Retro modding is a very unique form of expression when it comes to video games. For over a decade now, enterprising players take classic platformers or adventure games and find new ways to twist them around for their own amusement, creating unique worlds and scenarios using the bones of games over 20-year-old. The fun, of course, is discovering these mods.
Take, for example, Starfox 64: Survival. a mod that is in collaboration between Kaze Emanuar and Zel. Zel is a well known Zelda-hack modder, who recently has been instrumental in re-creating beta rooms and assets from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time after the massive asset leak a few months ago. Kaze, meanwhile, has focused heavily on Super Mario 64 for the past three months, creating quirky hacks and mods that place Mario in oddball landscapes from other video games.
Both are now collaborating on a new project together, a commision to take the structure of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and insert Starfox into the mix with unique survival-based mechanics. Both Kaze and Zel even produced a short reveal trailer, showing off some of their efforts for the mod.
According to the trailer, Starfox 64 Survival takes the engine and combat mechanics of Ocarina of Time, and transforms it into a 'Zelda-roguelike' where Fox must survive on an alien planet for 30 nights in a row with extremely limited supplies. Invoking some of the survival elements of Pikmin into a mix is the time limit, diverse set of enemies, and minor puzzle solving aspects all rendered in a unique world created within the Ocarina of Time assets.
The mod, to say the least, is pretty impressive. Even though it is a commission project between the two, the mod shows a lot of promise and potential as another small alternative game mode that is only found in a retro style game, and even a good example of old-school style modding that itself is becoming incredibly popular.
