The dark, delightful Deadeus is getting a physical Game Boy release

Since its initial release in August 2019, the indie retro-horror title, Deadeus, has steadily gained buzz and fan acclaim for its oddball storyline, wonderfully dark atmosphere, and kickass pixelated artwork. While the Game Boy throwback is currently available for anyone using basic emulator software on a pay-what-you-want model, Adam Birch's top-down tale of small-town madness is getting a sweet, very on-brand, limited edition physical release. But, like the game's plot, you only have a few days to make it happen.

Spacebot Interactive is currently taking pre-orders through February 15 for physical Deadeus Game Boy cartridges compatible with the original hardware or a (potentially evil) copy-cat system. For £42 (roughly $58 USD), gamers can get a nifty jet-black cartridge in custom packaging that also includes a game manual and double-sided poster, all of which is set to begin shipping next month.

Three days to save the world — In Deadeus, you play as a child beset by nightmare visions from a bloodthirsty Lovecraftian entity promising armageddon within three days. Players then must navigate a small village and interact with 35 different characters to stave off the end of the world (if they can). With 11 different endings and multiple ways to tackle the story, Deadeus promises hours of macabre fun, if not for the whole family, then at least for yourself. Check out some promo images and in-game screenshots below:

Part of the continued rise of retro-gaming — The retro-gaming industry has seen a huge uptick of interest lately, especially as many are desperate for distractions from lockdown-related stress. For people looking for something a bit more lighthearted than Deadeus's cultic murder mysteries, Telemelt offers some sweet, remote multiplayer action on older titles, while others can look into building their own mini emulator using a Dreamcast VMU. Then there's Microbyte, which gives us some serious Game Boy Micro vibes, not to mention Plex's cloud streaming catalog of retro Atari games.

Bottom line: Despite all that supposed technological obsolescence, now feels like one of the best times to dive into the world of pixelated retro gaming. Between the availability of classic titles' pitch-perfect clones and an entirely new generation of original indie work, there's more than enough nostalgia to go around until the world returns to a (somewhat) sense of normalcy.