What happens when a passionate creator decides to resurrect dubstep’s most transformative album through the retro charm of a GameBoy? Vypermon answers that question with stunning creativity.
Based in the UK, the creator’s artistry blends electronic music with tangible collectible art. His latest project, a custom GameBoy game dedicated to Skrillex‘s groundbreaking debut album Recess, is an homage that’s equal parts playable, collectible and deeply sentimental.
The game, which can be played online or purchased as a physical GameBoy cartridge, reimagines Skrillex’s timeless album for the retro sound chip of Nintendo’s classic handheld console.
c/o Vypermon
c/o Vypermon
Fans of the seminal Recess, which released over a decade ago, will instantly recognize “Try It Out,” “Ease My Mind” and the album’s titular track. Each song, however, has been painstakingly rewritten by Vypermon to work within the obsolete GameBoy hardware’s audio limitations.
When Recess first dropped back in 2014, the release came with Alien Ride, a simple mobile game where players unlocked songs by advancing through levels. Vypermon’s GameBoy creation riffs on this idea but trades touchscreen simplicity for classic button-mashing charm. He even went as far as recreating that game’s mysterious “secret folder,” which tantalized fans at the time.
This attention to detail extends to Vypermon’s accompanying collectibles, including a custom trading card made from recycled materials. Featuring a holographic finish, the card comes complete with a scannable Spotify code linking directly to Recess.
c/o Vypermon
Vypermon’s project, however, is as much a game as it is an emotional cartography of sound and remembrance. The game, he says, carries a heartfelt tribute to a friend he lost while developing it.
“We both loved Skrillex, and it felt right to dedicate this project to him,” Vypermon tells 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 artistry. As fans dust off their GameBoy consoles to dive into 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 purchase Vypermon’s Skrillex-inspired GameBoy cartridge on Etsy and play the game online here.