4 Colours (3 Colour PAL w/ Transparency) NES Palette

An original NES/Famicom game menu mock-up created and shelved in early 2015 and resurrected in late 2016. This menu was made to serve as sort motivational tool to learn NES restrictions and ultimately convince a few friends to make a game. Although they admired the approach, differing opinions and lack of unanimous decision, ultimately led the project to stall and never come to fruition. In an effort to not let anything go to waste, I decided to expand on my original concept and maybe try see it through...

Naturally, my starting point was to create a gameplay mock-up but during the development of the the HUD, the games mechanics became more clear and I decided to interpret the games main menu beforehand. My intention is to stay as close to the restrictions as possible, but break a few rules here and there if I feel they enhance the experience. Not as liberal as say Shovel Knight but closer to Odallus: The Dark Call. A reason why my menu is a tad more complex than many titles in the NES library. With that being said, I hope to provide some gameplay mock-ups in the near future to provide more context.

Unabashedly, this game concept is a love letter to NES action games like Vice: Project Doom, Shatterhand, Kick Master, Power Blade and Kabuki Quantum Fighter. However, that is only for the action segments of the game. Channel 5 aims to provide a more eclectic experience and mix in overworld segments (featured in the MAP section) and the ability to switch between two different characters, each with different strengths and weaknesses. This formula is closest to the original TMNT game. Which I feel was a very ambitious title, but never reached those lofty heights because it was so damn hard and overshadowed by the stellar arcade release.

The Plot

The year is 20XX. Television is now known as VirtualVision (VV). VV allows millions viewers to experience a fully interactive virtual world. Not only do they watch the show, they live the show! Suddenly, VV’s programming has mysteriously gone haywire and has trapped millions in virtual la-la land. It’s up to Channel 5‘s star VV Journalist, Lann Lazer and her Cameraman, Rad Turner to get the scoop!

Upon arrival, Lann & Rad discover the VV world has been taken over by cyber-terrorists and is now hostile! In an attempt to warn the others, they are targeted and their transport vessel, HUB 5, is sabotaged. It’s up to Lann and Rad to retrieve the missing pieces of their ship, defeat the cyber-terrorists and return home safely.

Lann’s primary weapon is a Monomolecular Whip AKA. EM Lash. A very skilled and  difficult weapon to wield.

Rad’s primary weapon is a Gun Axe. ‘Nuff said.