After three months of trying to find time, I finally managed to release the demo of my game just in time for the GBCompo25 game jam. Although I’ve been making small games with GB Studio for over a year, Fun Video Store is my first truly serious project where I had to plan things properly to see it through.
Being a solo dev is liberating because you’re your own boss, but it’s also risky: one misstep in planning can make you want to throw in the towel halfway through. That’s why I wanted to share some of the things I’ve learned over the past few months, both from this project and a few smaller ones I made before. I realized just how fascinating the world of creating games for the Game Boy really is.
Don’t aim too high
Defining your scope is crucial. It’s what ruins 90% of projects that developers start. In the first two weeks, I realized there was no way I could finish the whole game in 90 days, so I set milestones to at least have a playable demo. Your enemies are perfectionism and unnecessary features. You don’t need a Trello or Notion board packed with sections and flowcharts, so an Excel sheet with a few tabs can keep you perfectly organized. Set realistic goals with deadlines, advance a little bit each day, and don’t overdo it.
Plugins are handy, but heavy
Some plugins let you do things that GB Studio can’t handle by default, which is awesome, but they can slow your game down. You’ll notice it halfway through development when that Metroidvania you’ve been building for three months starts lagging as soon as two enemies appear on screen. Simple problems often need simple solutions, and if you need an extra boost, learning a few tricks with GBVM is always an option, as long as you have some basic coding knowledge.
Write down your ideas
Keep a notebook and pen with you. Sit in a park and brainstorm. Sketch ideas, write a 5-page synopsis, even if it’s just a clone of Blockout with talking furries chatting between levels. Ideas in your head tend to mutate and lose sense if you don’t capture them. Writing them down lets you discard the noise, and focus on the genuinely brilliant ones. Sure, you might solve a problem in four different ways while taking a shower, but forget most of them the moment you dry your back. Take advantage of those bursts of creativity.
Use version control
Whether it’s a GitHub repo or just 20 copies of your GB Studio project folder, make backups every time you make a big change. Your 2013 i3 laptop won’t last forever. The same goes for visual assets: that animation you thought was useless could save you weeks later. Everything is reusable, so set aside some space on your local drive for discarded stuff, even if it doesn’t seem related to your current project at first.
Game jams are a great playground
The best way to build confidence is to prove you can finish what you start. Your first project doesn’t need to be a massive JRPG that could have ruled 1995 (trust me, I tried that and went insane). To test your skills, it’s easier to find a free weekend than a whole year. Check out jams on itch.io or join local Global Game Jam events. They’re perfect for learning to work under pressure and turning it into a super fun creative marathon, ultimately proving that you CAN do it!
Events order matters
If your scenes are complex, keep things organized when distributing events across actors and scripts. Even though execution is sequential, some “on init” effects can trigger earlier than you’d like, causing unnecessary delays or weird glitches. Two options: control the fade-in manually so the scene only shows when everything is ready, or centralize the whole sequence in one place. Your future self will thank you.
Customize everything
Don’t ask why, but many players skip games that show GB Studio’s default UI in screenshots. It doesn’t take much to swap in a custom font or draw your own dialogue box. The beauty of GB Studio is making something that looks like it could have been natively developed for the Game Boy, something that makes you go “wow, this could have been released in 1992!” A bit of polish goes a long way, and interest in your project will grow enormously.
Music is 50% of the experience
(At least according to George Lucas). Chiptune music isn’t that hard to make, especially with GB Studio’s built-in editor. And if composing isn’t your thing, there are plenty of sound artists who’d love to collaborate or share their tracks. In my case, defining the two main songs completely changed the vibe of my game. Oh, and remember: if your game relies heavily on sound effects, keep one channel free so you don’t mute the music track. There’s nothing more charming than hearing sweet melodies come out of a tiny 0.5W speaker.
Remember, there’s a Color-Only mode
Making games for the old DMG Game Boy is charming thanks to its cute 4-color palette and strict limitations. But don’t forget GB Studio also supports Game Boy Color-exclusive mode: faster CPU, more VRAM (so more space for unique tiles per scene!), and access to the tile priority brush. In my case, it was essential because of the number of elements in some scenes and the use of a condensed font. Let’s be honest: most people will play your game on a browser or a Chinese handheld, not on a perfectly modded DMG with an IPS screen. That extra power is worth it.
Your life comes first
Most of us dive into GB Studio because it’s amazing for making games fast, but even as a hobby, it can be a rabbit hole. Redditors know the sleepless nights you can spend trying to get an overlay to line up. Keep in mind: it’s 2025, you’re making a Game Boy game that maybe 200 people will ever play. Perspective matters. Only if true passion drives you, and it doesn’t negatively affect other aspects of your life, go for it!
Communication specialist. Over a decade in the mobile app distribution industry. Obsessed with game design, creativity, and homebrew. I make video games just for fun. (he/him)
metaludica.com
