Abstract
Retro aesthetics describe a nostalgic approach to replicating or paying homage to a bygone 'nostalgic' age by imitating old cultures and styles from the past. However, Guffey (2006 p.9) describes the word 'retro' as "a word with many meanings". For example, he discusses one interpretation of the word as a synonym for old-fashioned and another as a view on life that "cleaves to the values and mores of the past" (p.10). Following this interpretation, retro is closely related to nostalgia, which Garda (2013) describes nostalgia as pervasive in a culture "obsessed with its own history" (p.1). Although there are games that include examples of retro stylistic transformations, there are numerous possibilities for how these transitions can occur that have yet to be explored. The purpose of this project is therefore to investigate the design of retro stylistic transformations in video games; explore specific techniques for their design and development through a prototype; and evaluate how effectively this seamlessly transforms between retro and modern art styles.