The Great Gatsby for the NES: Not Your Grandparent’s Gatsby
Whenever you feel like adapting a literary classic into a side-scrolling Action/Adventure game for the NES, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.
Developed by Filmshaw Industries, this real game that is an actual thing takes you to an 8-bit version of the roaring 20’s, where you play as the book’s narrator, Nick Carraway, making your way through settings like Gatsby’s parties and moving trains and wielding a projectile fedora to defend yourself against wayward Flappers and Butlers. All while the fresh (and undeniably awesome) jazz/chiptune soundtrack chirps away in the pixelated Art Deco backdrop.
Just in case you still think this is a belated April Fool’s post or just too good to be true, you can play it for free on your web browser.
This might not make a good substitute for high school students who don’t want to have to finish the book, especially considering that the ever-judging eyes of the T.J. Eckleburg billboard start shooting deadly lasers in this version, but this game breathes delightful new life into a story that most of us likely haven’t thought about since the 10th grade – blame that on the fact that we’re obligated to read things like The Great Gatsby in our teens, before we’re psychologically prepared for it but end up having to read it anyway so that our teachers can make sure we’re “cultured”.
But nonetheless, the beauty of such unorthodox, even satirical adaptations is that it proves that we can understand and enjoy the text. And despite all the cardiac arrest that classicists and purists are likely suffering right now thanks to the likes of this game and Baz Luhrmann’s current film adaptation, we can experiment with that text, translate it across various forms of media and test its flexibility. In fact, we need to. Adapting and evolving are how we survive, and the stories we create are no different.
If you enjoy this game or generally feel enthusiasm for indie game development, please consider donating to Filmshaw towards the cost of web hosting for the game.
