Stray Is Even Cuter As A Game Boy Game

Even months after its July release, fans still can't get enough of "Stray." The adventure title, which has players control an adorable stray cat as it attempts to escape from a dystopian neo-futuristic sublevel of the world, had critics raving over its ambitious concept, gameplay loop, art direction, and deeper themes about humanity. Even players' pet cats can't get enough of the "Stray" experience, as they were drawn in by the game's convincing audio design and visuals.

In the months since the release of "Stray," gamers have continued to pour third-party resources into the title to keep it engaging, fun, and fresh. Several mods, like an immersive first-person mode mod, have already been released, with more always pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the title. As is the case with one group of "Stray" enthusiasts that have decided to rewind the clock a bit and imagine what "Stray" would be like if it had been released in a bygone era of primitive, lo-fi graphics and simpler gameplay loops. These enthusiasts have succeeded in creating a theoretical version of the game for the original Game Boy, and much like the PC and Sony-exclusive game, the experience is beyond cute.

On YouTube, 64 Bits is a collection of three animators specializing in "demakes." While recent gaming trends have included modern remakes of classic games meant to appeal to a newer audience using today's technology, 64 Bits' demakes take modern games and show them as if they were retro titles for older platforms. Such demakes have included "God of War" as if it were on the PlayStation 1 and "Elden Ring" if it were on the SNES. Now, 64 Bits decided to take "Stray" and see what it would look like if it were released for the original Game Boy.

Because of the technology that existed during the Game Boy era back in the mid-90s, recreating "Stray" for the platform while maintaining its adventure feel in a massive 3D space is essentially impossible. Therefore, 64 Bits redesigned "Stray" as a platformer in which the titular stray cat hops across pipes and runs through levels built as alleyways. The cat still has its adorable meow and even gets its signature backpack at some point during the experience. According to the video's description, the team at 64 Bits was inspired by the Game Boy ports of "Prince of Persia" and "Oddworld Adventures" when creating the Game Boy version of "Stray," while also taking inspiration from "Alley Cat."