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Skyfighter: an old-school side-scrolling shooter for PSN
Creat's support for the PlayStation Network seemingly has no end. Although the studio's TerRover was just released this week, Creat has already revealed its next game: Skyfighter, an "unabashedly retro" side-scrolling shooter. The gameplay looks straightforward -- players take control of a small fighter plane, gunning and bombing over 21 levels -- but that's to be expected of a title from a studio whose previous works include Hamster Ball and Smash Cars. Skyfighter will also have a multiplayer mode, but TheSixthAxis reports that it will be offline only. Surprisingly, the game is arriving on the PlayStation Store for PS3 in just a "few weeks" time. Perhaps Creat wants Skyfighter to fly under the radar -- but we're certain the sales team wouldn't appreciate that.
Wakeboarding HD demo splashes out tomorrow
You've seen videos of TikGames' Wakeboarding HD, but it's hard to shell out $10 $15 for a new game that you haven't played. Tomorrow, a free demo of the game will be available on the PlayStation Store in both Europe and North America. "Creat Studios has already received great response to Wakeboarding HD, and we are excited to offer PSN players a demo version of the game," Creat Studio CEO Vladimir Starzhevsky said in a press release. "After performing a couple of tricks and riding the realistic waves, we are confident that players will love Wakeboarding HD." Since its release, the PSN exclusive has suffered from a critical panning on Metacritic, earning a 58. However, user reviews seem much more positive (78). Playing the demo should give you a better idea of who's right.
More Magic Orbz DLC makes its way to PSN this week
Creat Studios and TikGames are releasing yet another DLC expansion pack to their popular PSN ball-bouncing game, Magic Orbz. The Jungle DLC pack will be available on the PlayStation Store this Thursday, April 15th, for $2.99. The DLC will hit the European Store next week, April 22nd, for €2.99. Like the "Wicked Witches" and "Winter" packs before it, this adds 25 new stages and a set of new Trophies for players to acquire. If you have yet to buy Magic Orbz, it's on sale on the PlayStation Store right now for $4.99. But you'll want to hurry to take advantage of this deal: the discount ends tomorrow.%Gallery-90419%
Creat Studios and TikGames begin half-off sale on PSN this week
Once the April 1st PSN Thursday update goes live, Creat Studios and TikGames will open up a new, branded storefront featuring all of their games. To celebrate the occasion, all seven PSN games released by the two companies will be discounted at 50 percent off: $4.99 Games (regularly $9.99) Cuboid Digger HD Interpol Magic Orbz Mahjong Tales Mushroom Wars $7.49 Games (regularly $14.99) Smash Cars The deal will be available for two weeks, so mark it in your calendar if you don't want to miss this sale.
Wakeboarding HD splashes onto PSN this month
Take one part Wave Race, mix it with some Tony Hawk and Smash Cars and you get Creat Studios' next PSN game, Wakeboarding HD. The game has you snatching all sorts of collectibles while you navigate the choppy, trap-filled waters left in your jetski's wake. Stunts seem to be a crucial aspect of getting a high score, as is trying to keep an "action chain" alive throughout each race. Wakeboarding HD will be available on March 18th in Europe and March 25th in North America for $14.99. Check out a trailer after the break.
Discover a free Digger HD demo soon
Didn't check out Creat Studios' Digger HD when it released on PSN last year? Don't worry, as you'll be able to get a free taste soon. A free downloadable demo will be added to the PlayStation Store on February 18th in Europe, and February 25th in North America. For the uninitiated, Digger HD is (unsurprisingly) an HD remake of the classic Digger arcade game from the 80s. You control a construction vehicle that must go through an underground maze, digging to collect treasures and power-ups, while avoiding monsters.
