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VVVVVV heading to VVVVVVita
Terry Cavanagh's challenging platformer VVVVVV is heading to PlayStation Vita, Sony announced during its PlayStation Indie Arcade event at PAX Prime. VVVVVV first launched on PC in January 2010, then showed up on the 3DS eShop in December 2011. No release date was given for the Vita version of the gravity-flipping, chiptune-infested game.
Yatagarasu leaves 3DS for Vita, now called 'Legend of Raven'
Japanese indie fighter Yatagarasu was originally meant to find its way onto the 3DS, but will instead be released on the PlayStation Vita as Legend of Raven, publisher Nicalis has announced. Originally released on PC in 2011, a westernized 3DS port of Yatagarasu was announced just before last year's PAX Prime, though Nicalis has remained radio silent since. No release date has been given for the Vita version, which will be available through PSN. The platform jump was made due to "incredibly overwhelming response from the fighting gaming community," Nicalis CEO/Executive Producer Victor Rodriguez said in the announcement. The Vita version of the game will feature parallaxing backgrounds and a new soundtrack, in addition to "lagless" ad-hoc local multiplayer. Legend of Raven should not be confused with Yatagarasu Attack on Cataclysm, the PC-only, enhanced version of Yatagarasu that was just successfully funded through Indiegogo.
Indie PC fighter Yatagarasu now available through Rice Digital
Indie 2D fighting game Yatagarasu, developed by ex-SNK alumni Circle Edge, is now available on PC through its British publisher, Rice Digital. Having first launched in Japan back in the stone ages of 2011, this is the first time Yatagarasu has been directly available to an English-speaking audience.Oh, but the game itself has not been localized for western consumption and is still entirely in Japanese. It's also only £7.99, or about 12 bucks.The last time Yatagarasu showed up on our radar, Nicalis was preparing to display the still-unreleased, localized 3DS version to the crowd at PAX Prime. We've reached out to Nicalis for an update on the status of its port, but for now the bravest of you can venture deep into the heart of independent Japanese fighting game design from the safety of your own desks.
Studio Pixel's 'Gero Blaster' rescues cats this spring
Yesterday's BitSummit indie developer event in Kyoto proved its importance when Cave Story creator Daisuke Amaya unveiled his new game, Gero Blaster, an iPhone run-and-gun about a bipedal frog named Kaeru ("Frog") trying to save his cat girlfriend.It's due for iOS release in May; however, Nicalis producer Tyrone Rodriguez, who has worked with Pixel on various versions of Cave Story, Ikachan, and more, brandished a 3DS running Gero Blaster, posting a picture on Twitter as proof. There are no details about the 3DS plans yet, or any for other platforms, but the existence of the prototype is heartening.
Nicalis picks up Kickstarter-funded 'The '90s Arcade Racer'
The '90s Arcade Racer is a game by Pelikan13 meant to recreate the feeling of classic Sega racing games like Daytona USA and Scud Race. With six days left on its Kickstarter drive, it's exceeded its modest £10,000 goal.It's also picked up a publisher: Nicalis, best known for Cave Story. Nicalis will help bring the racing game to iOS, Android and Wii U, in addition to the planned PC, Mac and Linux releases.The project appears to have struck a chord with Nicalis producer Tyrone Rodriguez, who explains that he was a devout Sega racing game fan, as well as a designer on The Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift for PS2 and PSP. He also has "over 100 hours of real-world track time (open-wheel, street and race cars)." We hope that enthusiasm for racing shines through.%Gallery-178591%
Portabliss: Ikachan (3DS eShop)
This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go. Ikachan is a perfect snack-sized game. Coming in at around two hours, it offers a concentrated dose of pure Studio Pixel exploration.A precursor to Cave Story, It's the same kind of lovingly pixelated subterranean environments, the same kind of mysterious, mute protagonist dropped into a society in the midst of a power struggle, and the same kind of discovery of previously inaccessible spaces via new abilities that Pixel perfected in Cave Story, but in a miniature form you can enjoy start-to-finish in a single sitting. With a cute lil' squid as the hero.%Gallery-177672%
Nicalis wants your input on The Binding of Isaac's makeover
Nicalis is proposing four different art styles for The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, the console remake of Team Meat's bizarre PC game. Fans can vote on the four mock-up 16-bit art styles seen in the gallery below to determine which direction Nicalis will take the remake in.According to The Binding of Isaac creator Edmund McMillen's Tumblr blog, the game is getting a face lift "because I think the art is tired and I'm sick of looking at it." The survey also asks for input on which platforms the game should appear on, with 3DS and Wii U listed as options.Nicalis will begin development on the project in January and hopes to launch PS3, Vita and PC (Steam) versions of The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth by the end of 2013, with Xbox 360, iOS and Nintendo console ports a possibility. %Gallery-172447%
