One of the things I love about Retro Dodo is that we get to be a platform for new and upcoming Game Boy and Game Boy Color games and showcase the talents of both up-and-coming and established game creators. I received an email about Gas Station Story recently, a new game currently in the middle of its campaign on Kickstarter, and it genuinely made me laugh within the first minute.
Created by Enzi, it's a simple game in the same vein as Coffee Time. It begins with a message about an intergalactic struggle and the shadow of doom just around the corner, but with the tact of Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy goes on to tell you that none of that matters, because you just work in a gas station
This isn't an action game, nor is it one that requires a lot of button-mashing. The beauty lies in the narrative that Enzi has created, slowly discovering all about the different patrons who enter the Gas Station and the staff who work there. If I'm being perfectly honest, I didn't know whether this game would be for me or not, but after playing for 15 minutes and being sworn at by an alien who I wouldn't sell cigarettes to, I'm so intrigued that I can't stop playing.
One of the most interesting points about Enzi's game is that all of the main character portraits that you see throughout the game, i.e the parts where dialogue is happening between the cashier and a customer or staff member, have been created using the Game Boy Camera. There's been a little but of magic carried out behind the scenes, but the pixels are taken straight from the pictures taken using the iconic retro camera. 28 of them haven't been unaltered (obviously there wasn't an alien on hand for the shot), and there are over 170 Game Boy Camera photos in throughout the game in total.
Following the lives of the Gas Station staff is very captivating. The controls are a little slow when using the register, but that's explained by the cashier at the very beginning of the game so it all feels relevant. If you're after a game that you can pick up and play that truly makes you feel relaxed as though you were reading a book, then Gas Station Story should definitely be on your Kickstarter watch list.
There was only one physical cartridge for sale which has now been taken by a backer, but you can head to the official campaign page now to back Enzi's work and grab a digital copy for your collection as well as lots of other extras.
