Joystiq

Square Enix summons a class-based action title in Crystal Conquest

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:30:00 EST

Last week Square Enix's mystery title was outed as Crystal Conquest, a Flash-based action title for Japanese consumption, set to launch this summer. Details are now sidling out, as noted by 4gamer and translated by Andriasang:

Crystal Conquest is a side-scroller with characters shifting between two planes of play, it uses mouse controls only, and it has four classes: Warrior, Scout, Priest and Sorcerer. The goal is to destroy the enemy's home base before time runs out or the enemy destroys yours. At the end of the match, damage and enemies killed are added up and the winner crowned. The battle edifices are called Arrow Tower, Crystals and Summons Facilities, and the title will include classic Square Enix summons functions.

The full list of Crystal Conquest details and a few high-res screens can be peeped right here.

Square Enix summons a class-based action title in Crystal Conquest originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Hexagon' is Terry Cavanagh's latest jam

Jordan Mallory — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:30:00 EST

We hope you weren't planning on getting anything done for the rest of your entire life, because every waking moment of productivity you had in your future will be consumed by Hexagon, a browser-based twitch game by Terry Cavanagh of VVVVVV fame.

You control a small triangle that orbits the hexagon in the middle of the screen. Various shapes and line segments fall toward the hexagon, and it's your job to avoid them in a frantic-yet-calculated, reverse Tempest-style gauntlet of adrenaline and frustration. You must last predetermined amounts of time in order to advance to the next level, at which point the game speeds up and the incoming shapes increase in complexity. The whole experience is set to a phenomenal chiptune track courtesy of Chipzel; it feels like we should be playing it in that rollerblade techno club from Hackers.

The game was created yesterday morning for Pirate Kart V, a two-day event in which hundreds of programmers around the world attempt and create as many games as humanly possible in the short span of 48 hours. It's a wonderful example of game design in its purest form, and we challenge all of you to beat our best time of 35:23 at Level 4.

'Hexagon' is Terry Cavanagh's latest jam originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Mario Bros. Crossover version 2 mashes up Mario worlds

JC Fletcher — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST

Remember Super Mario Bros. Crossover? We hope you wouldn't be able to forget something like that -- it's the browser game that lets you go through Super Mario Bros. as Ryu Hayabusa, Contra's Bill Rizer, Link, and others.

Developer Jay Pavlina just released version 2, and it's a heartbreakingly beautiful work of retro-gaming. Now there are multiple versions of all the characters, including NES, SNES, and Game Boy styles, and you can cycle randomly through versions of all the levels in those styles.

Best of all? Among those styles are Demon Returns and Super Demon Returns, the Super Mario Bros.-style game from the DS's Retro Game Challenge 2. So you can totally play as the tank from Blaster Master in Super Mario Bros. levels that look like Retro Game Challenge.

The characters include Mario, Luigi, Link, Samus, Simon Belmont, Mega Man, Bass, Bill Rizer, Ryu, and Sophia the 3rd -- all with alternate looks, and character-appropriate special abilities. Did we mention this runs in your browser, and that therefore you could be playing it right now?

Super Mario Bros. Crossover version 2 mashes up Mario worlds originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Mario Bros. Crossover gets a makeover in Version 2.0

Ludwig Kietzmann — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:30:00 EST

The 2.0 update for Super Mario Bros. Crossover, coming in Q1 2012, gives the homemade blend-em-up a bit more flash and a wider spectrum of nostalgia. And the new SNES and Gameboy visuals don't detract from the game's real purpose, which is to destroy that aloof minion Lakitu in new and interesting ways.

Super Mario Bros. Crossover gets a makeover in Version 2.0 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Abobo's Big Adventure begins today

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST

Abobo's Big Adventure is ready for action. The free-to-play Flash game from I-Mockery stars Double Dragon's mega man in a mishmash of classic NES settings. He's trying to rescue his son, Aboboy, from a rogues gallery of yesteryear's best-known (and most pixelated) characters.

