{"id":1547984,"date":"2026-04-08T20:43:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T20:43:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/3oMfvRKPY6pdSYA7PbyW67"},"modified":"2026-04-08T20:43:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T20:43:19","slug":"trippy-psychedelic-alien-shooter-chainstaff-shows-there-are-still-new-ways-for-games-to-be-retro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/trippy-psychedelic-alien-shooter-chainstaff-shows-there-are-still-new-ways-for-games-to-be-retro\/","title":{"rendered":"Trippy, psychedelic alien shooter ChainStaff shows there are still new ways for games to be ‘retro’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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I love a new-old game as much as anyone, but it’s hard to pretend that today’s retro throwbacks aren’t drawing inspiration from a small, predictable selection of extremely popular games:<\/p>\n

Zelda. Chrono Trigger. Final Fantasy. Castlevania. Metroid. Mega Man.<\/p>\n

These are perfectly understandable picks for a game of any size to be inspired by\u2014there are very good reasons why they’re considered timeless classics, after all\u2014but the sheer quantity of new games blatantly leaning on these same few styles can at times make a retro aesthetic wearily familiar from the very first promotional screenshot.<\/p>\n

Thank goodness there are indie developers like Mommy’s Best Games out there, willing to venture off the beaten path and then reappear with reminders that even decades ago gaming was an incredibly varied and creative field. A quick browse through the Mommy’s Best Steam page<\/a> almost feels like I’m spinning a ROM roulette wheel spanning decades of work across multiple continents and chipsets.<\/p>\n

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\"Racing<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

(Image credit: Mommy’s Best Games)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bumpy Grumpy’s<\/a> liberal use of stark black outlines, flat colours, and simplistic shapes is a fitting homage to a very particular kind of early ’80s hit, the sort that would have proudly advertised mind-blowing features like “SOUND!<\/em>” (hey, beeping still counts) and “SCROLLING!<\/em>” (one way, smoothness not guaranteed or implied).<\/p>\n

Shoot 1UP DX’s<\/a> colourful lasers, segmented enemies, and even its inclusion of tasteful pixel art nudes make it look like a cult hit by a forgotten ’90s developer, something that debuted in a quiet corner of an old arcade rather than on digital stores.<\/p>\n

But it’s Mommy’s Best Games’ new release, ChainStaff, that I’ve fallen in love with. <\/p>\n

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