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Runner 2 celebrates a million sales with its own limited-time sale
Rhythmic auto-platformer Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien is a million-seller for Gaijin Games, and the Californian studio is celebrating the fact with a limited-time price cut. The game is $5 on all platforms - it launched at $15 - while iOS adaptation Bit.Trip Run is down from $4 to just 99 cents. Runner 2 continues the Bit.Trip Runner mix of excellent music and challenging 2D levels to jump and slide your way through, but it swaps out the first game's retro soundtrack and look for more modern stylings. It also features the narration of Mario voice actor Charles Martinet, and that probably alone makes it worth the $5. [Image: Gaijin Games]
New Nintendo eShop releases: Blok Drop U, NES Open Tournament Golf
This week's round of eShop releases is more for the retro-heads among you. For starters NES nostalgics can to take to different kinds of green in Adventure Island 2 (3DS) and NES Open Tournament Golf (Wii U), while fans of 1980s anime Mysterious Cities of Gold may be tempted by 3DS puzzle-adventure Secret Paths. On the new releases side, puzzler Blok Drop U has one of the cheapest launch prices (if not the cheapest) you'll find on Wii U, or any console for that matter. It's also one of the first HTML5 games on the system, so we may see others pitched at similar prices. Talking of low prices and retro, Runner2 is getting a sale starting next week on March 10: The rhythmic auto-runner slides from $15 to $5 until 9AM PT/midday ET on March 17.
Bit.Trip Run sprints to iOS
Gaijin Games' rhythmic platformer, Bit.Trip Run, is now available on iOS. The game costs $3.99 and includes three worlds with 30 normal levels, 15 retro levels and 12 challenge levels playable with eight different characters that can be customized with 40 unlockable costumes. Bit.Trip Run is the mobile version of Bit.Trip Runner Presents Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien, the sequel to Bit.Trip Runner, except with a conveniently succinct title. The developer has a free update planned for the game, which will add two more worlds with 20 levels, eight challenges, 10 retro levels and two additional boss battles.
Bit.Trip Run devs consult demonic bird for advice
Commander Video has completed the race to mobile devices, with Bit.Trip Run due out on iOS on October 31 – that's right, just in time for your rainbow ninja costume to finally be relevant. Bit.Trip Run launched a little early (Commander Video is really fast, you guys) in New Zealand, and a few people were able to pull the game info before it was taken down: The game features three worlds, 30 normal levels, 12 Challenge levels, 15 Retro levels and three boss battles. There are eight playable characters with 40 unlockable costumes, and a free update "coming soon" almost doubles the number of levels, worlds and goodies. Bit.Trip Run is the mobile version of Bit.Trip Presents Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien – obviously, this title could be unnecessarily confusing for players browsing the App Store, so developer Gaijin Games kept it short and sweet. The controls are simple, too, featuring swipes and taps, Gaijin tells Polygon. "In the end, implementing and testing out several different control schemes is what led us to our current swipe-based controls," Associate Producer Dant Rambo said. "It also doesn't hurt that we have friends in mobile development to provide pointers and suggestions. I mean, we also made a deal with a demonic bird who said it would help us create the perfect control scheme if we gave it our souls, but I doubt that played a major role."
PSN Tuesday: Payday 2, Ducktales, Diablo 3 pre-orders
Today's PSN update stocks the store with Overkill's heist-em-up, Payday 2, and WayForward's Ducktales Remastered, a remake of the classic NES platformer. Pre-orders are also now open for Diablo 3, FIFA 14, Lost Planet 3 and Final Fantasy XIV. PlayStation Plus subscribers can snag their free copy of Runner 2 today and grab its Good Friends DLC at a slight discount. Meanwhile, the PS Vita gets Fruit Ninja, Open Me!, A-Men and Breakquest: Extra Evolution. The full list of this week's content is available on the PlayStation Blog.
Runner 2 slides onto PlayStation Plus tomorrow
The next free PlayStation Plus game has been lined up for tomorrow: Gaijin Games' Runner 2. The punishing ever-runner will be a free download for PS Plus subscribers after the PlayStation Store update drops. PlayStation Plus also gets a special bundle including Tomb Raider and select DLC, plus a copy of Quantum Conundrum, for $20.24 tomorrow. Sony announced August's free lineup last week with Hitman: Absolution. In the remaining weeks of August, PlayStation Plus will add Star Wars Pinball, Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower and Machinarium to the Instant Game Collection.