There are several clever details in the first few moments of the parody, including a string of suicidal baddies from Kung-Fu, an assault by Donkey Kong and the angelic deaths of Spy vs. Spy. The game may take a little while to load, but it should be worth it for aficionados of old-school.

Abobo's Big Adventure begins today originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fake Miyamoto takes to Twitter and revitalizes Nintendo franchises in Flash

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:15:00 EST

As if the saga of Fake Peter Molyneux weren't an exciting enough Twitter story, today we were introduced to Faux Shigeru Miyamoto, who creates amazing Flash games using classic Nintendo characters. Both Mario and Kirby are lampooned in Flash on the impersonator's Tumblr site, as well as the legendary creator himself of course. Presumably the totally-not-retiring slash potentially retiring developer isn't just pulling a fast one on us all, and we very much doubt these are prototypes for that original game he's making.

Regardless, we suggest one thing before heading into any of the games on said site: turn your volume way, way down. Or up, if you're extremely hard of hearing, but otherwise, ya know, it's super loud. Deafeningly so.

Fake Miyamoto takes to Twitter and revitalizes Nintendo franchises in Flash originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Abobo's Big Adventure arrives on January 11

Mike Schramm — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:15:00 EST

Abobo's Big Adventure is a free-to-play Flash game from I-Mockery that sends the Double Dragon strongman through a carousel of old NES settings and parodies. And if you're anything like us, you've been waiting for its release ever since that debut trailer first burned your eyeballs out with its awesomeness. Well good news, friends: The wait is almost over, as I-Mockery has announced a release date of January 11 for the title, confirmed on the official website.

The bad news is that only gives you eight too-short days to make your peace with the world before your mind succumbs to the insanity of this one as well. Better work fast.

Abobo's Big Adventure arrives on January 11 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony still holding out hope for Flash support on Vita

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:30:00 EST

Even with how prolific HTML5 has become across these great and vast internets, Adobe's Flash still accounts for the broad majority of internet content across the webs. For mobile-hardware manufacturers, the issue of Flashiness on their devices has, up until very recently, been a design decision, with OS developers weighing Flash's considerable processor and battery costs against its added utility; utility which Sony still hopes to include in the Vita.

Despite the cancellation of development and discontinuation of support for Flash on mobile devices, Sony Division 2 software-development head Muneki Shimada has said that his company is continuing its negotiations with Adobe, and that the end of Flash for mobile may not necessarily mean the end of Flash for Vita. We're not really sure how someone could negotiate a company back into supporting a dead platform, but if anyone knows anything about dead platforms, it's Sony.

Sony still holding out hope for Flash support on Vita originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Abobo's Big Adventure sets out with a debut trailer

David Hinkle — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST

You know, we'd like to think that if our son was ever kidnapped, we'd cross continents to get him back. Abobo crosses whole dimensions in the pursuit of his kidnapped offspring in Abobo's Big Adventure, an upcoming free-to-play Flash game. He also falls onto cats from outer space and eats human heads whole in one bite, though we're not sure if that's good parenting or just being a psychopath.

Abobo's Big Adventure sets out with a debut trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Poleriders: The new browser game from QWOP creator

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:00:00 EST

If you've just finished Dark Souls and are looking for an entirely new method of torturing yourself through video games, this new project from QWOP developer Bennet Foddy should suit your needs quite well. It's called Poleriders, and it's a competitive, two-player pole vaulting game. Only, instead of trying to use a pole to clear a raised bar, you're trying to either kick a ball through your opponent's goal, or kick your opponent's head, which is also tantalizingly ball-shaped.

Truth be told, we didn't find it nearly as difficult as QWOP -- though, we suppose difficulty will change based on the relative pole vaulting skill of your adversary. Vaulting against your roommate? No problem. Vaulting against four-time US Nation Outdoor Champion vaulter Jeff Hartwig? Well then, buster, you're in for a world of hurt.

