Kickstarter Kompilation: May 2026 edition
Books, swords, and a non-extinct dodo
I started this week flying home from the US and rushing a monthly community podcast out the door (exclusive for Patreon supporters, sign up today). I'm ending the week rushing this monthly article out to you on the web. I sincerely hope I don't have to rush out anything to anyone next week!
As a general rule we recommend only backing crowdfunding campaigns if you feel comfortable with your own security and stability. We have no insider information or financial interest in any of these projects (unless noted otherwise) 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.
Broken Sword Smoking Mirror: Reforged (ends May 7 estimated reward date April 2027)
After remastering the original Broken Sword (1996), Revolution Software now looks to bring back the 1997 sequel with redrawn sprites. Players can choose to toggle between the 90s graphics and the new high-res variety.
POKEBOOK Generation 1 (ends May 21 estimated reward date August 2026)
If you caught us at the Midwest Gaming Classic last weekend, you know we had multiple panels discussing great games from 1996. We could have included Pokémon as the original Game Boy titles debuted in Japan that February, but we did not. However, here's an unofficial guide to the first generation of Monsters That Might Fit In One's Pocket.
The Archive: Epics of Virtual History (ends May 28 estimated reward date September 2026)
Recording video game history is a tricky business in the best of circumstances, but with DLC, season passes, and post-launch updates, it's harder than ever to capture the essence of any software now. Author Andrew Groen looks to preserve the digital past by writing about online communities so future readers can learn about what games such as World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV were like and how they evolved.
Donut Dodo (ends May 31 estimated reward date November 2026)
Do you know Donut Dodo? It came out not long ago even though it looks like a long-lost arcade game from the early 80s. The developers took it upon themselves to try porting their work to consoles—by which I mean OLD consoles—and they settled on the Nintendo 64. Backers can opt for a digital copy of DD64 or a physical cartridge for classic living room action.
