In a heartwarming tale of perseverance and nostalgia, a long-awaited game is finally making its debut on the Game Boy Advance after a whopping 22-year delay. The story of Kien, a project started by a group of friends in Italy in 2002, is one for the gaming history books.
Imagine, a game in development for over two decades finally seeing the light of day! This makes Duke Nukem Forever’s 15-year delay seem like child’s play. The dedication of game designer Fabio Belsanti, the sole survivor of the original development team, is truly inspiring.
After facing rejection from publishers due to high costs and concerns about the game’s potential success, Belsanti never gave up on Kien. With the resurgence of retro games and consoles, he saw an opportunity to revive his passion project. Partnering with Incube8, a publisher specializing in classic console games, Kien was finally able to make its grand entrance in June 2024.
“It’s like a dream come true to see Kien come to life on its intended platform,” exclaimed Belsanti. And now, gamers can experience the magic of Kien for themselves by picking up a physical copy for the Game Boy Advance or downloading a digital version for emulator play.
So, what are you waiting for? Dive into the world of Kien and experience a piece of gaming history that has been 22 years in the making.