Poleriders: The new browser game from QWOP creator originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hold on, UE3! Crytek is 'investigating' Flash for CryEngine, 'cross-platform solution' reveal soon

Christopher Grant — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST

Sounds like we weren't the only ones impressed by Epic Games' announcement of Flash support for the ubiquitous Unreal Engine 3. The crosstown engine peddlers at Crytek have been "looking into supporting Flash" in CryEngine, Edge reports, and will announce a "truly cross-platform solution" soon. With UE3 now supporting Flash, in addition to Mac OS, iOS, Android, PC, Xbox 360 and PS3, CryEngine's support of just the big three is beginning to look a tad anemic.

"It is an interesting approach we've been investigating as well," Carl Jones, director of global business development for CryEngine, said of Epic's announcement. "We're developing a unifying technology to create high quality social and gaming experiences on all platforms including browser, smartphones, tablets, etc. We hope to be able to tell you more about it soon when we present our truly cross-platform solution."

With Crytek Seoul hard at work on the free-to-play FPS Warface, it's not surprising to learn that Crytek is looking to broaden the potential audience for its games as much as possible. What's next, Crysis on your console? Oh ...

Hold on, UE3! Crytek is 'investigating' Flash for CryEngine, 'cross-platform solution' reveal soon originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic and Adobe announce Unreal Engine 3 support for Flash 11

Arthur Gies — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST

While everyone else was watching Apple talk about games on the iPhone, Adobe and Epic had a different cat to let out of its bag: Unreal Engine 3 support for the web-based Flash Player 11. During Adobe's annual ADOBE MAX conference, Adobe and Epic demonstrated a version of Unreal Tournament 3 running in Adobe's ubiquitous web plugin.

This could mark a major transition in social gaming, particularly on Facebook and Google Plus - social game developers already leverage Flash heavily on both platforms. Infinity Blade visuals on Facebook? It could happen.

Full press release after the break.

Gallery: Unreal Engine 3 Support for Adobe Flash Player

Continue reading Epic and Adobe announce Unreal Engine 3 support for Flash 11

Epic and Adobe announce Unreal Engine 3 support for Flash 11 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Double Fine Action Arcade Soundtrack' collects Flash game hits

JC Fletcher — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 02:00:00 EST

Have you ever bought the soundtrack to a Flash game before? You might want to now. The "Double Fine Action Arcade Soundtrack" contains 40 tracks from the developer's Flash games, including Tasha's Game, My Game About Me, and Host Master and the Conquest of Humor., composed by Bert Chang and Razmig Mavlian. The $9.99 download also throws in several bonus tracks from the two Double Fine musicians.

If you'd like to hear the soundtrack before buying, you can preview the soundtrack on iTunes, or you can, you know, just go play those Flash games with your speakers on.

[Thanks, Shawn!]

'Double Fine Action Arcade Soundtrack' collects Flash game hits originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Machinarium 'hopefully' coming to iPad next month

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:30:00 EST

Amanita Design's lovely little automated adventure title Machinarium seems like a natural fit for the iPad, which is in many respects also a tiny, helpful robot. The game hasn't made its way to the tablet due to its Apple-unfriendly Flash programming; however, Amanita founder Jakub Dvorsky recently told Pocket Gamer that the title's iPad iteration "should be ready during the next month ... hopefully."

We suppose we can excuse the ambiguity, considering how difficult it must be to rebuild a Flash-based game on a non-Flash-based platform. We only ask for one thing in return: Extra robots. We don't care who they are or what they do, we just need them to be adorable.

Machinarium 'hopefully' coming to iPad next month originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Incubus is the next band to have a video game

David Hinkle — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 03:00:00 EST

It seems like nowadays, unless you've got a video game starring your band, you're less a band and more a bunch of broke people hanging out -- Linkin Park proved that. Now, hot on its heels, Incubus has debuted its own Flash game: Incubattle.

Incubattle is a beat-'em-up that takes heavy inspiration from last year's retro-inspired licensed title Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Picking one of the band's five members, you'll take to the streets and combat a whole platoon of pirates aiming to steal the band's latest album. We imagine that's an everyday occurrence when you're in a band people know.

