Creating your own NES or Super Nintendo game without writing a single line of assembly code — that's the promise of RetroGameForge. The new tool from Joe Granato, already known for NESmaker, has just launched its Kickstarter and is already blowing past its funding goal.

A software suite built on the legacy of NESmaker

RetroGameForge isn't a project starting from scratch. Eight years ago, three retro developers put together a set of graphical tools to make it easier to build their own action RPG on NES. Those tools became NESmaker, a development kit that allowed dozens of homebrew creators to release their own NES games without having to learn assembly language.

Nearly two years ago now, Joe Granato, the mind behind NESmaker, announced plans to extend his tool to the Super Nintendo under a new name: RetroGameForge. The software is now mature enough to allow the creation of complete games on both NES and SNES, and the team has even hinted at future compatibility with other machines from the late 80s and early 90s.

Why launch a Kickstarter

According to the team, the software suite is already fully capable of producing playable games. The goal of the funding campaign isn't to finish development, then, but to make it more robust: stress-test the software under real-world conditions, expand the documentation, build a library of templates as well as graphic and sound resources, and cover manufacturing and shipping costs for physical cartridges.

RetroGameForge Kickstarter page

The nod hasn't gone unnoticed: the initial goal was set at $6,502, a direct reference to the MOS 6502 processor that powers the NES. A goal reached in record time, and already exceeded more than twelvefold at the time of writing (close to $80,000 raised), with nearly a month of the campaign still to go.

What RetroGameForge actually offers

On the menu: a visual, intuitive interface designed for beginner developers or those who've struggled to learn assembly, plus a dedicated music composition tool for scoring your creations. Backers are offered two tiers: an SDK (Software Development Kit) limited to NES for $40 (around €35), and a full version covering both NES and SNES for $64 (around €56). Wi-Fi-equipped cartridges are also available, letting you test your creations on genuine period hardware rather than an emulator.

Should the campaign pass $180,000 — a stretch goal it's already nearly halfway to — other machines could be added to the list of supported systems, though the team hasn't yet specified which ones.

A deliberate response to the wave of AI-assisted creation

In his campaign description, Joe Granato takes a clear stance against the rise of AI tools within the homebrew scene. He champions creation that remains fundamentally human, while simplifying the most technical aspects of development for these historic systems. RetroGameForge positions itself as both a creative tool and a roundabout way to learn programming basics, open to anyone motivated enough, regardless of their background in computer science.

The ecosystem around the tool doesn't stop at development, either: Granato's outfit plans to expand its virtual arcade, The Retro Verse, into a full-fledged marketplace, letting creators sell their games on cartridge without going through a crowdfunding campaign, with royalties paid out. His label, BitMask Publishing, already offers to help NES developers port their games to Switch, Steam, Xbox, iOS, Android, Mac, PC, and Linux.

All of which could potentially breathe new life into the 16-bit homebrew scene, which has so far been far less well-equipped with tools than its NES counterpart.

Sources: Time Extension and Le Mag de MO5.COM

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