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Mechner's pre-WWI adventure, The Last Express, pulls into Steam
Jordan Mechner's classic adventure game The Last Express keeps popping up in new places, which makes its title a bit misleading but is also a pretty cool thing. The Last Express' latest stop is Steam, where the Gold Edition is now available for PC for a discounted price of $5.25 through December 7. The Last Express launched in 1997 for PC, Mac and DOS, and it takes place aboard the luxury Orient Express in July 1914, just before the outbreak of World War I. The game follows American doctor and French fugitive Robert Cath as he attempts to reach his friend in Constantinople. Things on the train get pretty intense, Downton Abbey style. The Gold Edition includes an advanced hint system, a new UI and inventory, fresh achievements, cloud saves via the Steam Cloud, and in-game extras.
The Last Express now on Google Play
Jordan Mechner's 1997 adventure game classic, The Last Express, arrived on Google Play for Android devices this morning. The game is also available on PC and pulled into the iDevice station last September. The Last Express is set in 1914 on the Orient Express, where people had very little else to do for several days, so they passed the time by getting involved in romance, murder and intrigue. The Last Express is 20 percent off during the game's launch period, so buy a ticket for $3.99.
Karateka Classic coming to iOS and Android tomorrow
History repeats itself in both video games and colas it seems. Years after releasing the original Karateka, Jordan Mechner revised the formula, giving the world "new" Karateka. Some people liked the new flavor – others, not so much. Hearing the demand of fans everywhere, Mechner has announced that Karateka Classic is coming back, specifically to iOS and Android. Karateka Classic recreates the Apple II experience – right down to the disk drive noises – and offers a range of "monitor" choices, including color CRT, green or amber display. There are a couple of new additions, including gameplay tips and a rewind feature that can be earned, allowing players to reverse their mistakes. Karateka Classic arrives on iOS and Android tomorrow for $0.99.%Gallery-188407%
Pay what you want for a virtual pile of video game ebooks
The new StoryBundle – a pay-what-you-want, DRM-free collection of eBooks – offers an instant collection of game history and culture, including Jordan Mechner's journals for Karateka and Prince of Persia, Videogames: In the Beginning by Ralph Baer (who would know!), Brendan Keogh's Killing is Harmless, a longform review/critique of Spec Ops: The Line, a couple of Kill Screen issues, and more. To get all the books, you need to pay at least $10; however, you can pay anything and get merely most of them. Either way, your ebook reader is going to be loaded up with game history.
Karateka compared on the Apple II and the iPhone
Jordan Mechner is the original creator of the classic Prince of Persia series, and as we mentioned earlier this week, he's recently remade another game of his, Karateka, in a brand-new form on the iPhone and the iPad. The video below, however, isn't really about the game itself -- it's about the devices used to run the game. Mechner compares the device he originally created Karateka on (the Apple II, or the Apple ][, as us oldsters know it) with the device he remade it for, Apple's iPhone 5. The differences are fascinating, and the video will either serve as a trip down memory lane for anyone who remembers the old days of floppy disks and big-box software, or as a wakeup call for those who are only used to quick and easy digital distribution and the App Store. Mechner also notes that software prices have dropped quite a bit -- but then again, audiences are much bigger these days, and software is generally more accessible. It's an interesting comparison for sure (and of course it's nice promotion for the new game, too).
Jordan Mechner compares Karateka on the Apple 2 and the iPhone
Wherein Jordan Mechner, the creator of Karateka and the Prince of Persia series, asks, "How do you like them Apples?"
Karateka on PC today, alongside Karateka development book
Jordan Mechner's rhythmic Karateka remake is out on PC today, available through Steam for ten percent off its normal $10 price. The price will flip-kick back up after a week. It's still listed only as "coming soon" to PSN and iOS.Coinciding with the release of Karateka on a new platform, creator Jordan Mechner has released an ebook about the development process of the original Apple 2 Karateka. The making of Karateka: Journals 1982-1985 collects Mechner's private journal entries about the time spent in college creating the martial arts game. It's on Amazon digitally today, and Mechner plans to release it in print later. Mechner has already released a journal book about Prince of Persia.Update: Karateka is now available on Steam.
