Can you imagine what it would have been like to play Minecraft on the Game Boy back in the day? I had a hard enough time leaving the house when Pokémon Red came out, but if there had been a version of Minecraft back then I think I would have become a full-on recluse!
I’m always keeping my eye out for demakes on the internet, especially after the awesome Halo: Combat Devolved demake reimagined what the classic Xbox game might look like on the GBC. Now, there’s a playable fanmade Minecraft demake for the DMG called Minecraft Game Boy Edition, also referred to as Microcraft, and I’ve been having a quick play this afternoon to test it out.
The first thing I want to mention before I get onto the gameplay is the amazing soundtrack from Bitcrushed. Hearing the Minecraft music demade for the DMG is incredible and takes me back to playing games like Navy Seals and Mario & Yoshi for the very first time. It pairs with the 8-bit visuals made by creator Psyco perfectly and creates an all-round nostalgic package… all for a game that never came out on the Game Boy!
While you can play this game on Psyco’s itch.io page, it works a lot better when downloaded and played on Delta (especially when paired with our Retro Dodo Delta Skin with 100% of the profits going to charity). Once the world is created before your very eyes, you can begin adapting it. The controls are very simple with the A button for using items and the B button for placing blocks.
The inventory is varied with lots of different items to place around your world, and you can flick through them all by holding select and pressing left or right on the D-Pad. I’ve currently got some pigs oinking merely on the grass while I think about what to do next, and I’ve enjoyed throwing some swords while walking around too (not at the pigs though, don’t worry!). If you’re playing on Delta, then hit the Turbo button to speed things up while your world is being made as it can take a while otherwise!
Admittedly the gameplay is quite simple compared to the original, and Psyco has been very transparent about the fact that there is still a lot of work to do with regards to completing the game. There’s still survival mode to work on as well as minigames, multiplayer survival, and much more. What’s available is definitely still playable and very fun, however, and while the visuals look more like the GBC rather than the DMG, it’s certainly a nostalgic twist on a classic that’s fun for long-time fans to experience!
The demake has a ‘pay what you feel’ system if you want to download it, so head to the official itch.io page to find out more!
