Jools-Watsham
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Xeodrifter explores the 3DS eShop next week
Jools Watsham, co-founder of Mutant Mudds developer Renegade Kid, has revealed that the studio's next game, Xeodrifter, will reach the Nintendo 3DS eShop on December 11. It will be priced at $10. For those who missed October's trailer, Xeodrifter is a classically-styled platforming game with light roleplaying game progression elements that emphasizes exploration of a labyrinthine world while relying on aesthetics that are modern but clearly modeled after the pixel-heavy games of the early 1990s. In other words, it falls squarely into the "Metroidvania" subgenre, though it adds a new wrinkle to the well-worn formula by including the plane-hopping mechanic first seen in Mutant Mudds. "I am a huge fan of Super Metroid, Metroid: Zero Mission, and Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, and have always wanted to develop a game in that sub-genre," Watsham wrote earlier this year. "The day finally came where the desire to develop it got too strong and I just had to act on it. Xeodrifter was born." [Image: Renegade Kid]
Renegade Kid's Cult County misses funding goal, considering alternatives
Renegade Kid's Kickstarter project for Cult County concluded today, failing to meet its lofty $580,000 goal. The Mutant Mudds and Dementium developer's Co-Founder Jools Watsham thanked the project's 1,492 backers via Twitter and a backers-only update on the page, who managed to raise $46,736 in one month, and acknowledged that Renegade Kid is "discussing other options" for the game moving forward. Set in a small west-Texas town, Cult County follows the story of Gavin Mellick across five episodes, a man that learns about a cult as he seeks his sister to deliver news about their ailing mother. The developer first revealed Cult County at PAX East in March 2013. Initially planned for 3DS, Renegade Kid expanded the game's scope to include versions for PC, Mac, Linux, Wii U, Xbox One, PS4, PS3 and Vita. Watsham said others suggested the developer should "reduce the [number] of platforms and budget for Cult County," but asserted that the "only way to reduce budget is to only make episode [one]." [Image: Renegade Kid]
Renegade Kid wins back rights to DS shooter Moon
Renegade Kid has finally won back all rights to Moon, the studio's atmospheric first-person shooter and exploration game for the DS. Renegade Kid co-founder Jools Watsham confirmed the news on Twitter today. Renegade Kid will pursue a sequel to Moon. Watsham said the developer had always planned to make a sequel, but Mastiff wouldn't go along with it. One trip to the moon was enough for that publisher, apparently. The proposed Moon sequel is one of many projects currently underway at Renegade Kid. The developer is working on Treasurenauts, which is due some time this year, on top of two unannounced 3DS games also due in 2014.
Mutant Mudds Deluxe aiming for Cross-Buy PSN launch near the holidays
Renegade Kid is "aiming for Christmas" to launch Mutant Mudds Deluxe on PS3 and Vita, co-founder Jools Watsham recently tweeted. The platformer will be Cross-Buy and Cross-Save compatible, so those that own both systems will only need to purchase one copy of the game to both access it and transfer their save files to the other console. Mutant Mudds first launched on the 3DS eShop in January 2012, and has players blasting muddy monsters as a boy named Max, a kid armed with a water gun and a jetpack. Watsham also noted that he is currently designing a "secret project" codenamed CGC alongside his work on the Mutant Mudds ports and Renegade Kid's Treasurenauts, another platformer that's slated to arrive on the 3DS eShop in December.
Mutant Mudds Deluxe for Wii U almost ready to be submitted
Developer Jools Watsham has tweeted that Mutant Mudds Deluxe, which was set to come to the Wii U this spring, has reached the final stage of development. Watsham says the game is currently being polished, and that it should be submitted to Nintendo for release later on this week. The Deluxe version of the retro platformer will be playable directly on the Wii U's tablet controller, and will feature both the add-on content from the main game and new levels to play. If the game is submitted this week as planned, it should appear on the eShop soon after.
Mutant Mudds plops onto Wii U in Q1 2013, is 'even more unique'
Mutant Mudds on Wii U has a launch plan for Q1 2013, bringing unique content to the console, Renegade Kid co-founder Jools Watsham tweets."Well, it's going to have even more unique content for a start! And, out Q1 2013," he says.Watsham outed something called Mutant Mudds Deluxe on Wii U in September, giving us a single screenshot and nothing else, the tease. Mutant Mudds is already available for the 3DS eShop and PC, with an iOS version due this week. This could be one to look out for after getting a Wii U "for your family" (it's for you; don't lie) for the holidays, since we found the 3DS version to be worthwhile and "really frustratingly/enjoyably hard in the Mega Man tradition."
Mutant Mudds Deluxe coming to Wii U
In the chaos of the Nintendo Direct press briefing today, Renegade Kid co-founder Jools Watsham posted the above picture of Mutant Mudds Deluxe for Wii U to his blog.While Watsham recently revealed that Renegade Kid would be developing games for Wii U, we didn't know another incarnation of Mutant Mudds would be migrating to the upcoming Nintendo platform.
Bringing Mutant Mudds to PCs and into 'CGA-Land'
Renegade Kid's Mutant Mudds, the pixelated action game first released on 3DS – and a much more difficult game than its kid hero and water gun weaponry would suggest – is headed to PC on August 30. A trailer released alongside that announcement hinted at new levels, whose look recalls CGA computer graphics, joining the Game Boy and Virtual Boy-style bonus levels found in the 3DS game.Renegade Kid director Jools Watsham wanted the new content to be "special," he told Joystiq. "When the thought of doing the classic PC look of the 80's crossed my mind, it was the obvious choice to go with." These new levels require the skills of unlockable character Grannie, who is only available after the completion of the main game.
Renegade Kid teases new project
We like Renegade Kid. As the name behind Dementium (flawed, but still fun and hella scary) and the extremely promising Moon, the studio is shaping up to be one of the success stories of this generation. And now they're coming back with a brand new game for the DS! Or the Wii! We don't really know, because if Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham tells us anything about this new project, somebody will probably have to kill him, or something. All he'll reveal is that the project is "the game I'm most excited about ever in my career." Wow. For what it's worth, we snooped around on Renegade Kid's job postings page like the ace sleuths that we are, and found them looking for a DS level designer. Those minor, minor clues aside, it's a mystery for now, but going on past form, there's a chance some very cool 3D technology will be involved. %Gallery-20245%
Renegade Kid talks challenges with Dementium
After Fountainhead's Anna Kang spoke about the "younger audience" the DS commands this week, it's refreshing to see someone taking the opposite position. Jools Watsham, Creative Director at Renegade Kid, the team behind Dementium, has a lot to say about M-rated games on the DS, a system that commands an audience of, well, pretty much everyone. While some companies may be worried about sales numbers before plotting out a game, the good folks at Renegade Kid were more interested in finding ways around those barriers, and Watsham was happy to tell us all about it."When I think about it now, there I was trying to convince publishers to pick up our game while putting up every red flag there is. They must have all thought we were crazy! Our hope was that publishers would think our game was good. And thankfully they did. Gamecock didn't want changes or anything watered down. They just told us to go for it," Watsham said, and we're glad to hear about Gamecock's faith in the new developer. With no other titles behind them and without an established franchise to lean on, as with some of the system's other mature fare, Watsham knew they were going to face challenges with Dementium: The Ward.%Gallery-4929%
