The X-Box flagship series might not seem like the obvious choice for an 8-bit adaptation, but Halo as an 8-bit Contra-style game sounds like genius.
Courtesy of Pixel Force, the whiz behind the 8-bit Left 4 Dead (and the sadly defunct 8-bit DJ Hero), this Halo: Combat Evolved de-make is everything you love about old-school gaming: NES-style controls, side-scrolling platform action, grenades firing on select. The game recreates all 10 levels of its 3D big brother in pixellicious goodness. Even the boss fights get the retro treatment, and an 8-bit boss fight with Chibi Master Chief is a thing to see.
Master Chief can run, jump and shoot as well as chuck grenades. The visuals are bright, blocky, primary colored old-school goodness, and yes, the soundtrack is full of chiptune Halo remixes. There’s even a rumored “Legendary Mode” that can be unlocked after playing all the way through the game.
Most amazing of all? Pixel Force did everything – coding, crafting, chiptune remixing – by himself.
To those of you who ask “Why Halo?” Pixel Force explains to Piki Geek; “Aside from being a phenomenal FPS series, I happen to think the colorful landscapes and heavy shooting action would make a graceful transition to the technologies of old.” He also drew influence from such 8-bit classics as Mega Man, Metroid and Mario. Sounds a man after our own 2D hearts.
You can download his Halo – for FREE – here (for PC only, sorry Mac users).
News and Culture Editor Laurie Vazquez really misses when all games were flat. Sure, she’s worked in television and veered off into film and television writing, but when she’s not whacking out scripts for contests (or, more likely, when she should be whacking them out) she fires up her beloved flat games. Take away her Nintendo, and she is a sad, sad girl. Just don’t take away her Futurama or her viola: that makes her mad.
