In an unexpected move, fast food giant McDonald’s has entered the retro gaming scene by launching a 2D game reminiscent of the Game Boy Color era. Developed in collaboration with Krool Toys, this platformer was created to celebrate Grimace’s 52nd birthday. Playable on both modern PCs and mobile devices, the game follows Grimace as he embarks on a quest to find his missing friends and collect enough milkshakes for his upcoming birthday party.
While I personally struggled a bit with controlling the purple mascot as he leaped over obstacles and slid along handrails, any mishaps were undoubtedly due to my own clumsy handling of the game’s controls. The game itself ran smoothly on a computer, and for those willing to overlook some slight blurriness, the option to expand the screen allowed for a truly authentic Game Boy-like experience. It appears that the game was likely developed using GB Studio, a drag-and-drop tool used by indie developers to create retro games for Nintendo handheld devices. Utilizing this tool is a more efficient alternative to building a game from scratch, as it significantly reduces the time and resources required.
Adding to the nostalgia factor, even the website for Grimace’s Birthday game takes a delightful trip down memory lane, reminiscent of the era characterized by vibrant and bustling Angelfire, Lycos, and Geocities web pages.
While McDonald’s has officially released Grimace’s Birthday as a fun little game for PC and mobile platforms, enthusiasts were quick to uncover and share a downloadable copy that can be played on a Game Boy emulator, for those who happen to have one.
The release of this retro game demonstrates McDonald’s willingness to surprise and engage its audience in unexpected ways. Grimace’s Birthday is a playful nod to the past, inviting both fans of the franchise and retro gaming enthusiasts to join in the celebration.