[Thanks, Lewis]

Incubus is the next band to have a video game originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 16 Jul 2011 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Alphaland' Flash game goes behind the screens

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 05 May 2011 22:30:00 EST

Ever wondered what's going on in the background of your favorite video games, behind all the moving pictures and pretty sounds? A new Flash game from Jonas Kyratzes titled Alphaland answers that very question by placing players in a rough Alpha version of a minimalist platformer, and then placing them deep within said Alpha's metaphysical guts.

If it sounds confusing ... well, that's because it is. But it's also pretty short, and pretty sad, and pretty pretty. If you've got a few minutes, give it a play over at Newgrounds!

'Alphaland' Flash game goes behind the screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 May 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fancy Pants Adventures preview: Getting those fancy pants dirty

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:15:00 EST

Fancy Pants Adventures started life as a well-received Flash game, and was on show in its downloadable XBLA/PSN incarnation at EA's "Spring Showcase" event last week in NYC. Fancy Pants -- the game's main man -- isn't much in the way of size; he's a stick figure with a pair of sweet orange pants and a little brillo tuft atop his circle head.

The lightweight, hand-drawn art style of stick figures and basic levels helped the game stand out to me among the many Unreal 3-powered titans surrounding it. And playing it, I learned, was an absolute blast.

Gallery: The Fancy Pants Adventures

Continue reading Fancy Pants Adventures preview: Getting those fancy pants dirty

Fancy Pants Adventures preview: Getting those fancy pants dirty originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waste your Friday playing Fotonica

Justin McElroy — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST

C'mon, it's Friday. You know everybody else in the office is taking it easy. Check out Debbie, you think she's working on next week's ad budget? Nope. She's looking at pictures of her sister's birthday party on Facebook and wondering how she stays so skinny. Look at Rick in HR over there, you just know he's catching up on the scores from last night's [insert prominent sporting events here].

Why don't you head over to Kongregate and check out Fotonica, Santa Ragione's extremely cool new first-person running game you play with just one button. As you'll see in a trailer after the break, the game features a gorgeous wireframe aesthetic, so maybe you can convince your boss that you're making 3D ... work ... models, or something. Heck, he probably won't look up from The View long enough to notice.

Continue reading Waste your Friday playing Fotonica

Waste your Friday playing Fotonica originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kinect Hacks: Flash, HTML, Unity and Silverlight integration

David Hinkle — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:00:00 EST

Blitz, an interactive marketing agency, has released its source code and scripts for a Kinect mod that outputs data compatible with Flash, HTML, Unity and Microsoft Silverlight. The company, which helped launch Halo: Waypoint with Microsoft and 343 Industries, explains that the device's standard C++ programming language was too limited for budding Kinect hackers.

Hit the jump for the tutorial video.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Flash, HTML, Unity and Silverlight integration

Kinect Hacks: Flash, HTML, Unity and Silverlight integration originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Chance: The adventure game you can only play once

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 21:00:00 EST

Sometimes, Flash-based games catch our collective attention thanks to an innovation so simple it's puzzling that it took a designer so long to put it into practice. That's the case with Awkward Silence Games' One Chance, a simple, side-scrolling adventure title that puts you in the shoes of Dr. Pilgrim. The good doctor has invented a cure for cancer that -- oops! -- will kill every living thing on Earth in six days.

Here's the twist: After you beat the game, you're stuck with the ending you get on your first playthrough (so long as you play along with the limitations of the platform and don't go deleting your browser cache). You don't get a second chance. Hence the name.

There's only a handful of decisions you can make during the last six days on Earth, but each one has an impact on your final, final destination. Choose wisely! Wait, what are you doing? No, don't do that! You'll regret it forever!

