I used to work at a game studio where they had one of these machines in their lobby; even though it was already over 15 years old, people would still put in hours on this thing blasting away trying to outdo one-anothers' highscores (we'd scrawl them on post-it notes and stick it to the marquee, since they'd get erased every night when they powered the machine off). That's the type of game is was;; stylish, brutish, simple, and just plain fun. I want to go play it now! Don't let the primitive, crude graphics turn you away, this is absolutely a must-play if you like chasing and shooting.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Retro Game of the Day! Time Pilot '84
I used to work at a game studio where they had one of these machines in their lobby; even though it was already over 15 years old, people would still put in hours on this thing blasting away trying to outdo one-anothers' highscores (we'd scrawl them on post-it notes and stick it to the marquee, since they'd get erased every night when they powered the machine off). That's the type of game is was;; stylish, brutish, simple, and just plain fun. I want to go play it now! Don't let the primitive, crude graphics turn you away, this is absolutely a must-play if you like chasing and shooting.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
iPhone App Game Development Blog #24
Game Dev Blog.. where do I begin?
As usual, with 180 Development - what's up with our flagship title, you wonder? Well, it's slightly closer to being wrapped up than it was last time I have spoke of it (several weeks ago). We had hoped, and tried our damnedest, to get the Full + Lite versions through submission in time for the PAX East game convention in Boston, so we could do our big launch at the show. I started hyping the thing through my networks, I went out and printed up new business cards, and also crafted some very nice looking postcard handouts to promote the game. Our promo girl was also at the show (for various reasons) and she talked up our game. I attended the show and met with a few people to discuss (and show-off) the project.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to submission in time and we missed the opportunity to take advantage of the convention. It's a shame, but I am thankful of the people I got to talk to and the new connections I have made (some very valuable!) as it will help smooth things over in the future. Demonstration-wise, the game performed very well and I stopped several convention-goers and asked them to give it a spin. Each random person "got it" and wanted to purchase it, so I know I made the right decision to try and do a show launch.
As for thee current state of things - obviously, when the game enters (and successfully passes) submission then I will trumpet pretty loud and far about it, in here if nowhere else. As things stand we have a very close candidate, a few bugs are being squashed and the openFeint integration is getting wrapped up (it's become quite difficult dealing with the different OS configurations.. this is forgivable as the system is still quite new). Still, the longer we wait to submit, the harder it will be to sell this product; iPad launches just days from now and the entire focus of this arm of the media will be on that product. As our game is not iPad-specific (and hardly even relevant, honestly) I know we'll hardly have the benefit of launching during a "slow news period." To further complicate things, our Lite version still has a bit of work to be done and I absolutely feel it is critical to launch both versions at the same time. In reality, I think a best case scenario will see us submitting a week from now, and available for sale the week following that. With some seriously heavy-handed luck, we will be able to shave a week off of that schedule; but at this point, so long as it comes out in the next few weeks, I will be satisfied.
Bizdev - Understandably, things are extremely quiet outside of the impending release of the game. I am helping another developer wrap-up his own project, and following that I'd like to rush headfirst into development on a new title with him. It's another 2-man crew project, and I'd expect that it should go a lot more smoothly than the past few projects I have worked on due to a number of reasons, but you never can tell! Anyway, of everything in my life right now, I am eager to get moving with "what's next" following the current game's launch and wrap-up, and so this tops the list of things that I am excited about. It is too early to tell if this project will fall under the Headcase Games banner or something different.
The game industry chugs merrily along in the meantime, I have not been so laser-focused on it lately as my mind has been elsewhere. The new Nintendo 3DS announcement has caught my eye, so to speak, and I am very interested to see what they have to show for it. I have such respect for that company, in that they always zig while everyone else zags; always a step ahead, even if their tech is often more gimmick-laden than everyone else's. They manage to cover their backend with an admittedly short list of quality software, which is often more than good-enough for their audience. As for this 3D idea, I can't quite conceive how it is going to work yet, but I expect it will be a lot more satisfying than their last go-round (Virtual Boy). Personally 3D gaming is extremely intriguing to me (it's something I have thought about a lot recently, prior to this announcement) and I think Nintendo is the perfect company to step into this arena.
What Have I Been Playing?
Naturally, I was pretty excited to see a unique puzzle game making the rounds on the iPhone "hip scene" lately. Not sure how far this one's got, but it has made some headway (featured on Toucharcade, made the New and Noteworthy list). A simple game, quite easy to learn to play and it's got a little bit of technique to it as well. I have to admit I got myself a good bit addicted to this game for a while! I want to place in the top ten on the global boards (last I checked I was
ranked #11, I am sure I've dropped quite far by now!) It takes a little getting used to, but this game is absolutely worth investigation if you are looking for a new take on the action-puzzle genre. No lite version here, but spend the buck and you will agree!
