Better Call Saul Becomes A Portable Classic In This Fan Creation
Over the last few years, "Better Call Saul" has become a fixture in pop culture in its own right. What comes with that territory, of course, is a litany of theories, fan fiction, and just about anything else fans can think of to express their love for the show. One of the more interesting examples of this is a brief look at a tie-in game for the Game Boy.
A prequel to the critically-acclaimed "Breaking Bad," "Better Call Saul" follows Jimmy McGill, a small-time attorney that would one day be known as Saul Goodman and represent Walter White. Despite the massive expectations that came with being a spin-off to a show regarded as one of the greatest of all time, "Saul" has become so successful that some fans actually consider it to be better than "Breaking Bad." It's currently in its sixth and final season, with the series finale scheduled for August 15.
The Game Boy game was created by YouTuber Lumpy Touch. In a video posted to Lumpy's channel, a gameplay sequence shows what it might look like if the show was released in the 1990s and AMC approved a licensed tie-in game. The idea of a licensed game is actually something the "Breaking Bad" creators considered. Although the "game" exists solely in video form and isn't playable, it's very convincing.
What the Better Call Saul game looks like
Upon starting the game, the player is taken to a character selection screen where they have the option to choose between Jimmy, Kim, and Mike. Each character has their own stats and passive skills. Jimmy, for example, has 10/10 "Hustle" and 2/10 "Guts." His passive skill is "Slippery," and his listed abilities are "Fast Talking" and "Can Squeeze." The player selects Jimmy.
The video then shows two levels of the mock game. The first level, "Bagman," references a Season 5 episode of the same name. In the level, designed as a platformer, the player takes control of Saul as he moves through the desert. After a brief cutscene, it switches to a sniper view. The player takes control of Mike Ehrmantraut as he saves Saul from pursuing gunmen in a vehicle. The second level is a clear reference to "Punch-Out!!," the classic fighter that was brought back to life on the Nintendo Switch in 2019. The level Jimmy in a boxing ring with Howard Hamlin. After the player loses and Jimmy is knocked out, a "Game Over" screen appears, along with a portrait of Gus Fring and the text "You are not up to Pollos standards."
As previously mentioned, the YouTube video just serves as an interesting "what if." It's not the first time the show has been reimagined as a video game, as a Twitter user recently created images portraying Jimmy in the "Ace Attorney" series.