Almost all gaming studios focus on creating games for the newest and most powerful consoles on the market, with countless titles being created for the Switch 2 and PlayStation 5. However, indie studio TigerChainsaw Studios has decided to take a more retro approach to game development. The studio has just announced a Kickstarter campaign with the end-goal of distributing physical copies of their debut game, Maiden in the Dark, for the Nintendo Gameboy.

On August 25th, TigerChainsaw Studios announced the official opening of their gaming studio. The announcement also set the stage for what players should expect from their debut title Maiden of the Dark. The game is described as an action-platformer for the Gameboy containing difficult platforming, enemies with complex move-sets, and challenging boss fights. All aforementioned gameplay will be accompanied by an original heavy metal soundtrack. Maiden of the Dark’s primary inspirations are other Gameboy titles such as Return of the Ninja and Operation C. 

TigerChainsaw Studios dropped the trailer for Maiden of the Dark on September 3rd. The trailer showcases some of the title’s platforming and combat. The player will control the game’s protagonist, the Maiden, and fight enemies throughout various Japanese-inspired levels. The showcased levels took place in various locations, a forest, small village, and shrine. During some of these levels, the player will have to defeat various bosses. The trailer shows two such boss fights, with one being against a blade-wielding woman and another against a samurai soldier. To defend against these threats, the player can either attack enemies with their sword or throw projectiles at the enemy. 

The description of the trailer also reveals the end-goal for Maiden of the Dark’s Kickstarter campaign. As mentioned in the original announcement video for TigerChainsaw Studios, the game development for Maiden of the Dark is mostly complete. Instead of the campaign fueling the game’s development, the funding will go towards the production of physical Gameboy cartridges and an authentic retro experience. Despite not being officially launched, the campaign already has 75 followers on Kickstarter.

It’s been decades since the last official title was released for the Gameboy, so Maiden of the Dark should undoubtedly excite retro gaming fans who miss the old hand-held console.