One-bit visuals seem deceptively simple to make, but are actually difficult to pull off. One-bit games embrace absolute minimalism with a color palette only consisting of one color. This color scheme is typically white, set against a black background. It was the visual style that was used for the original Gameboy, with pixels set against a green screen. There are multiple challenges of one-bit visuals, such as having to figure out how to add more details, making sure sprites remain distinct and ensuring that the game’s actions are still well-communicated within this space. A game that was successful with this was Minit, a Devolver Digital published game that has a little fella scampering around a one-bit world in a constant race against the clock.

Yesterday, another Devolver Digital published game came out, continuing to challenge one-bit visuals. This game is Gato Roboto, developed by Doinksoft. Gato Roboto is a “Meowtroidvania” where you play as a cat named Kiki riding around in a mech, exploring a dangerous alien underworld. As a cat, Kiki does not do much fighting, but she sometimes must step out for some puzzle platforming that her bulky mech can’t do. Within the mech, the sides of the game’s screen fill up with the UI to keep you up to date on the mech’s condition; while you go on to blast through enemies and bosses.

As a one-bit game it pulls off its visuals well, with clean action contrasted with detailed tilesets used to build up the alien environment. Modern one-bit games like Gato Roboto are far more advanced than the stuff on the original Gameboy without limitations standing in the way, pursuing mechanics and achieving visual detail that wouldn’t have been possible on that small screen. As a Metroidvania, Kiki and her mech is a huge leap from the far older one-bit Metroidvania adventure by Samus, Metroid 2.

Gato Roboto is currently out on PC and Nintendo Switch.

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