Binding of Isaac: Rebirth PS3, Vita, PC ports in progress
Surely Edmund McMillen didn't think 1 million Binding of Isaac fans would be satisfied with the scant details he provided about the game's console version, Rebirth, in yesterday's postmortem.He's taken to Tumblr to clear up questions about Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, confirming that publisher Nicalis is working on ports for PS3, Vita and PC via Steam. Nicalis is talking to Microsoft and Nintendo, and even iOS is an option, "if it's not garbage."Rebirth will include Wrath of the Lamb and a new, similarly sized expansion that features a fresh final chapter and ending, two new playable characters, and "tons more items, rooms, enemies, bosses and the like."Rebirth will have local co-op only, and it will contain some "secret stuff" that couldn't be added to the Flash version. Composer Danny Baranowsky is mixing up some new songs for the console version. It's set to begin development on January 1 and be finished by the end of 2013, and McMillen wants to have a loyalty pre-order discount for anyone who owns Isaac already."The biggest thing to keep in mind here is that development is just starting with the remake, nothing is totally set in stone and a lot will change over time," McMillen cautions. "I'm currently in full-time development of Mew-Genics with Tommy and we have a few other little tricks in store for you next year, so my goal with Rebirth is to simply make sure the remake is top-quality and then detail out the expansion and updates once development is much farther along."Yeah, yeah, whatever, McMillen – our eyes glazed over in glee right after reading "Vita."
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth starts over on consoles with Nicalis
Edmund McMillen's postmortem of The Binding of Isaac may be a bit premature, since right at the end he discusses a new way that the game will live on, in a console version published by Nicalis. It's called The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, and it will feature local co-op, revamped 16-bit graphics, and a second expansion, alongside Wrath of the Lamb, that didn't make it to the Flash version.McMillen says he was hesitant to develop another console title, after Super Meat Boy on XBLA ate up two years of his life. One of his guidelines in working with Nicalis is that he won't "deal with anything when it came to business."The Binding of Isaac has sold more than 1 million copies on PC and Mac in its first year on Steam, and 25 percent of those people bought the Wrath of the Lamb expansion as well. That's up from 700,000 full copies reported in June.There's no consensus on which consoles will get Rebirth, but in February McMillen noted he was looking at "1-2 Sony platforms." In the postmortem, he names Microsoft and Sony's digital platforms, as well as a Nintendo eShop release for Wii U or 3DS, the last of which is a one-eighty from that relationship earlier this year.
Cave Story dev's Guxt rated for 3DS, will include vertical display mode
As Cave Story designer Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya told us in an interview last March, he's been working on a version of his vertical scrolling shmup Guxt for the 3DS, and Nicalis, who's publishing the game, has just tweeted recently that it's been rated by the ESRB and is ready to go. You can download and play the game online for free on the PC right now, though the game will be updated for Nintendo's handheld for sure.One of the game's producers has tweeted that the title will have a "vertical display mode", so players will be able to tilt the 3DS to hold it vertically, and see the game on a correctly-aligned screen, rather than having a bar running through the middle of the action. Unfortunately, there's no word on exactly when the game will arrive, but considering it's been in development for a while., "soon" is probably the answer you're looking for. Stay tuned.
Cave Story pre-emptively rated for additional platforms
Last week, Cave Story's ESRB rating was updated to include new platforms: PS2, PS3, Vita, and Xbox 360 in addition to the existing 3DS, DSi, Wii, and PSP ratings. We contacted developer and publisher Nicalis to determine whether to expect Cave Story on even more platforms than it's already on.In short, no. The ESRB ratings are not indication of definite plans. "We submitted all the consoles so that we wouldn't have to resubmit in the future," producer Tyrone Rodriguez told Joystiq, "IF [emphasis his] we ever decided to bring to those consoles."The good news is that you are very likely to already have a platform to play Cave Story on.
