dungeon Crawler
- Playtime – 3+ Hours
- Compatibility: Game Boy, Game Boy Color, ModRetro Chromatic
Traumatarium Penitent was my favorite game of the group, bar none. The gritty, dark world that it painted before my eyes felt as if I was witnessing a master at work. It’s challenging, unforgiving, and also visually stunning. It nails the retro look and feels while not being afraid to be unabashedly itself.
Traumatarium Penitent has a unique movement system, where I only had a specific number of moves I could make before I would start taking damage. I could negate this by using different items in the world, or tough it out and try to make it to a rest point to regain them back. Traumatarium also uses the old-school password system, so I needed to keep notes during my adventure.
It’s by far the most jarring entry on the list, but the one that resonated with me the most. The uniqueness of the gameplay, partnered with the incredible visual design that harkens back to the old Ultima franchise, immediately stole my heart and wouldn’t give it back until it was done. Just be prepared for a difficult journey ahead.
Verdict: Strongly Recommended
There Are Even More Games Available for the Modretro chromatic and Game Boy Family of Games
While the Release Bundle from ModRetro may include a variety of different games that everyone can enjoy in some capacity, there are even more titles available that players can get for their new Retro system. Rhythm games, more platformers, and hopefully more in the pipeline. It’s a great way for Game Boy fanatics to get their hands on wonderful new games from passionate developers who love the hardware.
All of these titles are available to purchase now from ModRetro.com. Copies of these titles were supplied for the sake of review. Reviewed on a modified Game Boy Pocket and ModRetro Chromatic.
