July 5, 2025

70. Sixteen KiloBytes

Andy, Diego, and Wiedo are joined by special guest Dale Coop, who shares insights about his journey into indie game development and his unique experiences creating games for classic hardware.

The crew then dives into reviews of modern indie games for classic platforms. Diego brings Gravity Boy (Commodore Plus/4), a clever adventure where you control gravity itself to solve spatial puzzle rooms infested by weird-looking aliens. Wiedo presents Kero Kero Cowboy (Gameboy Color), a Western-themed platformer featuring Kirby-like mechanics of swallowing enemies and shooting them out.

Andy shares his experience exploring Deep Dungeon (Gameboy), a surprisingly complex RPG where reading the manual would have greatly helped him navigate intricate combat and inventory mechanics. Dale discusses What Remains (NES), an environmentally-conscious narrative adventure filled with intriguing political messages wrapped in compelling storytelling.

0:00:00 2:05:00
  • Gravity Boy

    Gravity isn’t just a mechanic—it’s the whole puzzle. Players must invert gravity to solve a series of compact, increasingly complex rooms filled with deadly hazards like spikes, patrolling robots, and bouncing alien blobs. Each room is self-contained, offering tight design and a strong sense of progression. The controls are responsive, making the core gravity-flipping mechanic feel natural and satisfying. Mistakes are frequent but never frustrating, thanks to instant resets and fair challenge curves. The clean visual style makes hazards easy to identify, and subtle changes in enemy behavior keep the pacing fresh. Despite the minimalist setup, the game maintains tension with clever level layouts and tight spatial constraints. It’s a focused, satisfying experience that leverages the limitations of the Plus/4 hardware to deliver something both accessible and mentally engaging—perfect for players who enjoy spatial reasoning and minimalist platforming challenges.

  • Kero Kero Cowboy
    |
    9.99 USD
    | Get it here

    Saddle up and hop into a Western-themed platformer starring a gun-toting frog. Set across dusty towns, moving trains, and enemy-filled saloons, this quirky adventure uses a unique twist: the protagonist swallows enemies and spits them back as projectiles, Kirby-style. The mechanics open up playful approaches to level traversal, including puzzles and combat challenges that reward timing and experimentation. Stages are visually varied and tightly designed, often introducing environmental tools like bombs and oversized cowboy boots used for stomping enemies and clearing obstacles. The soundtrack channels a cheerful Western vibe with catchy chiptunes that complement the playful tone. Levels strike a strong balance between simplicity and variety, and the overall experience is both polished and full of charm. Its inventive combat mechanic and expressive art style make it a standout on the Gameboy Color, offering bite-sized levels with just enough challenge to keep things interesting without overwhelming.

  • Deep Dungeon
    |
    Free
    | Get it here

    A traditional dungeon crawler distilled into an 8-bit handheld package. Players descend through multiple levels of a labyrinth, battling monsters, collecting gear, and managing limited resources. The combat is turn-based, but strategic depth emerges from equipment choices, spell usage, and inventory constraints. While the visuals are minimal, they evoke a strong sense of place—dark corridors, eerie foes, and tight spaces amplify the tension. Progress depends on understanding item functions, spell types, and dungeon layouts, and those unprepared may quickly find themselves overwhelmed. Though terse in presentation, the game communicates its systems through exploration and experimentation. Music is moody and atmospheric, enhancing the methodical pacing. Its old-school design embraces difficulty, making each step forward feel earned. On the Gameboy, this level of RPG complexity is rare, and it offers an experience that rewards careful thought and persistence without compromising its identity as a true dungeon crawl.