Karateka review: Lacks punch
At first glance, Karateka doesn't look like a remake so much as a new game with the same name. Its cartoon visuals, 3D setting, and rhythm-based combat seem oceans apart from the 2D martial arts cinema of the Apple II beat-em-up. Yet look a little deeper and the classic's spirit reveals itself, albeit glazed with superficial icing. Those who revere the original may find this appetizing; it's the game they love, yet different and new. Judged on its own merits, however, Kareteka being true to its source is exactly why it doesn't satiate.As before, combat is the core of your journey, and movement is nearly insignificant. The original's side-scrolling converts to a one-way path, with you pushing the control stick upwards to roam the false 3D world. You reach a combatant, defeat him, run up the path, reach another combatant, defeat him, and so on. Apart from occasional cutscenes, this is how the whole game goes from start to end. %Gallery-170257%
Karateka launches on XBLA this week, PSN, PC, iOS to follow
Jordan Mechner's revamp of his classic martial arts fighting game, Karateka, is set to launch on XBLA on Wednesday, but the PSN and PC release will come at a later, unspecified date along with a newly announced iOS version.We have a few new screens from Karateka below. At first glance, we're having trouble reconciling the new vision with the original look – although we appreciate Mechner's bold leap forward. After all, this is the man who created and helped revamp Prince of Persia. %Gallery-170257%
The Last Express rolls onto iPhone and iPad September 27
Over 15 years on from when it first set out, Jordan Mechner's The Last Express is arriving on iOS this Thursday, September 27. In collaboration with French distributor DotEmu, Mechner re-released his 1997 adventure game on PC last year, but this year it comes to iPad and iPhone with some iOS-friendly tweaks.The Last Express is set on the Orient Express in 1914, combining an evocative, momentous time with romance, murder, and intrigue. Initially conceived in 1993, four years of high-end development took its toll on financial reserves, and than in turn hurt marketing and shelf life. While the game was a commercial disaster, it earned high acclaim from mainstream outlets like USA Today and Newsweek, an incredible achievement for a game of its time.If waiting for trains isn't your style, you can download the PC version now on DotEmu and GOG.com, which comes with a walkthrough, making-of video, and soundtrack.
Karateka planned for Wii U too, ESRB says
Jordan Mechner's classic martial arts fighter Karateka is headed for the Wii U, a recent ESRB rating states. We knew Karateka was coming to PSN and XBLA, but the ESRB lists PC, iOS and Wii U as platforms as well, suggesting Mechner's retrofitted ambition is deeper than he first teased.The ESRB describes the new Karateka as a "rhythm-fighting game" featuring Japanese warriors rescuing a princess, and all we can picture now is Mario in a kimono beating the tar out of some rhythms.
Jordan Mechner speaking at NYU Game Center next week
Would you like to hear the (honestly) thrilling story of Prince of Persia data transfer firsthand? Jordan Mechner is speaking at NYU as part of its Game Center lecture series on Thursday, April 26.Officially, the talk will cover "his work, provide insights into his creative process, and share stories from a career that ranges from creating games on his own to leading large game development projects to collaborating on big budget Hollywood movies," but we're sure there will be room in the program for talking about old disks!
Prince of Persia source code freed from floppies, posted online
You wouldn't think it would take more than two weeks to extract some source code from a pile of 3.5-inch floppies and post it online, but getting files from 1989 to play nice with a MacBook Air is no simple feat. That's why we're so appreciative of Jordan Mechner, who put the time and effort into freeing his creation, Prince of Persia, from its magnetic prison. If you want to try and build the platforming classic for your own system, hit up the source link. Or, just wait for someone else to do it for you -- we're sure it wont take long for some friendly binary formats to hit the web.
Prince of Persia source code successfully rescued
If you're a programmer, you may find inspiration in the source code for the original Apple II version of Prince of Persia. 23 years after the game's release, and about two weeks after finding his old floppies, Jordan Mechner has posted the source code to GitHub, where it's freely accessible.The copying took place at a "megacopy" party, assisted by digital archivist Jason Scott using various modified computer hardware. We're glad people like Mechner exist who can do things like "write Prince of Persia," and we're glad people like Scott exist who can figure out how to preserve this material for computers that aren't 35 years old. We're here to ... appreciate the effort? We're totally doing our part!