ESRB lists Freekscape for Minis in the US
Creat Studios, one of the few proud and brave developers supporting Sony's PSP Minis service, recently announced in a PlayStation Blog post that it had three titles in the works for Europe: Alien Havoc; Freekscape and Bubble Trubble. Alien Havoc is already available here in the States, but a recent ESRB listing suggests that Freekscape is also on its way. The ESRB site describes Freekscape as "a platformer game in which players run around a "cartoony" version of the underworld ("Hell") as a small demon creature, essentially a "good" devil." You can check out a two-minute video sample of Freekscape's blend of puzzle-platforming after the break. [Thanks, Blake]
Rumor: Wakeboarding HD footage leaked
Creat Studios is rumored to be working on a wakeboarding game for the PlayStation Network simply titled Wakeboarding HD. It appears the very first footage of this PS3 game has found its way online via a rather unusual source: a random posting on the Gamespot forums. A look at the thirty seconds of gameplay seems to suggest that this is indeed Creat's next PS3 game, with gameplay and graphics that resemble its last PSN game, Smash Cars. Embedding has been disabled for this video, so check it out on YouTube. After watching the video, is this something you'd like to play? Let us know in the comments. [Via PSN Stores]
Magic Ball transforms into Magic Orbz with upcoming DLC
One of our favorite PSN games of 2009 has to be Magic Ball, the simple (yet charming) brick-breaking game from Creat Studios. Starting tomorrow, the game will be renamed Magic Orbz, in preparation of a second DLC pack. For $2.99, the "Winter Theme" pack will add 24 new levels and four new Trophies to the title. It will appear on the PlayStation Store tomorrow in Europe, and on January 14th in North America.
Demo, the Smash Cars, you can have
The team that's bringing you the Mushroom Wars demo is also preparing a Smash Cars demo for tomorrow. Thankfully, the trial RC racer will be available in both Europe and North American when the PlayStation Store updates. "Just one action-packed lap around the track with real-time physics, innovative stunts and next-generation graphics will be sure to capture gamers' attention," said Vladimir Starzhevsky, co-founder and CEO of Creat Studios, Inc., in a press release. Hopefully, the demo will include more than just one lap. %Gallery-48220%
Demo, the Mushroom Wars, you can have
It may look like PixelJunk Monsters, but does it taste as good? You'll be able to find out when you dine on a free Mushroom Wars demo. Creat Studios is offering a free trial of its game on the PlayStation Store this Thursday for European players. (For reasons unknown to us, North American gamers will have to wait until December 10.) The demo will offer five levels to play -- a generous serving that will presumably make players hungry for more. %Gallery-64654%
PSP Mini 'Bubble Trubble' pops up on PSN Nov. 12
Posting on the PlayStation Blog, Creat Studios has detailed the release plans for its upcoming PSP Mini, Bubble Trubble. Featuring both survival and challenge modes, the bite-sized burst-'em-up will launch on PSN this Thursday, November 12, for $4.99.The color-matching gameplay has you connecting (presumably trubblesome) bubbles together, with similarly colored spheres fusing, expanding and then exploding in space-clearing catharsis. The commentary on humanity's self-destructive propensity for greed and the dangers of corporate conglomeration is perhaps a little too obvious, but the colors are nice.
Mushroom Wars begin Oct. 15 on PSN, $10 enlistment cost
Creat Studios, which has done several PSN titles at this point, will unleash Mushroom Wars on the PS3 this Thursday, October 15. The PixelJunk Monsters-looking RTS has players controlling adorable armies that will slaughter each other in that endless pursuit for control of land, with mushroom bases being the staging ground for the next assault.Some may say Mushroom Wars' premise and cutesy art don't mix, but after watching the Critter Crunch creatures feed each other through rainbow vomit, we don't know if there is a line anymore between cute and disturbing.%Gallery-64654%
Digger HD plows into Europe this Thursday
Digger HD was launched during the PSN Thursday deluge last week in the States, and now the EU PlayStation Blog brings word that the game will make its way under the Atlantic for this week's update. Creat Studios updated the '80s classic to appeal to those who prefer less jaggy graphics and more pleasing bleeps and bloops from the sound spectrum -- then again, you can always play the game in all its retro glory within the "vintage mode."The game comes with 60 levels and costs €9.99/£7.99. Check out the video after the break to get a better idea of what you'll be digging into with a purchase.
Smash Cars careening to PSN August 20
Scott Hyman at Creat Studios recently popped up on PlayStation Blog to announce Smash Cars, a game more about racing and stuntin' than smashing, will be available on PSN August 20 for $14.99. Sure, we know what you're thinking. Why pay for a game about racing and doing crazy stunts when you can just wait until 2 a.m., sneak downstairs, steal mom's keys from her purse, and go joyriding in her Geo Tracker? As fun as it is to do donuts in the Perkins parking lot (believe us, it sure is), the tickets and possible jail time that come afterward sure aren't.
