The 1973 musical “The Rocky Horror Show,” immortalized in the 1975 film “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” is getting a side-scrolling video game adaptation. “The Rocky Horror Show Video Game” is set for release next month across major consoles and Steam for computer platforms, timed to the Halloween spooky season.
Befitting the musical nature of “Rocky Horror,” the project even includes chiptune versions of songs from the films — including, but of course, the “Time Warp.” The game features 8-bit-styled graphics bringing the show’s sets and characters to life, combining ’80s nostalgia with the show’s ’70s retro vibes in the release from FreakZone Games and Metal X Entertainment/Bit Bot Media.
“‘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,” producer Joshua Viola said in a Thursday statement. “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,” Viola continued. “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 trailer features a number of classic moments from the film, set in a side-scroller that feels like a mashup of “DuckTales” and “Castlevania.” The game draws from Richard O’Brien’s original stage show, recreating its scenes and dialogue while letting players become characters including Brad, Janet (damn it) and Dr. Scott. It includes “light combat elements,” according to its official description, which includes the opportunity to wreak a little havoc within Dr. Frank N. Furter’s laboratory.
“As a longtime fan of ‘The Rocky Horror Show,’ it was an honor to adapt the legendary musical into a video game,” FreakZone Games designer Sam Beddoes said in a statement. “Now both new fans and veterans can enjoy a whole new take on the story and music in crunchy 8-bit goodness.”
The game is set for a mobile release at a later date. The musical has been a video game before — but you’ll have to look back to the Commodore 64 days for the original 1985 game, followed by a 1999 release of the “Rocky Interactive Horror Show” computer game.
“The Rocky Horror Show Video Game” was designed and developed by Beddoes. FreakZone Games was previously the lead developer of “Toxic Crusaders” and worked on games such as “Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures.”
The “Rocky Horror” game was produced by Viola and Klayton (Celldweller) of Metal X Entertainment/Bit Bot Media. Klayton is a musician who has contributed to film, TV and video game franchises like “Transformers,” “Malignant” and “Killer Instinct,” while Viola is an author known for “Soul Reaver” and “True Believers.”
The project is Bit Bot Media’s first video game release. The company is focused on films, video games, comics and music. One of its most successful prior projects was a Kickstarter campaign for “The Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver — The Dead Shall Rise” graphic novel, which raised more than $1.3 million and is the fifth largest funded graphic novel/comic book project in the platform’s history.
“The Rocky Horror Show Video Game” will be available in October for Sony Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and Steam.
