The Art of Retro Game Development
Creating games that feel authentically retro while using modern development tools is both an art and a science. Here's what we've learned at r13.xyz.
Color Palette Constraints
Working with the classic EGA 16-color palette forces creative decisions:
#000000- Black (background)#0000AA- Blue#00AA00- Green#00AAAA- Cyan#AA0000- Red#AA00AA- Magenta#AA5500- Brown#AAAAAA- Light Gray#555555- Dark Gray#5555FF- Light Blue#55FF55- Light Green#55FFFF- Light Cyan#FF5555- Light Red#FF55FF- Light Magenta#FFFF55- Yellow#FFFFFF- White
Typography Matters
Using authentic DOS fonts like our custom DOS.TTF creates immediate nostalgia. Monospace fonts aren't just aesthetic - they're functional for:
- ASCII art alignment
- Consistent character spacing
- Terminal-like interfaces
- Code display
Modern Tools, Retro Feel
We leverage modern development practices while maintaining retro aesthetics:
// Modern React with retro styling
const RetroButton = ({ children, onClick }) => (
<button
className="retro-button"
onClick={onClick}
>
{children}
</button>
);
Performance Philosophy
"Optimize for fun, not frames per second."
Retro games ran on limited hardware, teaching us valuable lessons about efficient design and gameplay focus.
The Future of Retro
Retro gaming isn't about living in the past - it's about preserving the essence of what made games great while using today's technology to enhance the experience.
Stay tuned for more development insights!