Retro Horror Adventure
CREATIVE DIRECTION / ENTERTAINMENT BRANDING / MOTION DESIGN / EXPERIENTIAL STORYTELLING
Pixels and Chiptunes collide
Tantrum9 Retro Horror Adventure was a month-long original entertainment experience that blended retro gaming, horror, and cinematic storytelling into a fully branded seasonal event. Rather than simply streaming classic games, the project transformed every broadcast into a continuing narrative, inviting viewers to experience a world where the host himself became trapped inside the very games that inspired him.
Originally conceived years earlier under the working title "Project Warp Gate," the concept became an opportunity to celebrate the games that shaped my childhood while exploring how worldbuilding, motion design, physical merchandise, music, and audience participation could combine into a single cohesive brand experience.
Acting as creative director, designer, writer, animator, editor, illustrator, and producer, I developed every visual and narrative component of the campaign from concept through execution, collaborating with chiptune artist LukHash to create an immersive month-long celebration of retro horror gaming that blurred the line between livestream, interactive entertainment, and original IP.
DATE —
October 2024
ROLE —
Art Direction, Visual Design, Concept Development, Stream Design, Packaging
TEAM —
Lukhash, Tantrum9, Twitch, Youtube
DELIVERABLES —
Logo Design, Motion Graphics, Social Media Posts, Stream Elements, Supplemental Design Elements
The Big Idea
—
What if a horror host became trapped inside the games that inspired him?
[ MOODBOARD ]
How do you transform a month of retro horror gameplay into an immersive entertainment experience that audiences anticipate, participate in, and remember long after the final stream?
— THE CHALLENGE —
SOLUTION 1 —
Narrative
Gamers recognize worlds long before they recognize mechanics. Every environment, character, and interaction was designed to feel authentic to the era, creating a cohesive story that seamlessly bridged the worlds of Tantrum9 and LukHash into a shared retro adventure.
— VISUAL DESIGN SOLUTION —
Tantrum9 was front and center + empowered by the music of Lukhash
Audience comprehension + Brand equity
SOLUTION —
Visual Language
Character recognition was essential. Tantrum9 was reimagined through authentic 16-bit and 32-bit sprite work, while portrait illustrations drew inspiration from classic RPGs like Final Fantasy, where distinctive silhouettes and expressive character art brought every interaction to life.
―
SOLUTION 3 —
Audience Immersion
The experience extended beyond the screen. Viewers became active participants through interactive audio cues, retro sound effects, and live triggers that distorted the broadcast, shattered the screen, and transformed audience engagement into part of the story itself.
[ THE WORLD ]
BoneZone
BoneZone is a recurring original character within the Tantrum9 universe, serving as both a recognizable brand mascot and an integral part of the channel's ongoing storytelling. While inspired by the familiar use of skeleton emotes within streaming culture, BoneZone evolved into something far more meaningful, a camera-shy technical assistant, reluctant production crew member, and frequent instigator whose unpredictable behavior creates many of the channel's comedic moments.
As the unseen force behind the broadcast, BoneZone regularly interrupts production, "accidentally" changes cameras, sabotages carefully planned moments, and often sides with the audience over Tantrum9 himself. These interactions create a dynamic that makes the production feel alive, transforming technical transitions and behind-the-scenes moments into opportunities for entertainment rather than simply functional necessities.
Beneath the humor, BoneZone serves a deeper narrative purpose. He represents the aspects of Tantrum9 that remain hidden, the doubts, impulses, and imperfections that exist behind the character on screen. Where Tantrum9 approaches situations with empathy, patience, and optimism, BoneZone is impulsive, sarcastic, and unapologetically chaotic. That contrast creates a built-in narrative tension that allows both characters to complement one another while giving the brand a recognizable voice beyond the stream itself.
Rather than functioning as a side character, BoneZone has become a foundational piece of the Tantrum9 identity, appearing across motion graphics, animations, promotional content, merchandise, and larger narrative projects such as Retro Horror Adventure.
VHS / Game Boy
The Haunted Tape serves as one of the central narrative artifacts within the Tantrum9 universe. Inspired by the enduring role of cursed VHS tapes throughout horror cinema and popular culture, it functions as both a symbolic source of Tantrum9's power and a recurring storytelling device that connects many of the channel's larger productions.
Rather than existing as a static prop, the tape evolves alongside the stories being told. Across the broader Tantrum9 brand, it has appeared in multiple forms, including transforming into the character's iconic red-and-black sunglasses, but for Retro Horror Adventure, it became the catalyst that launched the entire experience. After BoneZone's attempt to harness its power goes terribly wrong, the Haunted Tape morphs into what appears to be an authentic Game Boy cartridge, pulling Tantrum9 into a digital world inspired by the retro games that shaped his childhood.
To reinforce the illusion, both props were designed and fabricated as fully realized physical objects before being integrated into the live-action production. The Haunted Tape features illuminated translucent reels that emit a deep blood-red glow, giving it an unsettling presence both on camera and in person. The Game Boy cartridge was constructed using an original shell and circuit board, then rebuilt with a custom-designed label manufactured to the exact dimensions and print specifications of an authentic retail Game Boy game. Every detail was intentionally crafted to make the artifact feel as though it could have existed on a store shelf decades ago.
By grounding the story in tangible, handcrafted objects rather than relying solely on digital effects, these artifacts helped blur the boundary between fiction and reality, reinforcing the project's commitment to immersive storytelling and authentic retro game design.
[ PIXEL BY PIXEL ]
In 8-bit / 16-bit / 32-bit glory
—
Hand drawn sprites were created to bring running, jumping, and standing animations to life. Two versions of Tantrum9 were created, a 16-bit platformer and a 32-bit “Beat ’em up”, with multiple actions and many, many frames.
[ COUNTDOWN ]
The experience begins with familiarity before deliberately breaking expectations. What appears to be the channel's standard countdown suddenly freezes as BoneZone steps into frame, reboots the production with an unmistakable Windows 95 startup sequence, and begins his "Time Attack Hack." Accompanied by LukHash's music, the countdown becomes the audience's first clue that reality, and time itself, is about to be rewritten.
[ OPENING ANIMATION ]
The opening continues the illusion of familiarity before revealing a new reality. The iconic Haunted Tape transforms into an authentic-looking Game Boy cartridge, setting the story in motion as Tantrum9 is pulled into a digital world inspired by the games that defined a generation. The sequence blends practical filmmaking, pixel art, and animation with recognizable homages to classic titles, creating a nostalgic adventure that feels both instantly familiar and unmistakably Tantrum9.