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I made Squid Game into a 2D GAME!
Key insights
6 takeaways- 01Visual fidelity in retro-style games is achieved through nearest-neighbor image interpolation for crisp pixel edges and posterization to convert high-resolution assets into pixel-art avatars.
- 02The development process emphasizes an iterative approach, integrating asset creation, character animation, and logic-based gameplay to maintain player engagement in a simplified framework.
- 03The MC Escher-inspired maze stairs utilize a three-color gradient technique to simulate depth within an 8-bit aesthetic.
- 04Audio design is critical to the retro experience, utilizing NES-accurate trackers for chiptune music and synthesized sound effects for environmental interactions.
- 05The project demonstrates that complex, high-stakes narrative concepts can be effectively translated into accessible 2D formats by focusing on core gameplay loops and atmospheric design.
- 06The glass bridge mechanic is implemented via C# scripting that manages rigid body physics and randomized platform stability to replicate the tension of the source material.
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Transcript
did you know squid game was originally a Super Nintendo game released in 1995 what you're looking at now is the ban copy of squid game the inspiration behind the squid game TV show now famous amongst billionaires across the world and yes I am the original Creator first I needed to design the sleeping quarters for the contestants it should be comfortable but also a perfect arena for violent brawls I took a few screenshots from the TV show I mean I imagined this would look like in real life using my brilliant original mind and I placed basic shapes on a 1287 by 666 canvas for pixel art games you should always ensure your image interpolation is set to nearest neighbor this ensures your edges are not blurry when scaling crisp pixelated Sprites I then began adding details the T TV showing the prize money the bunk
beds and most importantly the pigy bank creating the players was easy I started with player 001 he was about 120 pixels total and only contained two swamping Sprites for animation to create his voice I simply recorded my own in various bits and played that random sound with every letter on screen for his Avatar I snapped a photo of an old billionaire a down and sold don't ask anyone can make a photograph look like pixel art in Photoshop simply posterize an image make it black and white and squash it down again ensuring nearest neighbor scaling is selected I did the same method for other characters in the game stick around to see them all in the final playthrough ah yes a cozy place to sleep a cozy place to die okay let's talk about the maze stairs this was my favorite place to
design designing the maze stairs was very exciting inspired by MC eer these stairs proved to be a challenge when designing in 2D using a variety of intense neon colors while also creating depth meant that I needed three separate color ranges that gradient slowly into the distance I used these three gradients to tell me what each color for each stair should be at what location relative to the camera to get the players to walk across the stairs in the background I animated one Sprite simply moving him across the stairs with various key frames and then I wrote a script that picks a random start point in the animation I then pasted dozens of these identical animating Sprites and upon hitting play they all animate at various random locations of course this maze looks like a happy place with no music it certainly isn't a happy place I mean it makes me happy but to the
players this maze is a slow and winding journey to hell so it needs some creepy music I asked my buddy funlord orl funlord fun funlord Earl fun Earl to take the song Pink soldiers written by 23 and recreate it in an 8bit [Music] style according to all of my music is made in a free program called fam tracker which allows you to make NES accurate chip tune music you basically have to put in each individual note which I either transpose by ear or from sheet music that's a it be sure to subscribe
to FR below he has some incredible 8bit tracks very [Music] talented this is the final result [Music] my billionaire friends contacted me and wanted me to create a silly yet exciting game that involved falling to your death on a glass Bridge basically the players can jump on a left square or a right square one of them is solid one of them is not this was hard to replicate in a 2d space so instead I stacked them on
top of each other then I wrote a c script that allows the player to choose which glass to jump on and then simply added Force to the rigid body launching them to the chosen platform of course to really get the billionaires excited satisfying me I added some 8bit glass breaking sounds and also programmed a burst effect upon in this was done with some simple red squares a scream [Music] and an explosion 8bit sound I downloaded here all right let's play Super squid game and just remember if you want to learn how to create and sell 2D games just like this fulltime click below to take advantage of that massive 50% off sale event for the next few days at fulltime gamed dev.com
[Music] that [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] all right this is my favorite game from the show
the glass Bridge all right let's go oh okay we're [Music] good okay all right so I know it's this top one here down here which one which [Music] one oh goodness okay there's a lot of guts down down there all right let's keep going all right so we know that's good good okay all right we still got plenty of people left let's see here good okay all right let's do the bottom one here gosh okay so we're right we're all right we got plenty of
people good [Music] good so much blood down there okay let's keep going all right good good okay [Music] top all right we still got five players left so I think we're going to make it was it that one yeah [Music] good I can't remember which one it was oh man I wish I worked at a glass factory okay good [Music]
good okay yes woo okay we got one across good we got four left how many more can we get so hopefully I can have good memory here even though I have terrible memory I would be horrible at this game in real life wait what it's got to be the bottom one right you all know it's the bottom one [Music] right okay so I think we're pretty much good to go now I think I can remember all of [Music] them yes is the top one yes okay good sweet all right so we can have about four people if I don't make a mistake here cross the bridge [Music] awesome okay one more and we will
complete our Billionaire's entertainment for the day yes woohoo all right thanks so much for watching guys guys please leave a like if you felt like I did a good job here and be sure to subscribe for more videos like this let me know below another game that you might want to see me recreate and as always feel free to download my free 2D game kit below it's my treat to you cheers hey is this Jeff hey Jeff this is Thomas again now I know just do you want me to call you back well I was just wondering I bought this uh squid game costume on Amazon and
I wore it to the mall today and they arrested me oh it's not okay I see I see you're supp they don't want you to wear jumpsuits to the mall is that what it is okay well I'm going to return it then no I'll return it if I want what Jeff
Summary
The development of a 2D, 8-bit adaptation of the Squid Game television series serves as a practical demonstration of game design principles and technical implementation. The project focuses on recreating iconic environments and mechanics from the show, specifically the sleeping quarters, the MC Escher-inspired maze stairs, and the glass bridge challenge, within a retro Super Nintendo aesthetic. The primary objective is to illustrate how modern development tools can be utilized to achieve a nostalgic, pixelated visual style while maintaining the tension and thematic elements of the source material.
Technical execution relies on specific design choices, such as utilizing nearest-neighbor image interpolation to maintain crisp pixel edges and employing posterization in image editing software to convert high-resolution assets into pixel-art avatars. The maze stairs are constructed using three distinct color gradients to simulate depth, while the glass bridge mechanic is achieved through C# scripting that manages rigid body physics and randomized platform stability. Audio design complements the visual experience through the use of 8-bit chiptune music, created with NES-accurate trackers, and synthesized sound effects for environmental interactions like glass breaking.
The project highlights the iterative nature of game development, from asset creation and character animation to the implementation of logic-based gameplay loops. By blending creative design with technical problem-solving, the process provides a blueprint for indie developers looking to translate complex, high-stakes concepts into accessible 2D formats. The final product functions as both a creative homage and a functional demonstration of game mechanics, emphasizing the importance of atmosphere, sound design, and logical progression in maintaining player engagement within a simplified, retro-inspired framework.
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