Vault Interactive's 'Wheeze' Revives Game Boy Platforming
Vault Interactive Studio is developing 'Wheeze', a new retro platformer launching on original Game Boy hardware via cartridge, alongside PC and mobile versions. The project, currently on Kickstarter, promises authentic 8-bit platforming with a four-colour palette and chiptune soundtrack.
A new platformer is aiming for a genuine Game Boy cartridge release, alongside versions for PC and mobile. Titled Wheeze, the project from Vault Interactive Studio is currently seeking funding via Kickstarter. The developer promises a classic experience, complete with a four-colour palette and chiptune soundtrack, designed to run natively on the original 1989 handheld hardware.
This move taps directly into a specific niche of the retro scene: the thriving homebrew community for Nintendo's iconic grey brick. While many indie games adopt a 'retro-style' aesthetic, committing to a physical Game Boy ROM and cartridge is a different proposition. It places Wheeze alongside contemporary releases like Deadeus or The Machine, games that are played on actual hardware, not just emulators. The technical constraints are real-developers must work within the same 4.19 MHz processor limits that shaped Super Mario Land and Metroid II: Return of Samus.
The game's premise, starring a robot janitor cleaning up a polluted factory, channels the straightforward, environment-focused platforming of the early '90s. It's a world away from the cinematic storytelling of today's big releases, recalling instead the simple, effective premises of games like Bubble Bobble or Snow Bros.. For collectors and purists, the potential for a physical cartridge holds particular appeal, offering a new artefact that can sit on a shelf next to decades-old titles.
If successful, Wheeze represents more than just another indie platformer. It's a direct continuation of the Game Boy's software library, over two decades after its commercial lifespan ended. The project demonstrates how the tools and passionate communities around classic systems have evolved, allowing new stories to be told on the very hardware that defined portable gaming for a generation. Its fate now rests with the retro enthusiasts it aims to captivate.
📊 Game Boy By The Numbers
The original Game Boy launched in 1989 with:
- 4.19 MHz processor speed
- 4-shade monochrome display
- 8 kB of RAM (expandable to 32 kB)
- Over 118 million units sold worldwide
- Approximately 6-10 hours of battery life on 4 AA batteries
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