Two new video games are set to pixelate Toronto's streets and landmarks in retro style. Retroronto, an indie life simulator, and Scott Pilgrim EX, a fighting adventure, both draw on early-2000s Toronto for their settings. These titles highlight the city's growing presence in gaming.
Toronto's urban landscape is taking center stage in two forthcoming video games that embrace pixel art and early-2000s aesthetics. Retroronto, developed solo by Toronto-based animator Sean Browning, offers a life-simulator experience where players navigate the city through everyday activities. Browning, aged 32 and a George Brown College game development alumnus, drew inspiration from classics like the original Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, Retro City Rampage, and Grand Theft Auto series. "We keep seeing places like New York or L.A. or other cities where they get to be the settings of these games," Browning noted, emphasizing his aim to represent Toronto more prominently.
Funded by Ontario Creates, Browning has spent two years on the project, which originated from a music video assignment requiring a pixelated city map. A playable demo showcases recreations of landmarks such as City Hall. Players can explore on foot, bike, or public transit, interact with non-player characters, visit libraries and gyms, rent apartments, and take minimum-wage jobs. The game addresses urban challenges like housing costs and traffic without violence. "I’m trying to make the game to be about people coming to the city and trying to make a start for themselves," Browning said. No firm release date exists, as Browning seeks additional funding.
In contrast, Scott Pilgrim EX revives the beloved character from Bryan Lee O’Malley’s 2004 graphic novels, which inspired a 2010 film by Edgar Wright, an original game, and a Netflix animated series. Developed by Montreal's Tribute Games—whose founders contributed to the 2010 Scott Pilgrim game at Ubisoft—this side-scrolling fighter introduces a new threat: Metal Scott, who kidnaps the band Sex Bob-Omb via space-time rifts distorting Toronto. Locations include the Beach, Distillery District, High Park, a remixed Casa Loma called Casa Vania, and the John P. Robarts Research Library reimagined as Vegan Police HQ. "There’s a new mysterious figure called Metal Scott that kidnaps the members of Sex Bob-Omb," explained narrative designer Yannick Belzil. The game, blending animation styles, is slated for early 2024 release.
Both titles tweak business names to sidestep copyrights, such as turning a pizza chain into 2 Pizza in Retroronto and featuring Tricky Dees, nodding to a College Street bar in Scott Pilgrim EX. Toronto has appeared in prior games, from Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain (2004, partially set here before changes) to recent indies like Venba (2023) and Overwatch 2's New Queen Street map (2023). These projects underscore Toronto's evolving role in global gaming narratives.
