What happens when a passionate creator decides to resurrect dubstep's most transformative album through the retro allure of a GameBoy? Vypermon answers that question with amazing creativity.
Based in the UK, the creator's art combines electronic music with tangible collectible art. His latest project, a custom GameBoy game dedicated to Skrillex's groundbreaking debut album. Recreationis a tribute that is equal parts playable, collectible and deeply sentimental.
The game, which can be played online or purchased as a physical GameBoy cartridge, reinvents Skrillex's timeless album for the retro sound chip of Nintendo's classic handheld console.
c/o Vypermon
c/o Vypermon
Seminal fans Recreationwhich was released over a decade ago, you'll instantly recognize “Try It Out,” “Ease My Mind,” and the album's title track. However, each song has been painstakingly rewritten by Vypermon to work within the audio limitations of the aging GameBoy hardware.
When Recreation first dropped in 2014, the release came with alien ridea simple mobile game in which players unlocked songs by progressing through levels. Vypermon's GameBoy creation builds on this idea, but trades touchscreen simplicity for classic button-mashing charm. He even went so far as to recreate that game's mysterious “secret folder,” which tormented fans at the time.
This attention to detail extends to the collectibles that accompany Vypermon, including a custom trading card made from recycled materials. Featuring a holographic finish, the card comes complete with a scannable Spotify code that links directly to Recreation.
c/o Vypermon
Vypermon's project, however, is as much a game as it is an emotional cartography of sound and memory. The game, he says, carries a heartfelt tribute to a friend he lost while developing it.
“We both love Skrillex and it was right to dedicate this project to him,” says Vypermon. EDM.com.
To that end, it's a love letter to an album, a tribute to a friend, and a celebration of what happens when electronic music meets tactile art. As fans dust off their GameBoy consoles to immerse themselves in this unique passion project, Vypermon reminds us that Skrillex's beats may have evolved, but the joy of pressing start never goes out of style.
You can buy Vypermon's Skrillex-inspired GameBoy cartridge at Etsy and play the game online here.
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