This 16-bit arcade-style Helldivers 2 demake concept captures the chaos of managed democracy perfectly

It’s 1996 and Helldivers 2 has just came out in arcades in 16-bit, at least according to this fan-made project.

Constructed lovingly by 64 Bits, the teaser just below shows off an alternate reality in which Helldivers 2 wasn’t released as a new-gen third-person shooter in 2024, but debuted as a two-player arcade side-scrolling shooter. Two Helldivers drop on an enemy planet, completed with a big pixelated bang, and proceed to tear up the local wildlife.

It’s a really fun creation, and honestly kind of nails the chaotic nature of Helldivers 2 itself. The players have to bound over one another to face off against enemies, lest they shoot one another in the back of the head, but they can also dodge over enemy attacks from one side of the screen, and let said attacks decimate enemies on the other side.

You can see the full creation from 64 Bits just below, complete with theoretical box art, as well as the brilliant tagline ‘Winners Don’t Do Bugs.’ There’s even a brief character select screen, where you can choose one of four Helldivers, each with a different primary weapon, and then set about destroying Super Earth’s enemies and liberating the galaxy.

64 Bits previously ‘demade’ Palworld in the style of Pokemon Black earlier this year, putting a very retro spin on the smash-hit survival sim. As with the new Helldivers 2 deconstruction, it also featured a box art and gameplay, showing just how far the demake crew will go for a new project.

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