Portabliss: NightSky (3DS eShop)
This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go. I can never think, or write, about NightSky without using the word "meditative." So I'm just going with it. NightSky is meditative in the extreme. It throws calm and serene imagery all up in your face. It's not overly easy; rather, the combination of clever level placement, soothing music and subtly beautiful visuals make the whole experience more ... well, meditative.When the 3DS port was first announced, Nicalis producer Tyrone Rodriguez told us it wouldn't display in 3D. However, the final game does include stereoscopic visuals. "We tried it and it looked better than we thought," Rodriguez explained to Joystiq, simply. "But then we had to ditch the gyro," referring to plans to use tilt controls.%Gallery-169349%
Portabliss: Cave Story (3DS eShop)
This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go. In discussing any specific version of Cave Story, it's not particularly useful to evaluate it on its gameplay merits. Any version you pick up is going to be great on those terms. Even if you're playing it with a keyboard on PC, the controls are going to be responsive and movement is just going to be fun. It's one of the best Metroidvania-style games on any platform, and the release of a new version is just another excuse to try it. So try it!What is more useful than evaluating each new version is unpacking the differences between the many, many versions. With that in mind, the new Cave Story for the 3DS on eShop is Cave Story in 3D, but it is not Cave Story 3D.%Gallery-167055%
Cave Story's 3D revamp comes to eShop on October 4
Cave Story comes to the 3DS eShop next month, developer Nicalis tells us. The indie darling's revamp becomes available for download on October 4 for $9.99.Not to be confused with 3DS game Cave Story 3D, this is effectively Cave Story+ minus the HD art and music that came to the Steam game. What the eShop version does include is all its sprites rendered in multi-layered 3D, the extra challenge modes, and widescreen support. Meanwhile, DSi owners aren't left out as a 2D version is also coming to DSiWare.%Gallery-165330%
Indie fighting game Yatagarasu coming to 3DS eShop
Cave Story publisher Nicalis is bringing a new fighter to 3DS eShop, with an impressive pedigree. Yatagarasu – that's the name given to the Japanese PC release, but it's due to change here – is developed by Circle Edge, a three-person team made up of former SNK talent including art director Styleos and designer Umezono. Weirdly, it features "a unique optional commentator system that mimics the tournament trash talk experience."The handheld fighter will be on display at next week's PAX Prime, within the expanses of the Indie Megabooth.
Swift Stitch collects shinies on iOS this week via Nicalis
Continuing its partnerships with interesting indies (Studio Pixel, Nifflas, etc.), developer and publisher Nicalis is bringing Sophie Houlden's vector-style racing/puzzle/maze game Swift Stitch to iOS on July 5.It's difficult to explain the mechanics – hold a button to turn, hit certain barriers to flip horizontal or vertical direction – so instead allow us to direct you to this browser-based demo. The simple one-button controls seem perfectly matched to touchscreen devices, though maybe our brains aren't perfectly matched to the game, as our frequent and sudden meetings with walls would suggest.The iOS version will be free to download, with ten levels available in the initial version. The full game is available as an in-app purchase for .99, or $1.99 after launch week.%Gallery-159610%
Nicalis: WiiWare sales 'almost non-existent,' La-Mulana canceled for NA / EU
Publisher Nicalis announced last night on Twitter that it would not publish the retro-inspired, cave-exploring WiiWare game, La-Mulana, neither in North America nor Europe. The publisher informed GoNintendo that WiiWare sales are "almost non-existent" and that it would be "near impossible to sell sufficient units on WiiWare" to make it worth its efforts."The WiiWare market has a fraction of the players from 2008," Nicalis producer Tyrone Rodriguez wrote in a statement. "The window for release and success of software on the platform ended in 2009 and took a very steep decline. Players have moved onto other digital download platforms."
VVVVVV hits European eShop on May 10
Terry Cavanagh's 2D excursion into the world of gravity control and chiptune excellence, VVVVVV, finally has a release date for its long-belated debut on the European eShop: May 10. The announcement comes to us via Twitter, where publisher Nicalis revealed that VVVVVV has passed Nintendo of Europe's certification process – implying immediately afterwards that the game will hit virtual store shelves on "MMMMMMay 10th."VVVVVV's European eShop debut will take place a little over two years after the game's original release in January of 2010, and while that may sound like a long time, fake scientific studies have shown that it takes at least four and a half years to get the game's phenomenal soundtrack out of your head. So, comparatively, the delay isn't really all that bad.
Nicalis remaking 1,000 Spikes for Wii U and 3DS eShop
One of our favorite Xbox Live Indie games is headed to the 3DS and the Wii U. More specifically, Nicalis will be bringing a remake of the ridiculously punishing Aban Hawkins & the 1,000 Spikes in time for the Wii U launch, reports RevoGamers. Cheekily titled Aban Hawkins & the 1,001 Spikes, the game will feature a new 4-player multiplayer, new graphics and sound.The original was a lot of fun, and the quick, brutal platforming action should certainly be right at home on the 3DS. Aban Hawkins & the 1,001 Spikes is scheduled to arrive on the eShop this year.
Cave Story DSiWare still headed to Europe, but delayed
Cave Story hitting DSiWare in North America over a year ago, but Europe is still waiting for an official release. It looks like the region will go without the delightful title a little longer, as it has failed certification with Nintendo of Europe. Responding to a question on Twitter, developer Nicalis noted that Cave Story was submitted to NOE in December but failed because of "some really minor crap with the manual." Nicalis hopes to submit the game yet again sometime this month. Keep the faith, European Cave Story fans! Or you could always pick up the 3DS version.
