Pokemon Sword & Shield reimagined as Game Boy game in epic video

A Japanese Pokemon fan who wanted to see what Gen 8 would look like on the Game Boy recreated Sword & Shield in the retro 8-bit style.

Eight generations in, the Pokemon franchise has seen some major changes since its debut in 1996. Despite its shiny new features & epic designs, it’s hard not to still feel nostalgia for Red & Blue’s simplicity.

One fan who was curious what the Galar region would look like if it were created decades ago turned their dream into a reality by reimagining Gen 8 on the original Game Boy.

Pokemon Sword & Shield as a Game Boy title

Japanese YouTuber Hayate (ハヤテ京雲寺) uploaded their creation on February 1, and explained that the soundtrack for Gen 8 had inspired them to recreate the Nintendo Switch RPG in the same style as the Game Boy.

“I was listening to the BGM of the town of Sword & Shield and I wanted to listen to Game Boy style! I couldn’t find it when I looked for it, so I made it myself!” they said. To make the whole experience complete, the artist even created physical cartridges.

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The video opens up with Red & Blue’s iconic intro cutscene being recreated with a Duraludon and Corviknight battle. It then flashes to the Gen I title screen, with the Galar protagonist standing next Scorbunny.

As if that wasn’t impressive enough, the fan-made video shows over 19 minutes of gameplay. Sword & Shield fans will recognize the opening section of Postwick re-imagined in an incredible 8-bit graphical style.

The player also makes their way to Wedgehurst, before meeting Grass-type Gym Leader Milo while traveling through the small town of Turffield. Hearing the familiar music from Generation VIII in the retro style makes the whole thing perfect.

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Despite only releasing at the end of 2019, Sword & Shield is already on track to becoming the second highest-selling title in the Pokemon franchise. While the Switch RPG is a major hit with fans, it’s neat seeing what Galar would have looked like had it been released in 1996.