A simple pixel game developed by a man in China about caring for a grandmother has deeply moved people on Chinese social media.
The five-minute game, called Grandma, has been praised for evoking nostalgia and reminding players of their own experiences with elderly relatives, according to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
The game, which is free to play on a distribution platform, revolves around caring for a grandmother who has suffered an injury after a fall. Players must perform everyday tasks such as cooking meals, buying her favourite drinks, pushing her in a wheelchair and even helping her bathe.
Simple choices, emotional ending
Gameplay consists of choosing “yes” or “no” to complete each mission. Once the tasks are done, the grandmother thanks the player before being carried away by a giant bird, a symbolic depiction of her passing.
Many users say the pixelated visuals resemble the Game Boy console, which was created by Nintendo and widely popular in China during the 1990s. This design choice has added to the nostalgic pull of the title.
Inspired by personal loss
{{/usCountry}}Many users say the pixelated visuals resemble the Game Boy console, which was created by Nintendo and widely popular in China during the 1990s. This design choice has added to the nostalgic pull of the title.
Inspired by personal loss
{{/usCountry}}As reported by SCMP, the game’s creator, Zhou Yichen, 32, from Wuhan in Hubei province, said the inspiration came from his own grandmother, who died last year. Zhou explained that he was raised by his grandparents until the age of three and remembered his grandmother as “strong and always smiling”.
She suffered a fall in March last year, and Zhou personally cared for her during her recovery. When she passed away weeks later, he began designing the game in July. It was completed this February.
“Since I studied art creations, I intend to turn my important experiences into artworks,” Zhou said. “I chose to display my game like that of Game Boy because the latter is what I often played during my childhood.”
He added: “I liked taking her out for a stroll. I think she was happy when passing the places where she once worked and meeting her friends.”
Unexpected popularity
Zhou initially did not plan to release the game, believing the subject of a family member’s death was too personal. But after he shared images of it online, the strong emotional response from netizens convinced him to publish it.
Encouraged by the overwhelming support, Zhou now hopes to create collectible cards based on the game in the future.