Original source code for Prince of Persia posted to Github
Before Ubisoft, there was Jordan Mechner, a Yale University graduate and video game designer. He may not be a household name among younger Apple fans, but vintage Apple aficionados fondly remember his first title, Prince of Persia. The story about this game took an interesting twist recently when the source code for the title, presumed to be lost, was found by Mechner's father. The classic game was published by Brøderbund for the Apple II back in 1989 and became an instant hit. Variations of the game eventually made its way to almost every video game platform thanks to Ubisoft which joined forces with Mechner in the early 2000s. During this transitional time from indie title to video game stardom, Mechner stored the original Prince of Persia disks and forget where he put them. According to Mechner's blog post, his father was spring cleaning and found a box of odds and ends that he sent to his son. Mechner was shocked to discover the original 3.5″ Apple ProDOS disks containing the Prince of Persia source code in that box. With the help of digital archivist Jason Scott, Mechner was able to retrieve the code and view it on his Macbook. He has now shared it on Github for the world to see.
Prince of Persia creator finds lost source code, cues delicate chip fanfare
No, we don't mean the modern interpretation and its moody sequels -- this is the 1989 original. Jordan Mechner created the first Prince of Persia game for the Apple II. However, the source code ended up lost in the sands of time -- until Mechner's dad discovered a box filled with 3.5-inch ProDOS disks. The creator's now attempting to transfer the code across to his MacBook Air and get it working on modern platforms. We just have to remember how to beat our evil reflection.
Jordan Mechner finds original Prince of Persia source code
Imagine if you happened upon a set of floppy disks containing the original source code for Prince of Persia. Chances are, you'd be pretty excited -- even if you'd already seen the code when you were writing it.Jordan Mechner, who did write Prince of Persia, received a box from his father containing a few retail Prince of Persia and Karateka packages, along with a couple of 3.5" disks. Those hold what Mechner believes to be the original Apple 2 source code for the platformer.The best news (for people who aren't Jordan Mechner): as soon as he figures out how to "extract something useful," he plans to put it online, providing a rare look at gaming history, and perhaps fodder for weird remix projects.
All aboard The Last Express on iOS, Mechner's classic adventure revamped
Jordan Mechner, creator of Karateka and a small, obscure franchise called Prince of Persia, is bringing his 1997 game The Last Express to iOS with the help of French developer DotEmu. The Last Express is a real-time, point-and-click adventure game taking place on the Orient Express just before World War I.DotEmu's version includes the entire game, all 20-plus hours of gameplay with a few "enhancements" for iOS devices, Mechner writes, and is expected to launch some time this year.
Jordan Mechner remaking Karateka for PSN and XBLA
Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner helped reignite the Prince of Persia franchise with Ubisoft, and now he's going to attempt the same with his other classic, the atmospheric martial arts fighter Karateka -- on his own.Venturebeat reports that Mechner has raised money through an angel investor and is now working with a small team on a remake of the fighter for release on PSN and XBLA this year. "Making the original Karateka was a labor of love," Mechner told Venturebeat. "To have so many people embrace it and share their stories of playing it has been really rewarding. I am always surprised to hear how much impact that game had. In remaking Karateka, I want to honor the original game with a compact, pick-up-and-play game that is fluid, atmospheric, and beautiful."The original Karateka, for those of you not as old as us, stars a black belt who storms an evil warlord's fortress, defeating all of his guards and finally the warlord himself, to rescue a captured princess. We're doubtful that a new Karateka will have the same impact without the beautiful 2D animation ... but we thought the same about Prince of Persia, and that didn't turn out too badly.[Image: original Karateka, Apple II version]
Prince of Persia leaps to Commodore 64
Finally, those stalwarts who refuse to "upgrade" from their trusty Commodore 64 computers can experience that hot new game, Prince of Persia. Homebrew developer mrsid ported the 1989 game from its original Apple 2 version, making the cartridge image available for download from his site. If you have a C64 or 128 and a flashable C64 cartridge -- or, more likely, if you have a C64 emulator -- you can check out the achievement. The rest of us will have to settle for this video, which looks remarkably smooth for an unofficial port on such an old system. It drew the attention of Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner, who commented to say "I'm amazed and humbled by the amount of work this must have taken." Mechner also solved the mystery of why there wasn't an official C64 version, even though there were so many ports: "Back in 1989, when I was making POP on the Apple II, I couldn't get anyone interested in doing a C64 port," he commented, "because it was too old a system."
