Chinese Artist Memorializes Late Grandmother With Nintendo Game

Grief is an overwhelming emotional process, and everyone copes with it differently. For Chinese artist Zhou Yichen, that coping process involved creating a deeply personal and heartfelt video game to memorialize his late grandmother. Titled Grandma, the game is designed for the Game Boy, Nintendo’s retro handheld console first launched in Japan in 1989. Grandma blends nostalgia with closure in a creative and heart-tugging tribute.  

In the game,  players navigate a pixelated world inspired by Zhou’s childhood memories with his grandmother. The artist intentionally chose the Game Boy, a console from his youth, to enhance the sentimental tone. At different points of the game, players are immersed in poignant tasks Zhou shared with his grandmother, such as making dumplings or caring for plants.

Since its debut, the game has resonated with audiences worldwide, offering a space for players to reflect on loss and cherish memories in their own lives. Zhou said he made the game solely to commemorate his grandmother. “This game is not for entertainment or recreation, but to remember my grandma and record the time I spent with her, so I designed it completely based on real life.”

Beyond this project, Zhou’s portfolio is filled with other boundary-pushing works that explore memory, identity, and the human condition.

In his project Upstairs, Zhou examined the motivations for self-improvement and the journey that one takes to reach the apex of success, which is often riddled with perseverance and, at times, boredom.

Another standout project is Nothing Happen Today, a project conceived during the Covid-19 lockdowns and resulting social isolation. Zhou sought to capture the essence of daily life during this time when routines became monotonous and uneventful. 

Browsing through his works, one can tell Zhou’s artistic vision is rooted in blending traditional themes with modern media, creating a dialogue between nostalgia and innovation. They consistently engage audiences on an emotional and human level, encouraging introspection and connection in the comings and goings of everyday life. 

The reception to Grandma highlights the growing intersection between art and gaming, proving that video games can be powerful tools for storytelling and emotional expression. By transforming his grief into art, Zhou not only honors his grandmother’s memory, but also invites players to consider the beauty and fragility of human relationships.  

Banner image via Zhou Yichen’s Instagram page.