I just downloaded the lite version of this game recently, and it's quite fun. Essentially a Magical Drop clone, I can't say how much since I am not too heavy into that game, but that seems to be the case. Very nice presentation, really clean, I admire their work. The style is a little odd (the blank zombified stares of the pieces don't do much to keep me coming back for more!) but the game is fun and I can see myself playing it a bit more. I only bought the lite and saw no reason to buy the full, I wonder if there is more to it?
The new entry by HcG buddies Race2theMoon! A "Canabalt"-style game, you must tap the screen in order to make your little Blue Block jump over pits and avoid obstacles. Sounds easy, but the design is devilish! This game has my kudos as the designer used a special tool ("Gamesalad") to do all the programming himself - and he's not a programmer! I look forward to see what he's got up his sleeve next, and I am very inspired to try this route as well. I am watching..
A new fan-favorite making the rounds, TTL is a unique game who's premise is described in the title. Simply move your iPhone to keep your protagonist out of harm's way, dodging the unspeakably evil Red Dots. Pick up temporary powerups to turn the tables. A very smooth, nicely presented experience that will keep you coming back for a few extra plays.
A neat little idea, Ikaruga-style. Tap the screen and "good becomes bad" and vice-versa. You always want to touch the positive color (yellow) but avoid the negative color (red). Tap the screen and all colors will reverse. How many can you snag/avoid? It's a great idea, unfortunately the execution leaves a bit to be desired. If it sounds intriguing, I would say it is worth the price.
Here's a weird little game. I picked up the lite version, and for that I am happy - this is not worth a purchase! It's not a bad game, it just reeks of "we can take a so-so idea and wrap it in wonderful presentation and make a lot of money!" Yeah, the presentation here is A+ for real, but unfortunately the half-baked puzzle gameplay leaves me cold. Download it if you wanna see some nice visuals, but delete it after to free up some space on your phone for something fun.
Retro Game of the Day! Arch Rivals
Anyway, a pretty simple if reduced version of the B-Ball sport was here. Basically, this was basketball with 2-man teams, and the name of the game was violence. Not over the top violence (no blood 'n guts to be found here), but certainly enough to be unsportsmanlike - but that was the gimmick of this game. Merely steal the ball, or smash your opponents job, whatever it would take to sink one before the buzzer was all that mattered.
For me, I never really gave this game a fair shake (it was hard to look at any other basketball during the 8-Bit days when Double Dribble was cleaning house) and something about the stark black backgrounds felt rather uninviting; but for a time, lots of people were having a good time punching lights out in Arch Rivals.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Retro Game of the Day! Bionic Commando
Bionic Commando was absolutely one of the stranger turns during the NES' history, yet absolutely one of its' most enjoyable. A difficult game to begin with, but ultimately very satisfying with a unique story and wonderful execution. A must-see.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Retro Game of the Day! Pengo
You control a little penguin who is being pursued by Sno-Bees (awesome name!) You can push ice blocks into them to crush them (combo this for big points!); alternatively, push special diamond blocks together for (bigger) points, or likewise to clear the round.
As mentioned, Pengo's not a bad game (and it really set the stage, ultimately, for Kickle Cubicle, one of my loved games from back in the day). It's a little difficult and not terribly easy to grasp at the outset, which counts against it - but it's got something going for it which makes me come back. Also, there was a much more advanced 16-Bit Megadrive version released several years later that expands on the theme and gameplay greatly, it looks great and I will have to review it down the road.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Retro Game of the Day! The Super Spy
Overall, kinda shallow, pretty simplistic. This is an old game from a different time, but it is interesting to look at and some fun can be had if you're a certain type of gamer. Interesting to look at for the history, just don' expect to spend too much time geeking out with it.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Retro Game of the Day! Super Mario Bros. 3
It's trite to mention it, but games like this and it's ilk (Mega Man 2, Metroid, Castlevania) were absolutely what kept Nintendo head and shoulders above its' competition in the 8-Bit days. These titles really blew away the higher-tech arcade machines as well, despite their simpler looks they were just much more deeply playable. It was a Golden Age of Gaming the likes of which we will never experience again (of course, it helps that I was still early in my teens..)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Retro Game of the Day! Air Buster
At the end of the day, AB is just another shooter with a couple of nice things going for it; very unique to this game was that it's on a short list of 2-Player side-scrolling shooters, and that alone makes it worth investigation. Also unusual is its' load screen (in a cartridge, wha?) and the fact that a version released for the TurboGrafx-16 as well, under the name Aero Blasters (with somewhat better graphics, I do recall). Also.. man, that boxart is hideous. Still, if shooters are your thing, and especially if you've got a buddy handy, you guys might wanna give Air Buster the once-over.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Retro Game of the Day! Hang-On
To sum up, Hang-On - truly remarkable and trend-setting game. Yu Suzuki, legendary designer. I wish I could find a Hang-On unit right now (if anyone knows where there's one in SoCal, gimme a ring!)