Smash Cars to flip onto PSN this month, demo planned
Creat Studios continues to support PSN with exclusives, like the upcoming Smash Cars. This is easily the most "hardcore" game the studio has offered on PlayStation Network, and is the first of many to come. Planned for a release later this month, Smash Cars will offer stunt-infused arcade racing action -- online only -- for a low-budget price of around $10. Considering the production values of Smash Cars, that's a pretty incredible value.For the first time ever, Creat Studios will offer a demo of one of their games. Previous games were geared towards the casual player, so the studio thought a demo was unnecessary. However, Creat Studios believes a demo of Smash Cars will really whet the appetite for more. From what we've seen so far, we'd agree.%Gallery-48220%
Mushroom Wars brings more cute, cuddly RTS death to PSN
This isn't PixelJunk Monsters -- but you'd be hard pressed to say otherwise at first (or second) glance. Creat Studios is bringing yet another PSN exclusive this summer, and this one seems to be inspired by Q-Games' popular tower defense game. While the art and music styles are more than a little reminiscent of Monsters, the gameplay is closer to that of IGF nominee Dyson. While Monsters is all about defense, you'll have to be far more aggressive in Mushroom Wars, amassing a giant army and strategically taking positions as quickly as possible. It may not look original, but we're excited to get our hands on the game as soon as possible.%Gallery-64654%
Digger and Mushroom Wars coming to PSN this summer
Creat Studios continues its growing library of PSN games. The studio behind Cuboid, Magic Ball and the upcoming Smash Cars, is planning on releasing two more games on the PlayStation Network this summer. Digger is a true HD remake of the classic 80s PC game. Players must navigate an underground maze, digging horizontally and vertically to create a path, collecting power-ups, jewels and coins whilst avoiding monsters. The game will be available in both remade and classic modes.Mushroom Wars is an arcade-inspired RTS. The visuals have a PixelJunk look to it, albeit a bit more sinister. Players can play through Skirmish and Campaign mode with four difficulty levels. Custom music support, VoIP and YouTube recording support will all be included.%Gallery-64650%%Gallery-64654%
Joystiq interview: Creat Studios' Vladimir Starzhevsky
PlayStation fans are familiar with the work of Creat Studios. The team's recent PSN-exclusive efforts, such as Magic Ball and Cuboid, have given the studio a newfound audience of loyal followers. We spoke to Creat's CEO Vladimir Starzhevsky about the benefits of working with Sony, and the team's future, Smash Cars and beyond.The company has worked on a number of games in the past, but has recently grabbed the attention of gamers and press. What is the driving force behind the company's transformation?Thank you for noticing the transformation. We have been working very hard to achieve this. Two factors have been key. First, we made the investment in becoming a publisher for PlayStation Network. Some saw this as a risk, but it has given us much more freedom and opportunity to develop and publish both our own IP and licensed IP of our choosing. Second, a great new group of talented and experienced individuals have joined the Creat team over the past year, including the addition of a marketing team. Their contributions, and those of our hard working veteran team in Russia, have made quite a difference.
Magic Ball, Cuboid and Mahjong Tales DLC revealed [Update]
Creat Studios' PSN games have gained quite a bit of attention in the PlayStation community for their addictive nature and impressive graphics. These exclusives will be getting DLC content soon, with Magic Ball being the first in line. Magic Ball will receive a "Wicked Witches" pack ($2.99) this week. The pack adds 25 new levels and new Trophies. A free patch will also add custom music support. Cuboid will gain 33 new levels and a level editor that allows players to create and share levels with each other. The new levels will cost $2.99, while the editor will cost $3.99. Both can be purchased in a bundle for $4.99. A free patch will also add custom music support. Mahjong Tales will gain 25 new levels and a level editor that allows players to create levels. This DLC pack will cost $4.99. A free patch will add mouse support (!). Cuboid and Mahjong Tales will get DLC in the weeks to follow. Update: Added price information.%Gallery-50066%