One Chance: The adventure game you can only play once originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GameStop cards can buy Kreds on Kongregate, retail sales fueling digital profits

Mike Schramm — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST

If you were a little puzzled about why retail chain GameStop invested in the Flash gaming site Kongregate earlier this year, here's (at least part of) your answer. The company has announced that GameStop gift cards will now be able to purchase Kongregate's "Kreds" virtual currency, which can then be used to buy unlocks and items in Kongregate games, or even "tip" developers who upload games to the site. Each dollar on a GameStop card equals 10 Kreds, and since those gift cards can be found not only in GameStop stores, but at grocery stores, bookstores and other places of commerce, that's a lot more Kreds Kongregate kan kapture.

Whoops, sorry, we got a little karried away there. The company is also offering a promotion for the deal, with up to 30 percent bonus Kreds given for any GameStop card used on the site through December 8. You have to give it to GameStop -- it's coming up with some really interesting ideas in its efforts to stay floating above the onrushing tide of digital distribution.

GameStop cards can buy Kreds on Kongregate, retail sales fueling digital profits originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Treat yourself to a Ghost Trick demo

JC Fletcher — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 22:30:00 EST

Back in March, we linked a Japanese-language demo for Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. Now, you can play that Flash demo in English, not only allowing you to experience the introduction to the DS puzzle adventure, but to know what the hell you're experiencing!

Continue reading Treat yourself to a Ghost Trick demo

Treat yourself to a Ghost Trick demo originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flash game Chick Chick Boom finally headed to WiiWare

JC Fletcher — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:10:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Way back in 2007, Nintendo released a Flash game called Chick Chick Boom, playable in the Wii browser. Three years later, developer Tons of Bits has completed a WiiWare version of the chick-vs-chick action strategy game, informing it's been submitted to Nintendo for approval.

Chick Chick Boom involves drawing the outlines of weapons to fling them into the opposing team's area. Though the Flash game doesn't appear to be online anymore, you can get a better idea of how it works by checking out the video after the break.

Gallery: Chick Chick Boom (WiiWare)

Continue reading Flash game Chick Chick Boom finally headed to WiiWare

Flash game Chick Chick Boom finally headed to WiiWare originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Room adventure game is tearing us apart, Lisa

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

So, here's the thing: If you're not in on the cosmic joke that is Tommy Wiseau's impossibly bad masterpiece The Room, you're probably not going to grok anything we're about to talk about. Everyone else, brace yourself: Newgrounds founder Tom Fulp released The Room Tribute earlier this morning -- an adventure game which recreates the aforementioned film scene for scene from the perspective of its nigh-unintelligible protagonist.

What could have been a quick and easy Flash game is actually a pretty lengthy experience, with collectibles (like hidden spoons tucked all throughout San Francisco) and expansions of The Room universe not present in the film, such as the haunting interior of Denny's apartment. Oh, also much like the film upon which it's based, The Room Tribute features frequent, thoroughly unerotic nudity -- so don't play it at work. But do play it at your earliest convenience. It is simply wonderful.

Unless, of course, you haven't seen the movie. You monster.

The Room adventure game is tearing us apart, Lisa originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Mario Crossover update coming June 25

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

We've been flipping through the ol' Joystiq archives, trying to find precedent to post about an update to a Flash-based game, but, well, we came up empty-handed. No matter -- we wouldn't be able to sleep tonight knowing that we'd kept the news of Super Mario Crossover's upcoming additions to ourselves. On June 25 the game will be updated, adding some new features and new equipment for each hero, and introducing Ryu Hayabusa as a playable character.

Check out all the new features and abilities coming in the update in the video posted after the break -- or, if you've yet to experience the magic of Crossover, you can see what all the fuss is about over at Newgrounds.

Continue reading Super Mario Crossover update coming June 25

Super Mario Crossover update coming June 25 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 13 Jun 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ninja Gaiden's ninja guy joining Super Mario Crossover

JC Fletcher — Wed, 26 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Super Mario Crossover was already a miracle, faithfully dropping protagonists from Contra, Mega Man, Castlevania, Zelda and Metroid into Super Mario Bros. A teaser trailer (that's right, a trailer for a Flash game!) after the break heralds the arrival of another NES-era champion: the wall-climbing, statue-hunting ninja in the sleeveless uniform, Ninja Gaiden's Ryu Hayabusa. Ryu brings his wall-climbing ability from his NES games, as well as the shuriken and boomerang-style Windmill Shuriken weapons.

