Does anyone actually read this part of the column? Let's find out. Leave a comment below if you like video games! As always, we have no insider information or financial interest in any of these projects, and no one at Retronauts has been compensated for including anything on this page. To the best of my ability I have not (and never will) endorse any campaign built around AI-generated assets. Also, in light of the ongoing pandemic, we recommend only backing crowdfunding campaigns if you feel comfortable with your own security and stability.
HABROMANIA (ends Dec 2 estimated reward date Nov 2026)
An Alice in Wonderland point-and-click adventure seems like a perfect match and I'm assuming that the age of the original story means no copyright lawyers can muck up this delightful pairing. Also I enjoy that habromania is, in fact, a real word in the dictionary! There's a demo up on Steam if you'd like to try pointing and clicking for yourself.
Vectrex Mini (ends Dec 2 estimated reward date Sep 2026)
Vector graphics age better than polygons, and with every other console from the 80s and early 90s getting their own bespoke mini version in the 21st century, clearly the time has come for the Vectrex to return to prominence. I actually knew a kid who had one and I always thought it looked cool—and this was after the NES came out.
A Profound Waste of Time: Issue 6 (ends Dec 4 estimated reward date Dec 2026)
Returning to the Kompilation once again is APWOT with a new issue featuring stories on Astro Bot, Team Ninja, Yoshiro Kimura, and more.
Metal Mack (ends Dec 21 estimated reward date Mar 2027)
"A new game for NEO•GEO" sold me on the premise but this action platformer also looks like a not-quite-licensed Mega Man which is very cute. Oh, there's also a Genesis/Mega Drive version in the works but come on—when you could play the game on the Cadillac of consoles, why settle for anything less?
Midnight Saturn (ends ??? estimated reward date 2026)
Notably not on Kickstarter or Indiegogo or any other approved platform, developer Cosmic Void is soliciting direct donations to help fund the development of a new "sci-fi point and click adventure" and to hire voice actors to make the game even better. There's a demo on Steam if you'd like to test the waters first.