Resident Evil is timeless. While not the first horror game, 1996's Resident Evil set the standard for 3D entries in the genre while serving as an entry point for most gamers looking to add a bit of terror to their gaming. Resident Evil 4 demonstrated that action and horror can co-exist, while Resident Evil 6 proved that too much action is the death of horror.
Released for the Game Boy Color in 2001, Resident Evil Gaiden is an often overlooked entry in Capcom's franchise. Along with being on a handheld platform not commonly associated with the license, Gaiden was also a spin-off that amassed a lukewarm critical reception. While not the most fondly remembered, there are still some fascinating facts worth knowing about Gaiden.
10 It Was Not Capcom's First Attempt To Bring Resident Evil To The Game Boy Color
Gaiden was the only Resident Evil entry to be released on the Game Boy Color; however, Capcom had been trying to break into that market for a while. In 1999, the company shared plans to port the original Resident Evil to Nintendo's handheld console, with the PlayStation version serving as the main inspiration.
Unfortunately, the port never quite materialized, and Gaiden ended up being released in its place.
9 Gaiden Was Not Developed By Capcom
As tends to be the case when it comes to spin-offs, Capcom did not handle Gaiden's development in-house. Instead, the game was handed over to M4 Ltd, a now-defunct company that had primarily worked on licensed games.
M4 Ltd did have some experience creating Game Boy Color titles, but the studio behind Tasmanian Devil: Munching Madness and a PlayStation 1 game starring the Olsen Twins was a peculiar pick for Resident Evil.
8 Shinji Mikami Was Involved
As the father of Resident Evil, Shinji Mikami's name is enough to add some legitimacy to any product. As such, Mikami serving as an adviser during Gaiden's development was undoubtedly a coup for the game's chances; however, the extent of his involvement is difficult to say.
Gaiden does have ties to earlier entries in the franchise, with some fan-favorite characters even appearing in the handheld game.
7 Barry Burton's Time To Shine
A major player in the original Resident Evil, Barry Burton is quite a beloved personality in the series. Prior to Revelations, Gaiden was the only entry to feature Barry as a playable character; in fact, he is the game's main protagonist and ultimate hero, despite Leon also being around.
In this timeline, Barry and Leon both joined a secret anti-Umbrella organization. Once the latter goes missing while on a mission, Barry is sent to retrieve Leon and also take care of a Bio Organic Weapon created by Umbrella.
6 The Game Is Not Considered Canon
Even with Mikami's involvement, Gaiden never amounted to anything more than a non-canon side-story that holds no relevance to the main games. Along with the numbered entries, a couple of spin-offs such as Survivor and the Outbreak games are also considered to be canon.
Gaiden's story does introduce some plot elements that are never further explored in the main series, so it was disregarded to keep things simple.
5 The Story Is Not Completely Irrelevant
Despite its non-canon status, Gaiden's story is not a complete departure for the franchise, as it was written by Hiroki Katō. Primarily known as the director of Code: Veronica, Katō also wrote 2001's Wesker's Report, a companion piece that fills in some gaps in Resident Evil's backstory.
As such, Gaiden's story – which sees Barry Burton and Leon S. Kennedy heading to an infecting cruiseliner to stop a B.O.W – has all the pieces of a traditional Resident Evil narrative.
4 Three Playable Characters
Multiple playable characters are a staple of Resident Evil, and Gaiden is no exception. Despite the limitations of the hardware, Gaiden manages to incorporate three playable characters in Barry, Leon, and a girl named Lucia.
Gaiden obviously plays quite differently to the home console entries, although it does try to incorporate as many franchise elements as possible. Exploration and puzzles are handled from a top-down perspective, while combat switches to a first-person camera. At this point, a mini-game is played where a reticle must be stopped in a specific area to hit a zombie.
3 Lucia – A Superpowered Teen
Unlike her co-stars, Lucia has never appeared in a canon Resident Evil game. She is solely a Gaiden creation, and her backstory makes it unlikely that she will debut in the main entries. Infected by an Umbrella parasite early on in life, Lucia has heightened senses and can detect the presence of the B.O.W that is hunting her down to retrieve the parasite inside her.
Lucia's experience with the parasite is quite unlike anything else found in the series, which has to be one of the main reasons Gaiden is considered non-canon.
2 A Forgotten B.O.W
It would not be a Resident Evil game if a unique Bio Organic Weapon was not introduced. While the parasite inside Lucia's body is arguably the main threat, Umbrella also sends a special B.O.W. to retrieve the girl.
Infected by the t-virus, this B.O.W. does not stand out much from the crowd, although it does shoot tentacles out of its stomach. That is always fun.
1 Ends On A Huge Cliffhanger
Gaiden ends on a huge cliffhanger that is destined to go unsolved. Once Lucia's parasite is removed from her body, it reveals an incredible ability to shapeshift into monsters or even humans. At one point, Barry finds himself face-to-face with two versions of Lucia, with the only giveaway being that the fake bleeds green. Basically, it is Resident Evil meets The Thing.
Once the ship sinks and the parasite is seemingly killed, Gaiden throws out one final twist – the surviving Leon is a fake. Resident Evil 4 would have been a wildly different game if Gaiden was canon.