With this in mind I have embarked on a small project to try to apply my ideas to a real-life game, to see whether my ambitions meet my expectations.
An Example Application
The following image is taken from the 2011 video game "Gremlins: Gizmo", developed by Pipeworks Software for the Nintendo Wii & DS. It is a collection of mini-games based around the the exploits of our eponymous hero as he explores a house.
The original Gremlins movie (1984) was a dark horror comedy, rated 15 certificate due to violence & some gory content. Surprisingly, the film company discovered an alternative market for their intellectual property, selling the cute & cuddly Gizmo character as a mass-produced soft toy -- a toy which still sells well today.
So who is this game actually aimed at? The cutesy graphics and simplistic objects (toy trains, alarm clocks, etc.) and undemanding gameplay are clearly designed with kids in mind. You can see in the screenshots that the main bedroom has a timeless, wooden look with a cosy Autumnal colour-scheme and an eclectic collection of objects -- a mix of old-fashioned and modern (such as the flat-screen TV) -- which will be recognised and understood by young players.
However, there is a strong likelihood that selected elements are intended to appeal to parents -- such as the inclusion of the recognisable Gremlins movie theme music and versions of classic arcade games from the late 1970s & early 1980s (with corresponding period sound effects). (You can see a sample in this gameplay video.)
I believe that there is potential here to enhance this game's appeal to parents. Parents will be the ones actually buying the game. They'll be the ones looking at the screenshots on the case before handing over their hard-earned cash. There is emotional traction in playing to their sense of nostalgia; their desire to relive their own youth ... especially if they can share that with their own children.
The parents' original exposure to the Gremlins brand or Gizmo toy is likely to have been in the mid-1980s, so it is logical to tie the game to this time period.
I am NOT attempting to emulate the look of the original movie (or its 1990 sequel). Although some parents will have seen the movie(s), many will not have done; so emulating the precise appearance is likely to be too restrictive. The loose 1980s association should be strong enough to achieve my goal of emotional affect through nostalgia.
(It's worth noting that the opening scene in the game includes Gizmo throwing a frisbee emblazoned with the Pipeworks logo. This element already sets a nice 1980s tone.)
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| The traditional rectangular radio cassette player (on the table) is a possibly accidental anachronism -- most all-in-one players produced in the last 15 years have had excessively curved designs. However, it illustrates the potential for nostalgic subversion, and already fits my planned 1980s vibe. |
Hence my project aim is to develop a re-designed bedroom for this scene, playing up 1980s elements while keeping the game accessible to young children.