Now we'll get to see how powerful Ryu can be in a game free of heat-seeking birds! Or, we'll get to see that whenever creator Jay Pavlina actually makes the new version of Crossover available.

Continue reading Ninja Gaiden's ninja guy joining Super Mario Crossover

Ninja Gaiden's ninja guy joining Super Mario Crossover originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prince of Persia Flash game is better than you think

Justin McElroy — Wed, 12 May 2010 17:00:00 EST

For all the vitriol we hurl at Wii shovelware and farming-centric Facebook games, we often forget the class of electronic entertainment most deserving of scorn: The Flash promotional game. No, not a game promoting The Flash (honestly, dude could use some love right now) but rather those diminutive, ugly trifles that litter official sites of movies and (in some cases) fast food restaurants.

So understand that when we say, "This Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Flash game is actually kind of good!" it comes from people who expect the worst from this particular breed. That said ... it is kind of good, right? In an overly complicated Canabalt sort of way?

Prince of Persia Flash game is better than you think originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 May 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Armor Games

Justin McElroy — Tue, 11 May 2010 21:00:00 EST

Being a giant, beloved video game blog has its downsides. For example, we sometimes neglect to give independent developers our coverage love (or loverage, if you will) as we get caught up in AAA, AAAA or the rare quintuple-A titles. To remedy that, we're giving indies the chance to create their own loverage and sell you, the fans, on their studios and products. This week we talk with Armor Games' Daniel McNeely (Founder) and John Cooney (Head of Game Development), who converted a love of medieval Flash games into a full-on gaming hub.

How did Armor Games get started?

DM: Armor Games got started out of the desire to make quality Flash games available to just about anyone. There're so many out there, we wanted to be consistently great.

We initially launched as 'GamesofGondor,' with the intent of focusing on medieval games. I'm a big fan of Tolkien, CS Lewis, Robin Hood, King Arthur and pretty much anything representative of chivalry, so it was a natural choice. Anyway, I quickly found out that the word 'Gondor' was protected by one of Tolkien's law firms, and so I searched for another domain name that would keep it Medieval. I found ArmorGames.com, and went from there. I worked from my bedroom for a year before bringing on my first full-time employee (John Cooney, our game development lead). Being independent and supporting indie game development has always been important to us, so I'm glad we can continue to fund and sponsor Flash games in the long-term.

Continue reading The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Armor Games

The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Armor Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 May 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coconut Dodge bounces to PSN May 19 in Europe, 'soon' in US

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 10 May 2010 14:43:00 EST

Coconut Dodge, the first PlayStation Mini game from Flash developer Futurlab, is coming to Europe on May 19 and "as soon as possible" in the US, according to a recent developer tweet. It's a rather simple game, where you must do exactly as the title suggests: dodge coconuts. There is some depth, though, as evidenced by the addition of hard-to-reach silver treasures and a bouncing ball, which players must balance to receive various bonuses.

Coconut Dodge will debut with a limited promotional price of £1.99 on the EU PlayStation Store (until July).

Continue reading Coconut Dodge bounces to PSN May 19 in Europe, 'soon' in US

Coconut Dodge bounces to PSN May 19 in Europe, 'soon' in US originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 May 2010 14:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Learn typing, flee invading robots with Canabalt: Typing Tutor Edition

JC Fletcher — Thu, 06 May 2010 03:00:00 EST

For those of you who are entirely too good at Canabalt (and we see you there on the leaderboards, you smug jerks), Adam Atomic has introduced a more difficult version under the guise of "education."

Canabalt: Typing Tutor Edition is the same game you're familiar with, but with the jump command mapped to a letter key that changes after every few uses, displayed in the corner of the screen. In order to successfully navigate the endless rooftop path, you have to be able to access the right key immediately. It also includes optional spacebar or double-click-based control options.

