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The creator of 'Shovel Knight' is making a new action-adventure game
It's a top-down "bone-chilling action adventure" entitled Mina the Hollower that's inspired by Gothic Horror.
Some stubborn but clever person put Google Maps on the NES
Way back in 2012, Google "released" an 8-bit version of Google Maps as one of the company's then-annual April Fool's Day jokes. There was a low-res 8-bit style of Google Maps to play with, but the company didn't deliver on its promise of a cartridge you could pop in your old Nintendo Entertainment System. However, some nine years later, someone figured out how to pull this off, with the help of a heavily-modified NES system and the previous work of other hackers before him.
Adidas made a Snapchat game to drop limited, 8-bit-themed baseball cleats
Adidas is teaming up with Snapchat on a unique way to launch a product. The sportswear giant has created an 8-bit game you can play in Snapchat, called Baseball's Next Level, where you'll have the chance to buy its new 8-bit-themed baseball cleats. Produced in partnership with developer AvatarLabs, Baseball's Next Level is a home run derby, old-school style title that will let you play as some of Adidas' Major League Baseball athletes. That includes Aaron Judge (Yankees), Carlos Correa (Astros), Alex Bregman (Astros), Justin Turner (Dodgers) and Kiké Hernandez (Dodgers), all of whom have their own Adizero or Icon V cleats in the Adidas 8-bit collection, which you can buy directly from the game.
Textiles become circuits in 'The Embroidered Computer'
Google and others have developed smart clothing with built-in integrated circuits, but what if the textile itself formed the circuit? That's the idea behind The Embroidered Computer, an interactive installation from artist and researcher Irene Posch and designer/artist Ebru Kurbak , shown at this year's Instanbul Design Biennial. It's a working 8-bit electromechanical computer made from gold, linen, hematite, wood, silver and copper that functions equally as a decorative textile. As Posch notes on her website, the piece explores "the appearance of current digital and electronic technologies surrounding us, as well as our interaction with them." At the same exhibition, the artists also showed off The Yarn Recorder, a device that can record and playback sounds using steel-cored yarn.
'Descent'-inspired 'Sublevel Zero Redux' coming to PS4
If you're interested in some Descent-like shooter action, you could wait for Descent Underground, the crowdfunded game from from a developer behind Star Citizen. However, it's not expected to arrive until next year, and when it does, there are no plans for a console release. There is another option, though: Sublevel Zero: Redux. Based on the well-received original that launched on Steam in 2015, the console version for Xbox One and PS4 brings new content, campaigns and more.
Dodge Beyoncé's haterz in the 8-bit game 'Lemonade Rage'
If you've ever dreamed of being Beyoncé for a day, you're in luck. A small group of game designers created Lemonade Rage: an 8-bit adventure where you dodge haterz, bullshit and Illuminati conspiracists to smash cars, fire hydrants and good hair ads. It's basically the video game version of Beyoncé's video for the song "Hold Up" where she strolls down the street doing damage with a baseball bat. The more mayhem you cause, the more lemons you earn for lemonade.
Arcano Systems' chiptune synth offers 80s video game nostalgia
Here at Engadget, we have quite an affinity for all things that remind us of what it was like to play video games in the 80s. That includes musical instruments and gear that are capable of reproducing those iconic chiptune sounds we all know and love. Arcano Systems is no stranger to those tones and the company has taken to Kickstarter to fund yet another of its creations. The company has a knack for creating the 8-bit chiptune synths, including last year's NES Chiptune Synthesizer. This time around, it created the Obscura 8-bit Chiptune Synth 2: a MIDI synthesizer that emulates the sounds of games from Nintendo NES, Famicom and Commodore 64.
Coleco Chameleon will resurrect your favorite Atari 2600 games (update)
The Coleco Chameleon from Retro Video Game Systems won't land on Kickstarter until the end of the month. However, it did hit Toy Fair earlier this week to give the public a little taste of its retro-gaming goodness and score a few deals. And score it did, landing the rights to the Atari 2600 library. That's over 300 games, as well an option for the company to develop new games based on all that classic IP. (Update: We've gotten in touch with Atari; see comments at the end of this post.)
'80s game designers had to cheat their way to color graphics
We take powerful computer graphics for granted nowadays, to the point where we complain when 4K games won't play at 60fps. But YouTube's iBookGuy showed how tough designers had it back in the 80s just to make color graphics work, period, on 16K machines of the day. They had to use a variety of workarounds just to get 16 colors on a 320 x 200 screen, as that would normally eat up your entire 16K of RAM right there. Developers for machines like the NES and Commodore 64 resorted to dividing the screen into "cells" that could each hold only two colors, a trick that used up just 9K of memory.
