iam8bit Brings Game Boy Color Charm with Petal Runner

Petal Runner

This is how you deliver retro charm! One of the highlights from Day of the Devs 2024, check below for more information.

iam8bit Presents and developer Nano Park Studios – a Canadian indie studio founded by popular pixel artist Brandon James Greer (also known as BJGpixel on YouTube) and programmer Danny Guo – are thrilled to announce Petal Runner during today’s Day of the Devs 2024: Summer Game Fest Edition. The all-new slice-of-life RPG weaves an imaginative tale about virtual life elevated by meticulously crafted visuals that hearken back to the best of the Game Boy Color era.

Petal Runner is a coming-of-age story set in a cyberpunk-inspired, pixel-art-powered open world. Players join Cali and Kira as they explore the sun-soaked city of Sapphire Valley and train to become specialized motorcycle couriers known as Petal Runners. Once they’re certified, they’ll make deliveries, meet new friends, play minigames, and discover a wholesome slice-of-life story about growing up and letting go.

“Companionship with our pets is a special thing we want to capture in Petal Runner,” says Nano Park Studios programmer Danny Guo and pixel artist Brandon James Greer. “Our design philosophy is to modernize the feel of retro classics that inspire us, while incorporating mechanics and minigames that feel fresh within the RPG structure.

“We’ve been working on this secretly for the past few years; we’re putting a lot of ourselves into this project, and we’re excited for people to experience this first major release from our new studio.”

“We immediately fell in love with Petal Runner’s look and vibe, and we knew we had to help Nano Park bring their vision to life,” says Jon M. Gibson and Amanda White, co-owners and creative directors at iam8bit. “We started iam8bit Presents to help nurture cool indie projects, and we’re thrilled to be a part of Petal Runner’s journey.”

Wishlist Petal Runner now on Steam. For more information on Petal Runner, visit PetalRunner.com and follow Nano Park on Discord, Instagram, and X.