This week, Nintendojo will look at the rise of the “retro” game genre. In the last few years, classic styles of gameplay have made a return, and the result has been a number of games that channel the spirit and fun of the 8- and 16-bit eras. This week’s track is from one of my personal favorite “retro-style” games, Gunman Clive. This track, Space Cowboy, is just one of the many wonderful pieces of music in the game, but I selected it because I think it’s the one that shows off the game’s retro musical style the most. It almost feels reminiscent of the beloved DuckTales Moon Theme, but it still has an identity all its own.
For the uninitiated, Gunman Clive is a 3DS title from developer Bertil Hörberg. That’s not a company name, either. It’s a single person. Hörberg did all of the game’s programming himself, other than one notable element: the music. That was handled by Arne Hörberg, Bertil’s brother. But that seemingly small element can have a major impact, as most gamers know. The sounds of Gunman Clive bring the world to life, and evoke a period in gaming that only the best retro-style games can. Since I had the pleasure of reviewing it, I’ve made an effort to let our readers know how strongly I feel about the quality of the Hörberg brothers’ efforts. I can only hope that the upcoming sequel has a fraction of the heart that the first title had.
Have you checked out Gunman Clive? What tracks would you like to see us feature in Track of the Week? As always, let us know in the comments below!