Nintendo leaks an 8-bit Mario Amiibo ahead of E3
It should come as no surprise, given Nintendo's propensity for creating Mario games, that the company can't stop making Amiibo based on its most-famous character. Since the NFC toy line was introduced last November, we've already seen five: Super Smash Bros. Mario, Mario Party Mario, Gold Mario, Silver Mario and Dr. Mario. Thanks to an email from Nintendo Spain (first spotted by Nintendo Inquirer), it appears there's going to be a sixth: 8-bit Mario. The newsletter included an image of the retro-styled figurine along with a shot of an unannounced Animal Crossing collection that'll feature at least four characters from the series.
Trove shows off its wonders for January
Do you like seeing all of the creative projects that people can put together in Trove? The team behind the game certainly does, since one of the cornerstones of design is to get creative. Which is why there's a new post detailing some of the wonders to be found in the game from the month of January, Club Worlds that offer visual flair and a unique perspective. Some of the worlds are mostly just visual treats, others are functional spots that allow you to ride along special tracks to hear music or take part in a high-speed pinata-cracking festival. If you want an idea about what new worlds to visit during your next play session, you could do worse than hopping into the game and taking a gander at what's on display.
Trove adds pirates and promotes pets
Yesterday was a fairly important update for the blocky world of Trove, as the new patch introduced genuine, bonafide pirates to the game. Players can now hunt down pirate ships to plunder them for goods while looking forward to future sea-themed updates. Also notable in the patch is that player pets have been promoted to allies. It's not just a name change, either; allies have "extra special powers" that can be used to help players in their journeys. Check out the patch notes for the full details.
Trove unveils a trailer for the Ice Sage class
We understand what you're worried about, dear readers, so allow us to reassure you. In the trailer past the cut, there are no references to an animated film from the Disney corporation about cold. There are also only two ice puns, and they're "puns" only by the most generous definition of the term. More like ice-related references for Trove's Ice Sage. Of course, part of the reason for this is probably the fact that the trailer lasts a grand total of thirty seconds, so there wasn't all that much time for ice-based humor. But if you want to see the class in action, you can do so, and isn't that what you're really after? Glad to hear it. Jump on past the break and chill out.
Trove vows to become 'the ultimate sandvox'
Trove Game Director Andrew Krausnick isn't above making grand statements, saying in his 2015 preview letter that he wants the title to become the ultimate sandvox. "Modest, right?" he begins. "Simply put, if there's something fun to do with voxels in an MMO adventure setting, we're going to be there and we're going to be the best." With that out of the way, Krausnick goes on to outline some of the big goals for the coming year. He said that the team is working to add gliding, sky islands, rune crafting, water islands, fishing, swimming, more block types, more mechanics, and definitely more classes. Another big focus Krausnick mentions is to expand the economy: "We also think it should be easy and rewarding for everyone to trade and participate in the economy, so we'll be creating a system this year to make the trade channel simply a small part of a larger economic system!" He finished his letter by saying that the open beta test will be ending "sooner rather than later," indicating an early 2015 launch.
The 8-bit Time Machine takes game music back to 1985
Modern game soundtracks are nice thanks to their full orchestras and high-definition sound, and chiptune music can be a fun trip down Nostalgia Lane. While it may seem like you'd have to choose one or the other, you can have your audio-flavored cake and eat it too thanks to "The 8-bit Time Machine," a 10-track album from Italian film composer Giovanni Rotondo that seeks to give listeners 8-bit versions of modern game soundtracks, albeit with a few modern tweaks. Featuring 8-bit interpretations of themes from the likes of Destiny, Super Mario Galaxy, Battlefield 1942, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Watch Dogs as well as two original tracks, the album is currently gathering backers on crowdfunding site indiegogo. As of writing, the campaign has $1,033 raised of its $1,000 goal, with a $1,500 stretch goal to add four tracks. Rotondo is planning to release the album via iTunes, Google Play, Amazon mp3, Pandora and Spotify in January 2015. [Image: Giovanni Rotondo]
Trove introduces the Ice Sage
It's that time of year again when the days are shorter, the weather is colder, and a disproportionate number of songs playing everywhere you go relate to ice crystals covering the ground. (Unless you live south of the equator, in which case you're just wondering what we're on about.) To accompany the winter weather, voxelbox MMORPG Trove has introduced its newest class, the Ice Sage. You can probably guess what that one's all about; the name is not exactly a mystery. Ice Sages chill enemies with their basic attacks and avoid slipping on icy surfaces. They can also summon icicles, absorb attacks, and create a deep freeze in their immediate area to freeze and damage enemies. If that sounds cooler than being cool, you can pick the class up in the in-game store now.
