Retro Byte gaming haven in Crumlin reveal game case designed by children

Every other Wednesday, the venue holds a youth gaming forum, where children have started creating a newly designed game case.

11-year-old Alice Smith has been a regular feature in the gaming forum’s first seven weeks, and has been the driving force behind the designs and possible future game.

(The original drawing for Athena by Alice)

She said that she finds it fun and interesting and it is a place where she can meet people with the same interests.

“I feel different to everyone else. My friends play Fortnite and I prefer older games like Pokémon. I’ve asked my friends if they want to come but they said no because its to do with older games,” she said.

Speaking about the game, for which the cover was unveiled in the store on Wednesday, June 19, Alice explained her role.

She said: “It’s a platform version of Golden Axe and called ‘Fantasy Fights: World at War.’ I created the artwork and background.”

READ MORE:

• 'Its a place where he can be accepted for who he is': A retro gaming cafe is helping children with anxiety and autism to leave their bedrooms
• Torfaen leisure Trust phone lines jammed as music fans scramble for tickets
• Patients' praise for new Newport cancer treatment centre

Alice’s designs include the main character, a heroine by the name of Athena.

Retro Byte owner Dan Harding, 34, said that the gaming forum started off as a bit of a book club. He explained that the attendees could bring in their own games and play them.

(An original drawing of the heroes sidekick)

It then quickly developed into the children wanting to make their own characters and do game art.

Mr Harding said that the kids were really excited about the characters they made and praised young Alice for her dedication.

(Some of the gaming forum getting some drawing done)

“If it wasn’t for Alice, the gaming forum would probably not be going, we’ve had quite a few different kids turn up one week and then not come back the next week but Alice has been here from the beginning so we kept it going for her,” Mr Harding added.

(An original character drawing)

He believes it was worth continuing though as graphic designer Sharna Penny got involved with the project, taking the character drawings away and creating the unveiled finished artwork in her spare time.

Ms Penny said that she wanted to get involved as she was drawn in by the community feel to the project.

She said: “I’ve always been a bit of a gamer and recently started playing online games and made friends. We have our own little community.

“People don’t really associate gaming with a community, they mainly associate it with solo gaming in your room.

(11-year-old Alice Smith, nine-year-old Nicholas Birkby, graphic designer Sharna Penny and Retro Byte's Dan Harding and Huw Jenkins with the game case covers outside the store)

“I remember being their age and seeing characters and being wowed with them and wanting to make my own.

“Seeing the kids express themselves using the forum and designing the characters has been really nice.”

While the character designs for the case were going on, Mr Harding was approached by the step-dad of Scott Smith, who runs Commodore Cards and features regularly at the store, he is a programmer and expressed his willingness to develop the game idea into an app and a game.

Huw Jenkins, one of the forces behind Retro Byte, is learning to code to help with the process of bringing the game to life.

(Another original character drawing)

Mr Harding explained the plan to bring the game to life by Christmas and hoping to charge £1 for the mobile version, with 50% of the cost going to Mind charity.

The charity has been chosen by Retro Byte previously to receive proceeds from gaming tournaments.

(More of the gaming forum designing their characters, with some retro gaming magazines for inspiration)

The remaining 50% will be put back into the gaming forum to help with the creation of more games.

Mr Harding is now using the gaming forum to help try and give the children a way to express their creativity and show them that they can do whatever they set their minds to, in the hope of using their work to showcase their talents and creating the entrepreneurs of the future.