A Dune-themed Game Boy Advance recreation that was canceled in 2002 is seeing the sunshine of day. First noticed by Twitter account The SpaceShipper, the just lately launched Steam title Elland: The Crystal Wars was beforehand the sport Dune: Ornithopter Assault.

“In 2001, growth started on an bold Game Boy Advance recreation primarily based on a preferred franchise,” reads the Elland description on Steam. “It was cancelled in 2002 and the group walked away. Twenty years later, this recreation lastly sees the sunshine of day, albeit with out the unique franchise license.”

It’s not unusual to listen to a few recreation that was canceled years in the past. It’s one other factor for that canceled recreation, not to mention a licensed one, to be accomplished a long time later and launched beneath a completely new identify.

Following the industrial success of 1992’s Dune technique recreation by Cryo Interactive, Frank Herbert’s acclaimed sci-fi novel turned a gentle online game franchise. Ornithopter Assault was being co-developed by Cryo and Hungarian developer Soft Brigade, and was canceled after Cryo went out of business.

The rights to Ornithopter have been acquired by writer Retro Room, and by Kickstarter funding, it and developer Auk Play accomplished growth on the sport. Now described as an “enhanced, emulated model” of the unique, Elland places gamers within the footwear of a fighter pilot on a “harsh desert world.” 

Specific Kickstarter backers shall be receiving a bodily Game Boy Advance model of Elland. 

Dune followers will have the ability to see the place the components of Herbert’s novel have been swapped out for one thing extra unique: the Ornithopter aircrafts are actually dubbed Raptors, the planet Arrakis is now the titular Elland, and so forth. Players pilot flying machines with completely different specialties to carry out missions corresponding to escort and fight.

The sudden reemergence of Elland comes as writer Funcom is starting to launch its personal video games primarily based on Dune beneath a deal it struck with Legendary Pictures. Earlier this 12 months, Shiro Games launched Dune: Spice Wars by in Early Access. At Gamescom in August, Funcom additionally introduced its survival MMO, Dune: Awakening.