Trove gets a sugar high with its Candy Barbarian class
Feed your sweet tooth in your gumdrop house on Lollipop Lane: Trove has added the Candy Barbarian to the game today. The Candy Barbarian is the sixth class added to this quirky sandvox; it stands alongside other characters like the Neon Ninja and the Fae Trickster. It uses twin swords and has a small array of candy-themed attacks, including Vanilla Swirlwind and Sugar Crash. Currently Trove is in open beta and has no plans to wipe progress going forward.
Mr. Particle-Man is a refreshing, retro blast
I don't consider myself a gamer in the sense that I avidly play games on a regular basis. I just play them for sheer enjoyment or to pass time, especially when something is trendy and addictive. Every so often a game comes along that reminds you why you play them in the first place. One of those games is Mr. Particle-Man, a basic retro-style game for iPhone and iPad in which you must maneuver Mr. Particle-Man to the round's "exit" while avoiding potential danger and collecting up those particles. It's utterly charming for a host of reasons and for US$1.99, you too are able to get in on the charm. Right off the bat, I'll tell you what makes Mr. Particle-Man so intriguing: it's never the same. Every level is uniquely designed and no two feel too similar to one another. Additionally, there's constantly new obstacles being thrown at you. Just when you think you've figured out all there is to know about the game, something new comes along. For a small little dot, Mr. Particle-Man keeps you on your feet. A clearly designated "Exit" offers relief for Mr. Particle-Man. You drag your finger around the screen and Mr. Particle-Man follows, almost as if at his own will. The motion is so fluid and flexible that it might take you a few rounds to really get the hang of it. Each level has four particles you should try to nab on the way to the exit since they boost your score a bit. As you progress in the game, you have to continue strategizing. At first it might seem like flashing walls and platforms are your only enemy, but soon you find yourself trying to outrun a flashing demon particle (my own nickname for it,) sliding across conveyor belts or blasting through barriers. What's brilliant about Mr. Particle-Man is that the game manages to keep adding on layers without overcomplicating it or overwhelming the user with visual cues to remember. While the game includes over 100 levels, a few boss rounds are thrown in as well. In these, a boss replaces the exit. You have to find a way to deplete the boss's power and ultimately destroy it to move forward in the game. It's an entertaining twist from the standard levels, which are already distinctive on their own. If I had to put a single piece of paper in the request box for Mr. Particle-Man, it would be for individual access to levels. I want to be able to jump to any level at will after I've already "unlocked" it along the way, rather than just having to either continue where I left off or start over. The game already offers iCloud integration so your progress stays in sync across all devices, which I appreciate. Mr. Particle-Man is like an instant classic. It's engaging, memorable and for two bucks it brings plenty to the table. In fact, it's actually somewhat of a sequel to Ms. Particle-Man by the same developer with the same price tag. If you're looking for a creative arcade-style title to try out, look no further than Mr. Particle-Man for iOS.
Trove enters open beta, ArcheAge deploys Auroria in the EU
Have you been looking for another pixel-polygon building game to call your home? After being in the test phase for so long that you could be forgiven for speculating that it would never be released, Trove has hit open beta, letting everyone log in and try the game for both bugs and just for the heck of it. There will be no more wipes of the database, so you could easily regard this as something of a soft launch for the game. If you're not feeling that particular sort of building and you're over in the EU, you can instead try your hand with the latest update for of ArcheAge, which mirrors the patch deployed earlier this week on the US servers. Hopefully the EU rollout will not include the same login issues that hit the US servers as well. The patch is scheduled to go live today at 5:00 p.m. GMT. [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
Trove plans open beta for November 5th
Step by blocky step, Trove is working its way toward release. Next week, the colorful sandbox will reach another milestone as it goes into open beta on Wednesday, November 5th. Trion Worlds announced the upcoming transition today along with one happy fact: There will be no wipes from closed beta. The studio also mentioned that the game's sixth class, the Candy Barbarian (seriously), will be coming "soon." Trove transitioned from alpha to beta testing late in September.
