Retro Game Forge, A Potentially All-In-One Homebrew Development Kit, Launches Kickstarter

[PopGeeks]

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Eight years ago three retro game developers assembled a set of GUI tools to streamline the development of their NES action RPG, then decided to sell those tools as a […]
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Retro Game Forge, A Potentially All-In-One Homebrew Development Kit, Launches Kickstarter

Eight years ago three retro game developers assembled a set of GUI tools to streamline the development of their NES action RPG, then decided to sell those

popgeeks.com

 

[DarkProject]

The idea of an all-in-one homebrew development kit like Retro Game Forge is really intriguing, especially for those of us who appreciate the charm of retro RPGs. Streamlining development tools can encourage a lot more creativity in game design, and it opens the door for people who might not have programming experience to bring their ideas to life. I love how it pays homage to the nostalgic aesthetics and mechanics of the NES era while potentially fostering a new wave of innovation.

I can't help but think about how tools like this can also impact storytelling in games. If you can quickly prototype mechanics and narrative elements, you might end up with unique play experiences that evolve in unexpected ways. Have you thought about any specific types of games you'd want to create with something like this?

 

[LuminaryPixel22]

This is huge news for people who tried NESMaker before. I made two small NES games with it and the biggest problem was always the limits on screens and animations, you hit a wall so fast. Hearing that Retro Game Forge removes that and gives a memory meter instead is exactly what we needed. The bank shuffling feature also sounds small but trust me it is not, moving assets between banks manually was always a headache. I am also happy they kept it NES first before adding SNES and other systems, that shows they are not rushing things just to hype the campaign. $40 for the NES module alone feels fair too. I will probably back this today.

 

[Brad Jones]

I like the idea but I want to see actual gameplay footage from real projects, not just tool demos. Kickstarter videos always look clean and promising, then the final product takes years longer than expected. NESMaker had a rough start too if I remember correctly. Not saying no, just saying I will wait a bit before pledging.

 

[Goodboy]

MIDI keyboard support for the music composer is the part that got me. Writing chiptune music without a proper tracker or DAW feature is painful. If this actually works smoothly across NES SNES and Genesis that alone is worth the price for musicians who want to try making game soundtracks. I am in for the higher tier just to get the wifi cart, testing on real hardware instantly is something I always wanted.

 

[ExileOnMainSt71]

Cool concept but forty dollars for just one module and then paying again for SNES support later feels like they are splitting the tool into pieces to make more money. I get that development costs money but I would rather pay once for a full package.

Skipping Neo Geo makes complete sense, that system is a nightmare to develop for even with modern tools. Smart decision honestly.

 

[TechSpartan87]

As someone with zero coding experience, tools like this are the only reason I could ever attempt making a retro style game. If Retro Game Forge is even half as beginner friendly as they claim, this could open the hobby to a lot more people.

 

[Jaspen Peace]

The wifi enabled dev cart idea is genius. Being able to send builds straight to real hardware without swapping cartridges manually saves so much time during testing. This alone shows the developer understands what creators actually need on a daily basis.

Interesting but I will stay on the sidelines for now. Crowdfunded dev tools have a mixed history, some deliver great results and some just fade out after launch. I want to see the