Surprise! Crunchyroll Is Making A Video Game For The Game Boy Color

In one of the stranger pieces of news that we have heard today, renowned anime streamer Crunchyroll has announced that it is developing and publishing a retro-inspired video game based on its classic mascot Hime (thanks, Gematsu). What’s weirder still is that it will be playable on Game Boy Color via Limited Run Games, with cartridge pre-orders now available.

Just to clarify, yes, you did read that right.

Hime’s Quest is an 8-bit action-adventure game set in 1999, where you play as the streamer’s mascot who is on a mission to save a small-town anime club from the threat of the evil Y2K – and you thought this news couldn’t get any stranger! One look at the above trailer and you will see that the company is going all out to embody those late-90s vibes. From the real-world actors to the Power Rangers-esque villain – yep, that takes us back.

Notably we haven’t seen a lot of gameplay footage so far which is somewhat troubling when you consider the fact that this is… a game. From the small amount that we can spy at the end of the trailer, however, it certainly looks retro enough.

For an idea of the game’s features, check out the following from Crunchyroll:

– Adventure through haunted forests, mirage-filled deserts and more in Crunchyroll-Hime’s largest quest yet.
– Hack and slash your way through dungeons and face-off against totally buggin fiends in league with Y2K.
– Kick-back with Crunchyroll-Hime’s friends in the anime club or pay a visit to spooky manga creator Junji Ito who is currently OBSESSED with spirals.
– Some games let you pet the dog, this one lets you *try* to pet the cat. Can you succeed and give Crunchyroll-Hime’s best friend Yuzu a pat on the head?
– PLAY IT LOUD! with a chiptune soundtrack by future (time paradox averted) award-winning 8-bit composer and musician Protodome.

The game will be playable on the Game Boy Color via a physical cartridge created in partnership with Limited Run Games. This very cartridge is now available to pre-order for $44.99 (around £38 / 43€) in either ‘Crunchyroll Orange’ from the Crunchyroll online store or in ‘Limited Run Blue’ from Limited Run Games. Pre-orders will end on 23rd December, 2022 with the game expected to ship in May, 2023. Get ready to blow the dust out of that thing before loading it up.

Aside from this physical release, Crunchyroll has also announced that Hime’s Quest will be available to download and play for free on browsers in December.

What do you make of Hime’s Quest? Comment like its 1999 down below!

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