ModRetro has officially announced Buddy: The Video Game, an 8-bit survival horror title based on the upcoming horror movie BUDDY. Arriving in theaters this month, from Roadside Attractions and Saban Films, BUDDY transforms cheerful preschool television into an unhinged slasher nightmare.
Developed by PlayInstinct and published by ModRetro, the accompanying video game is targeted for release later this year on the ModRetro Chromatic platform. It will also be compatible with the classic Game Boy Color.
An 8-Bit Nightmare on a Physical Cartridge
Buddy: The Video Game translates the movie’s twisted world into a unique retro-cartridge experience. By combining survival horror, visual-novel storytelling, and eerie show-themed mini-games, it allows you to enter his world.
Players enter the deceptively bright domain of It’s Buddy! BUDDY, a fictional television mascot, is an aggressively neon-orange unicorn who weaponizes synth-pop tunes to enforce mandatory cheerfulness. The show presents a colorful facade in which children sing and dance. However, breaking character exposes the dark, violent reality hidden behind the set’s walls.
Four Modes of High-Stakes Survival
The game features four distinct modes that allow players to experience the horror from every angle.
Story Mode immerses players in the film’s main narrative, forcing difficult choices between appeasing the terrifying mascot and defying him, facing his wrath.
Survival Mode removes all safety nets, challenging players to scavenge for resources, hide, and survive as Buddy hunts them through key locations from the film.
Buddy Mode lets players step into the oversized hooves of the mascot himself, hunting down fleeing children to enforce the show’s strict rules.
Mini Game Mode offers a deceptively wholesome break from running for your life. It features show-themed activities like dancing, painting, dusting, and riding where players can compete for high scores and achievements.
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A Preschool Mascot Rampage on the Big Screen
In the film, the neon-soaked illusion shatters when a child performer refuses to play along during a taping. However, the cheery music abruptly stops. The studio goes into lockdown. And the anthropomorphic mascot embarks on a brutal rampage across the set.
Cult Comedy Visionaries and a Powerhouse Cast
Helming this chaotic mix of childhood nostalgia and visceral horror is director Casper Kelly. He’s also the creative mind behind Adult Swim’s viral hit Too Many Cooks. He co-wrote the screenplay with Jamie King.
Produced by Tyler Davidson, Drew Sykes, Raphael Margules, J.D. Lifshitz, and Tracy Rosenblum, the film is backed by a stellar ensemble cast. Cristin Milioti and Oscar nominee Michael Shannon lead it. Patton Oswalt, Keegan-Michael Key, Topher Grace, and Delaney Quinn join the fray.
Don’t let his cute and cuddly exterior fool you; BUDDY is a monster. Watch the carnage in theaters on August 28.
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