Chantey

Sail the seas as a stowaway on a Spanish merchant ship in a world where pirates and metal collide. Navigate an open world, collect mystical sea chanteys, and battle with rhythm-based combat in a unique genre blend.

About the Developer

Bio

Name / Studio Name

Gortyn Code

Location

Heraklion, Crete, Greece

How It Started

Making my own games has been a dream since childhood. I studied Computer Science to pursue that path, and ever since graduating, I’ve been developing personal projects in my spare time alongside my professional work.

Other Games / Projects

Since 2015, I’ve been creating and self-publishing a variety of games – mostly free-to-play and experimental interactive experiences built from scratch.

Fun Fact

I believe history and heritage are incredibly rich sources of inspiration – and they deserve deep respect. I often spend a huge amount of time doing meticulous research for each project to ensure authenticity, even for details players might never see or notice.

The Idea

Why I Made This Game

Chantey is an homage to everything I love and can’t stop talking about – retro games, pirate mythology, and pirate metal. It’s exactly the kind of game I would’ve loved both as a kid and as an adult.

What Makes This Game Special

It’s my first real step into commercial game development, and the fact that it runs on real Game Boy hardware makes it even more meaningful. My earliest game development dreams started while playing on my sister’s DMG-01 back in the '90s, so this really feels like things coming full circle.

You'll Love This If...

You enjoy open-world exploration, puzzle-solving inspired by classic adventure games, and rhythm-based gameplay. If you’re curious how those mechanics work on the Game Boy and you’re into story-driven games with quirky characters and rich lore, you’ll feel right at home in Chantey.

Inspiration / Influences

The game draws from classics like Pokémon, Zelda, and Guitar Hero, but also blends in modern and retro ideas.

Favorite Feature

The story stands out most. Without giving away too much – let’s just say it’s a wild, surprising adventure packed into just 4 megabytes of a Game Boy cartridge!