You can play the game in a browser window here. We don't expect to see this one on iPhone -- or, at least, we hope we never have to use the iPhone's virtual keyboard for this.

[Via GameSetWatch]

Learn typing, flee invading robots with Canabalt: Typing Tutor Edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 May 2010 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marvel planning Flash game adaptations for download platforms

Mike Schramm — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 02:00:00 EST

Marvel executive vice president Ira Rubenstein says that the comics company has been experimenting in-depth with Flash games (not to be confused with games about DC's The Flash), and that it's looking to bring some of its most popular online minigames to console download services. The comic book company's strategy in terms of gaming was "like a TV pilot system," he told an audience at today's LA Games Conference.

The plan was to come up with lots of Flash games and deploy them on Marvel's websites very quickly. Now, some hits are emerging (he gave the example of the Super Hero Squad Stark Tower Defense game), and the next step for the company is to focus on improving and supporting those hits on platforms like XBLA, iPhone, and iPad.

Rubenstein says "the combination of classic gameplay with a brand twist" like that found in Stark Tower Defense is what's selling with audiences. And he says that big sales like those of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 prove that there's a space for Marvel games on the downloadable game platforms, so it makes sense to invest in Flash "hits" by taking them there. Which is fine by us -- let us know when we can pay our $10 for our Deadpool Match-3 on PSN.

Marvel planning Flash game adaptations for download platforms originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Mario Crossover would have killed us in 1989

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:40:00 EST

Sometimes, we wonder what it would be like if versions of ourselves from the past could be magically transported to today and have their minds blown by all the technological advances in video gaming technology. We have a feeling that they'd be disinterested in our "movement controllers" and "big definition graphicals," and would instead become entranced by a new Flash game by Exploding Rabbit that's sweeping the nation at terrifying velocities: Super Mario Crossover.

The premise of the game is simple: It is the original Super Mario Bros., only your choice of playable characters isn't just limited to squat, Italian plumbers. You can also wreck Goombas while playing as Link, Mega Man, Samus, Simon Belmont or Bill (you know, from Contra). You could also just be Mario, but why would you do that, when you could be Bill from Contra? Stop being so silly.

[Thanks, Eric]

Super Mario Crossover would have killed us in 1989 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Have ten minutes? Play an RPG from beginning to end with Synopsis Quest

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST

Joystiq publishes a story about every thirty minutes. While you wait for the next post to appear on the site, you can constantly hit F5 and click on every single ad you see ... or, you can play Synopsis Quest. Broken up into 25 micro-games, Synopsis Quest reduces the quintessential elements of every JRPG, from character creation, to finding a princess, to escaping a prison, and more.

The solution to many of the puzzles won't be immediately apparent, unless you've been trained to recognize JRPG conventions. In many situations, doing what you're "supposed" to do will lead to disastrous results. Think outside of the box, and you'll be able to beat an RPG -- from beginning to end -- in about ten minutes. Good luck!

[Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

Have ten minutes? Play an RPG from beginning to end with Synopsis Quest originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog recreated in 8-bit style

Justin McElroy — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:00:00 EST

We couldn't be more excited about the 8-bit recreation of Joss Whedon's mini-masterpiece Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog by Doctor Octoroc (whom you may remember from his 8-Bit Jesus). For one, it's adorable, as you can see on his official site or in the video we've placed after the jump.

For another, it gives us the chance to finally write about Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, just a couple of years after everybody else. ... So, umm, did you guys see that Dr. Horrible yet? Also, while we're at it, what's up with those Yatta guys?

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Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog recreated in 8-bit style originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official Xbox 360 USB drives priced by GameStop

Mike Schramm — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:20:00 EST

GameStop has leaked information about those official Xbox 360 USB hard drives we've heard about (first rumored and then officially), and they ain't cheap. According to the confusingly similar GameSpot (who saw the prices temporarily listed on GameStop's website), there will be both 8GB and 16GB drives available, the smaller for $39.99 and the larger for $69.99. According to Major Nelson, we'll see them in stores in May.

