Lost Resident Evil Game Boy Color Port Resurfaces Online

Back in 1999, British developer HotGen attempted what seemed nearly impossible: bringing the full 32-bit Resident Evil experience to the tiny 8-bit Game Boy Color. Remarkably, the team managed to pull it off, creating a playable version that captured much of the original’s essence, even on the limited hardware.

Sadly, the port was cancelled shortly after development, reportedly because the creator of Resident Evil felt the Game Boy Color wasn’t worthy of the franchise. Instead, Capcom greenlit a completely new title, Resident Evil Gaiden, for the handheld. Over the years, bits and pieces of the cancelled port surfaced online, but none were fully playable.

Now, preservationists at Games That Weren’t have revealed something exciting: a 98% complete build of the Game Boy Color Resident Evil port that appears to be fully playable from start to finish. The discovery has thrilled retro gamers and fans of the franchise alike.

Our first big Christmas update is with an amazing recovery of the final build of Resident Evil on Gameboy Color. Hotgen's impressive conversion that got canned. This is much closer to completion, and seems completable too. Lots to discover!https://t.co/PqnSERyZuP pic.twitter.com/u2sPODb7dS
— Games That Weren't (@fgasking) December 17, 2025

Assistant programmer Pete Frith, who worked on the project, confirmed that this build is indeed completable and even includes some added content. For those curious about the history of this almost-lost game, Games That Weren’t has shared a detailed account of its development, cancellation, and eventual resurrection.

For retro gaming enthusiasts, this is a rare chance to experience what could have been a groundbreaking handheld adaptation of a classic survival horror series.