Two screenshots from a pixelated video game based on The Great Gatsby. The first shows a character in a library with a text box reading “WHAT THOROUGHNESS! WHAT REALISM! KNEW WHEN TO STOP, TOO–DIDN’T CUT THE PAGES. BUT WHAT DO YOU WANT?”. The second shows a character standing outside a brick wall under a crescent moon and a dark blue sky.

The answer to your procrastination prayers: The Great Gatsby, NES style

Words: Liv Siddall
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Date: 13 March 2013; Work

It took a lot of energy to not start crying at the thought of a platform game about my favourite novel, but I just about managed. After all, it’s hard to cry and control NES Nick Carraway running through Gatsby’s mansion, picking up bonus cocktails and shooting down waiters. This has to be one of the best things on the whole internet at this moment: a true work of art of a game that is so true to the novel and the NES style. Oh God it’s amazing. I’m going to go and play it again now (I haven’t got past the garden stage yet) and then I’m going to write to Charlie Hoey at The Barbarian Group, who made this incredible game, and thank him profusely. You should too.

A pixelated video game title screen on a bright blue background reads “The Great Gatsby”. Below the title, a pair of eyes and red lips are paired with the text “PRESS START!”. To the right, a city skyline is rendered in orange and yellow. — Above
The Barbarian group: The Great Gatsby for NES

A screenshot from a pixelated video game based on The Great Gatsby. A character labelled “Nick Carraway” stands in a purple library, while a text box reads “What thoroughness! What realism! Knew when to stop, too–didn’t cut the pages. But what do you want?”. — Above
The Barbarian group: The Great Gatsby for NES

A pixel art video game screen showing a character standing before a long brick wall under a dark blue night sky. Text at the top reads “Nick Carraway” and “Find Gatsby!”. — Above
The Barbarian group: The Great Gatsby for NES

A pixelated screenshot from a retro video game. A character stands beside a stone archway, while another figure stands atop a fountain under a deep blue sky. Text at the top reads “Nick Carraway” and “Find Gatsby!”. — Above
The Barbarian group: The Great Gatsby for NES

An illustration for a fictional Nintendo game based on The Great Gatsby. On the left, a figure in a brown suit leaps through the air, firing red laser beams from their eyes. On the right, a close-up of a pair of glasses shows the beams hitting the pupils. The text reads “Nice to see you, old sport!” and “The Great Gatsby”. — Above
The Barbarian group: The Great Gatsby for NES

A screenshot from a pixel art video game set against a deep blue sky. A character labelled “Nick Carraway” stands before a stone archway, facing another figure by a fountain. Text at the top reads “Find Gatsby!” alongside a score and stage number. — Above
The Barbarian group: The Great Gatsby for NES

A pixel art video game screen showing a character, Nick Carraway, in a room with green patterned wallpaper and a black and white checkered floor. A heads-up display at the top reads “Nick Carraway”, “Stage 1-3” and “Find Gatsby!”. — Above
The Barbarian group: The Great Gatsby for NES

A pixel art illustration of a person in a white suit standing on a green cliff edge at night. They look across a dark blue sea toward a distant city skyline under a yellow crescent moon. — Above
The Barbarian group: The Great Gatsby for NES

A pixel art screenshot from a video game showing a character, “Nick Carraway”, standing on top of a red train carriage. A second figure stands on the carriage behind them against a backdrop of green trees and a blue sky. — Above
The Barbarian group: The Great Gatsby for NES

Further Info

www.greatgatsbygame.com
www.charliehoey.com
www.barbariangroup.com

About the Author

Liv Siddall

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Liv joined It’s Nice That as an intern in 2011 and worked across online, print and events, and was latterly Features Editor before leaving in May 2015.

The answer to your procrastination prayers: The Great Gatsby, NES style

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