Get your fishnets out and dust off your dancing skills, because The Rocky Horror Show is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary in spectacular fashion. The iconic musical is being brought to life in 8-bit form as a retro video game courtesy of FreakZone Games and Metal X Entertainment, and FANGORIA has exclusive images from the side-scroller game.
The digital game recreates scenes and dialogue from the original show, “allowing players to step into the shoes of Brad, Janet, and Dr. Scott,” with platforming and light combat elements, including tossing objects at enemies and “other experiments” from the lab of Dr. Frank N Furter. The game will also feature chiptune renditions of the show’s iconic songs, including (of course), “Time Warp.”
“As a longtime fan of The Rocky Horror Show, it was an honor to adapt the legendary musical into a video game,” says designer Sam Beddoes. “Now both new fans and veterans can enjoy a whole new take on the story and music in crunchy 8-bit goodness.”
Now, The Rocky Horror Show is distinctly different from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the film adaptation of creator Richard O’Brien’s work. The original stage musical opened in London in 1973, with film stars Tim Curry, Nell Campbell, O’Brien, and Patricia Quinn all originating their roles, before making its US premiere in 1974, where only Curry reprised his role. (Though this did see the premiere of Meat Loaf as Eddie, a role he’d reprise in the film.) It’s gone on to receive countless productions around the world, including a staging this year in France, and nominations for multiple Tony Awards when it finally made it to Broadway.
“The Rocky Horror Show is a unique experience that transcends traditional entertainment, and we wanted to bring that magic to gamers—whether they're already fans of the IP or discovering it for the first time,” says producer Joshua Viola. “For those familiar with Rocky Horror, they'll get to relive it in a fresh, exciting way. For newcomers, it’s an unforgettable introduction to a cult classic, delivered with a twist only a video game can provide. But beyond all that, it's simply a blast to play. At its core, it's a true platformer, and we've made sure the gameplay is every bit as engaging as the musical itself.”
The Rocky Horror Show game will be available on all major platforms on October 21, and fans can add it to their Steam wishlist here. Check out the exclusive images below:
