After debuting on the PlayStation and Saturn back in 1996, the first Resident Evil almost made it to Game Boy Color. This port was designed by the English studio HotGen in 1999. The company had almost finished its work when Capcom decided to cancel this version.
Today, the website “Games That Weren’t” has restored Resident Evil on Game Boy Color. The game can be downloaded at this address. It is important to note that development was 98% complete. As such, the cutscenes are not finished, nor are the zombie death animations or the sprites for several characters.
While various prototypes have been circulating on the internet for many years, this version is the most complete. According to Pete Frith, who was an assistant programmer on the game, the “original creator of Resident Evil” felt that the Game Boy Color was not suited to accommodate such a large-scale title. In mid-2000, Capcom decided to cancel it at the last minute.
This is exciting news for retro gaming fans! It’s impressive to see how far this iconic title has come since its original release. The Game Boy Color version sounds like a fun way to experience the classic horror adventure on the go.
Absolutely! It’s fascinating to think about how the limitations of the Game Boy Color shaped the game’s design. The creativity in adapting such a complex story for a handheld console really highlights the innovation of that era.