*inhales* My windows are open and my air conditioner has been off for days; that's how you know October has finally arrived in Japan. Good thing too, because we are awash in crowdfunding projects this month and I don't know if my PC could have handled all this data in summer temperatures.

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. Also, in light of the ongoing pandemic, we recommend only backing crowdfunding campaigns if you feel comfortable with your own security and stability.

Triple Jump (ends October 6 estimated reward date Sep 2024)
If you like NES games, Triple Jump contains three original 8-bit creations plus a fourth bonus game, all on one cartridge with a rad holographic sticker. The primary games are already complete and available on the developers' itch.io page, but the bonus is exclusive to this campaign.

Translation Of Donkey Kong Programmer’s Story (ends October 11)
Technically, this fundraising campaign has been fulfilled as HitSave! has long surpassed their initial $750 goal, but any additional donations will be spent on "other preservation projects"

DaemonClaw (ends October 12 estimated reward date Jun 2024)
Triple Jump (above) may offer three games in one package, but DaemonClaw is three versions of the same game, all bundled together. Whether you want to play it on Steam, the Genesis/Mega Drive, or the Neo Geo (wow!), backing this project gets you access to all three.

Lucid (ends October 18 estimated reward date Jan 2025)
The lead developer behind this "2D action adventure RPG" cites a wide variety of inspirations, including the usual suspects (Super Metroid) and a few surprises (Princess Mononoke?).

We Are Not Alone (ends October 19 estimated reward date Feb 2024)
Combining "Third person Point and Click Adventures and First Person Horror" while allowing players to switch between the two modes, We Are Not Alone has been in development since last year. According to the Indiegogo page, the majority of these funds will go towards improving the game's audio components, a must for any horror experience. A demo already available on multiple digital storefronts offers a glimpse of the full game.

Aaling the Ghost 魂兮歸來 (ends October 20 estimated reward date Mar 2025)
It's always refreshing to encounter new developers using crowdfunding to support their first project, and doubly-so when that project reflects their personal upbringing or cultural background. This new Game Boy Color RPG stars a ghost (hence the title) who seeks to scale the Kunlun Mountain "to retrieve her life" which was erroneously taken from her. The story derives ideas from Chinese folklore, specifically a millenia-old poem.

Empty Inside (ends October 21 estimated reward date Aug 2024)
Solo developer James Horn seeks extra funds to complete this "spiritual sequel" to his first game, Traumada, already available on Steam and itch.io. Like a lot of modern indie horror titles, the low-polygon visuals invoke memories of the early 3D era of video games.

From Coin-Ops to Table-Tops (ends October 28 estimated reward date Apr 2024)
Before home consoles became the go-to destination for ports of arcade hits and Nintendo revolutionized portable gaming with the Game Boy, it was commonplace to see dedicated electronic versions of popular video games. These adaptations—more like interpretations—could never accurately mimic the original product, but delivered a loose reimagining of the core gameplay concept. This book aims to document dozens of these devices from the late 1970s and early 80s, including both licensed tie-ins and unauthorized imitations.

• kickstarter
• books
• D Feit