Of course, the system update will also allow you to use any USB drive (not just the official Xbox-branded ones), but before you get visions of 1TB of storage plugged into your Xbox, remember that there's a 16GB limit on each of two possible devices, so you can have only 32GB total. Fortunately, an unofficial 16GB flash drive is about half of Microsoft's price over on Newegg. You may have to tweak things a little bit, as the official drives are meant to be "plug and play," but it can't be that complicated. The GameStop listing is down for now, but we'll see these drives officially in just over a month or so anyway.

[via Engadget]

Official Xbox 360 USB drives priced by GameStop originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC: Making games to prevent violence against children

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

The highlight of yesterday's GDC Serious Game Summit panels focused on an appropriately consequential topic: How games can help protect children from the commonplace dangers they face from predators, both online and off. The panel was led by Child Safety Research and Innovation Center president Allan McCullough -- a man who's strived to develop games which teach young people how to identify and avoid dangerous situations.

The two Flash-based games which represent the fruits of McCullough's two decades of labor look deceptively simple on the surface. They are, after all, hand-illustrated, poorly animated educational games geared towards children, with budgets too small to allow the hiring of professional voice actors and experienced gaming professionals. However, beneath the crude surface of these games lie clever methods of imparting crucial information to their young players which could ostensibly help them avoid encounters with people who mean them harm.

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GDC: Making games to prevent violence against children originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We now understand why everyone loves Cream Wolf

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:00:00 EST

Cream Wolf, the most recent release on the prestigious Adult Swim line of browser-based games, might just be the first surprise smash hit of 2010 so far. It's been sweeping through the gaming press, swooning everyone who comes in contact with it. After spending a half hour with the game, we completely understand why -- and we wager you will too. Seriously, go play it.

We're not going to spoil the game by going into too much detail about it, though we will say that you're a werewolf who sells ice cream to kids. That's a good enough jumping off point for your imagination, we think.

We now understand why everyone loves Cream Wolf originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott re-enters games atmosphere with new social media project: Portalarium

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:18:00 EST

Known spacefarer and castle-owner Richard Garriott isn't going to let a relatively unsuccessful MMORPG launch keep him down. Lord British himself, along with former NCSoft colleagues Dallas Snell, Fred Schmidt and Stephen Nichols, has revealed the launch of a "broad-based" social media company dubbed Portalarium. The outfit is working to first offer "online game apps" and then hopes to expand into "open learning, open health, open science/environment, open government and much more." Whatever that means.

The announcement was kind enough to detail the company's first big project: The Portalarium Player, a browser plug-in that allows games developed on a number of platforms (i.e., not just Flash) to work within the confines of social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. Garriott is speaking more about the young company's future at D.I.C.E. -- so we'll flag him down later today to find out what gamers can expect from the studio. (At the very least, we hope to get some totally awesome space stories.)

Richard Garriott re-enters games atmosphere with new social media project: Portalarium originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canadian public health group makes safe sex game

Justin McElroy — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:00:00 EST

The public health unit in London, Ontario has put together a trivia-based video game called Adventures in Sex City, a sort of comic-book inspired quiz with some ... stiff penalties for failure. You can play it here, but if you're at work, you probably shouldn't.

According to Shaya Dhinsa, manager of sexual health at the Middlesex-London Health Unit, the game is "a launching pad for the discussion." So, if you're not at work, maybe you and we can have a frank, NSFW video discussion about this game right after the break.

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Canadian public health group makes safe sex game originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First-Person Tetris will spin you right round, baby, right round

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:15:00 EST

Do you like Alexey Pajitnov's timeless puzzler Tetris as much as you like succumbing to unrelenting waves of nausea? You'll probably want to check out the new Flash-based sensation, First-Person Tetris. There's not much of a learning curve, here -- it operates pretty much exactly like the block-dropping puzzler you know and love, only with a small twist. We'll let you figure it out for yourselves -- why not give it a spin, provided you've got some free time (and a strong, strong stomach).

First-Person Tetris will spin you right round, baby, right round originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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