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Reiki / レイキ / 霊姫 / 灵姬 the Cyber Shark

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a gaming Cyber Shark, a true shark of games and the official mascot of the RetroDECK Project.

Her most distinctive feature is her component based modular dorsal fin system.

Reiki uses her dorsal fin slot allowing her to swap component-fins depending on the task at hand.

Each component-fin module changes both her appearance and abilities, effectively giving her a "loadout change" for every challenge and making her endlessly adaptable.

Examples:

  • UZDoom component - Rip and tear, until it is done 🦈!

  • C64 component - Take a bite of the Ur-Quan Hierarchy!

  • Mega Drive component - Gotta swim fast!

  • PCSX2 component - Start the Emotion Engine!

Reiki the Cyber Shark - Names

English: Reiki

Japanese Katakana: レイキ

Japanese Kanji: 霊姫

Chinese: 灵姬

What does the name mean?

Reiki in Chinese 灵姬 (líng)(jī) is directly translated to Clever Maiden but there is more then that.

Beyond the literal meaning, the term carries additional nuance due to Chinese homophonic relationships (words sharing the same pronunciation).

Let's explore them!

灵 - Clever or Spiritual

The character: 灵 (líng) means Clever or Spiritual.

姬 - Elegant Young Woman/Maiden/Princess/Noble Lady

The character: 姬 (jī) is, a term traditionally used to denote an elegant young woman/maiden/princess/noble lady.

机 - Machine / Technology

机 (jī) is Machine and is used to describe Technology.

灵机 - Cleverness and Inspiration

灵机 (líng)(jī) means Cleverness and Inspiration.

Historically, it was used to describe inventive, improvised performances on musical instruments.

灵机一动 - A Flash of Wit/Inspiration

灵机一动 (líng)(jī)(yì dòng) is a common Chinese idiom used to describe a Flash of Wit/Inspiration (which was the main motif behind the name when designing the character).

游戏 - Gaming

游戏 (yóu)(xì) is gaming.

游 - Swim

游 (yóu) part of "gaming" is "swim," and that matches well with Reiki's sharky nature.

游戏机 - Gaming Console

Gaming console is 游戏机 (yóu)(xì)(jī).

游戏姬 - Common Chinese Female Video Gamers Nickname

If you take 游戏机 (gaming console) replace 机 (jī) with 姬 (jī) you get: 游戏姬 (yóu)(xì)(jī) and that is a common nickname used by Chinese female Video Gamers / Video Game Streamers.

Why create a mascot?

From its earliest stages, the project aimed to include a mascot as a core part of its identity. This goal was established as one of the pillars defining the vision for a 1.0 release and was given equal importance alongside other major features, such as cloud synchronization, component support, steam synchronization and more.

The concept also reflects the project's blend of Western and Asian influences, which helped shape the decision to create Reiki.

Early Concepts and Goals

The first initial internal concept was a cyborg cat. However, the idea was considered too generic and the team sought to collaborate with an artist to develop a more distinctive character.

This led to exploring retro-inspired mascot designs. Aiming for a character that could represent the project globally across its various components.

The concept evolved into a "retro genie" mascot inspired by classic characters such as: the Game Genie, Shantae, Jeannie, Shamir Shamazel and Jinn Genie.

At the end of 2022, discussions between Tyson Tan and a RetroDECK team member planted the seed for a collaboration on a mascot. Though due to scheduling constraints nothing emerged at that time. Over the following years the dialogue continued, while the RetroDECK team in parallel explored other options as well.

Tyson and the RetroDECK team got together again in 2025 when both their schedules aligned, ultimately leading to a revised concept suggested by Tyson that combined the cyber aspect and animal concept of the cat with the retro genie elements from earlier inspired ideas thus culminating in Reiki the Cyber Shark as a riff on "GameShark".

Reiki is a Tribute

Reiki serves as a tribute to RetroDECK's component modularity, but also as a huge tribute to:

  • Cheat Codes & Easter Eggs
  • Emulation
  • Game Modding & Game Enhancements & Fan Patches & ROM Hacks
  • Game Preservation Efforts
  • Shareware, Abandonware and Vaporware
  • Game Reverse Engineering & Open-Source Retro Game Engines
  • Retro Gaming Culture
  • Old School Text Walkthroughs, FAQs and READMES

Licences

Reiki, the official RetroDECK mascot, is made available under the terms of the:

Artists

Tyson Tan (钛山) - Artist / Creator

Tyson Tan created the base design of the current Reiki character.

Requests for new Reiki artwork or modifications to existing versions can be directed to Tyson Tan. Contact details are provided below.

Contact:

  • E-mail (EN): tysontanx@gmail.com
  • E-mail (CN): tds00@qq.com

Portfolio:

Contributing your own Reiki art to RetroDECK

First a big thank you for wanting to contribute to RetroDECK!

Both Tyson Tan (钛山) and the RetroDECK Team warmly encourage fan art and creative reinterpretations of Reiki.

We would love to see your unique contributions, please share them with us via our official social media channels or community platforms!

If you wish to create Reiki artwork specifically for inclusion within the RetroDECK Project, please contact the RetroDECK Team directly and follow the guidelines.

Guidelines

  • The artwork should ideally follow specifications similar to those used by Tyson Tan but you do not need to strictly follow the original design.
  • All submitted artwork must be your own original work.
  • You agree to license it under Creative Commons BY-SA and / or GPL3.

Using Existing Artwork as a Base

If your work is based on other artwork, the original source must meet one of the following conditions:

Not copyrighted, such as:

  • Public Domain
  • Creative Commons Zero (CC0)

Licensed under one of the following:

  • Creative Commons BY-SA
  • GPL3

Licensed under a compatible license with Creative Commons BY-SA and / or GPL3.

Tips & Inspiration

Her design is open to your artistic interpretation.

One approach is to highlight a specific game or feature by integrating it directly into the main dorsal component-fin module. Since her modules influence both her abilities and appearance, the component-fin can act as the visual and functional centerpiece and the the main representation of a console, engine, or client.

Example:

The component-fin could feature a built-in CD, tape, or cartridge-style container that holds the featured game. Accessories or clothing elements could symbolize texture packs, mods, or other features associated with it.

AND / OR

Her smaller fins can function as mini-modules, representing individual games, texture packs, ROM hacks, or other features, complementing the main component-fin module.

Ultimately, the creative direction is up to you.

Use her modular concept to express things you are passionate about in retro space.