PS Plus August freebies: Hitman Absolution, Runner 2, Star Wars Pinball
The August incentives for PlayStation Plus subscribers have been revealed, starting tomorrow with a free copy of Hitman: Absolution. IO Interactive's latest entry in the stealthy kill-em-up series deviates from the established formula, our review says, but offers a "healthy dose of stealth and creative assassinations." Other free games up for grabs in August are PS3 games Runner 2 and Star Wars Pinball, Machinarium on PS Vita and Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower, compatible with PS Vita and PSP. Tomorrow's PSN update will also yield discounts on Rayman content and a few new games – all of which you can see listed over on the PlayStation Blog.
Friendly Steam bundle has Runner 2, Portal 2, Psychonauts, more
In an inspired move, today Gaijin Games announced a Steam bundle based on the Runner 2 Good Friends DLC. The limited time collection includes Runner 2 and the DLC, along with five games whose characters starred in it, namely Portal 2, Psychonauts, Super Meat Boy, Machinarium, and Cave Story+. The asking price is just $25, and according to Gaijin you have until "after this weekend" to gobble it up. Source aside, when it comes to bundles a lovely name, great games, and an attractive price tag is really all that's needed, and this bundle compiles the kinds of games Good Friends would recommend one another. And we're your Good Friends, right? Right? Hello? Hello?!? Hel-awww...
Portal 2, Spelunky characters join Runner 2's DLC cast
Gaijin Games has revealed its final trio of guest stars bundled in Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien's upcoming "Good Friends" DLC pack, including characters from Mossmouth's Spelunky and Valve's Portal 2. The newest additions to Runner 2's playable roster include Portal 2's co-op robot Atlas, the fragile red-nosed explorer "Spelunky Guy," and Invisible CommanderVideo, an alternate skin for Runner 2's starring character. Gaijin Games previously revealed that Psychonauts' Raz, Cave Story's Quote, Super Meat Boy's Dr. Fetus, and Machinarium's Josef will join Runner 2's cast when the Good Friends DLC launches tomorrow for Xbox Live Arcade, the PlayStation Network, the Wii U eShop and PC platforms.
Runner 2 makes more Good Friends in Dr. Fetus, Josef
Dr. Fetus, the nefarious antagonist of Super Meat Boy, and Machinarium's robot hero, Josef, have both been confirmed for Runner 2's upcoming DLC character pack, Good Friends. Special introductory trailers voiced by Charles Martinet have been issued for both characters. The Good Friends DLC pack is an add-on that increases Runner 2's cast of playable characters by seven, due this Thursday on Steam. An announcement yesterday revealed Raz from Psychonauts and Quote from Cave Story as a pair of Good Friends.
Runner 2 DLC hangs out with Good Friends July 11
On Thursday, the Steam version of Gaijin Games' difficult-yet-delightful Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien will add seven new characters into the mix with the Good Friends character DLC pack. Console releases of the DLC "will follow," developer Gaijin Games says. Each character will be revealed through a special video narrated by none other than Charles Martinet – the first two are Raz from Double Fine's Psychonauts (above) and Quote, the protagonist of Cave Story, whose trailer can be seen past the break. Gaijin Games promises to reveal two more characters tomorrow and the final three on Wednesday.
CommanderVideo sprints to browsers in new endless runner
Gaijin Games has brought its Runner series to the browser in CommanderVideo, a free-to-play endless runner you can dive into right now. The mechanics are similar to previous Runner games, with players jumping, kicking, sliding, blocking and otherwise avoiding obstacles as they try to run as far as possible. Gaijin's previous game, Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien, will make its debut on PS Vita this summer, sometime between mid-July and mid-August. Aside from being technically difficult, Runner 2 also has the distinct honor of being narrated by the voice of Mario himself, Charles Martinet.
Runner 2 Vita release window narrowed to 'between mid-July and mid-August'
The PlayStation Vita version of Gaijin Games' Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien will block, spring, slide and/or jump its way onto PlayStation Network sometime between mid-July and mid-August, Gaijin Games designer Danny Johnson told us during this week's E3 in Los Angeles. "At least that's the plan," Johnson said. "The version we have here [at E3] has been in development for a couple weeks – less than a month I think – so it's something that's fairly recent. We don't have the kinks quite worked out yet, but we wanted to show people that it's a thing." We spent time with the demo on-hand, and found that it was identical to the console/PC versions, save for some framerate issues on certain levels. Johnson added that the framerate problem is one of the kinks Gaijin has yet to work out, but that the release build will be on par with the existing versions on terms of performance.
Bit.Trip games 25-to-75% off on Steam until May 20
Nearly everything in Gaijin Games' esteemed Bit.Trip series has been marked down on Steam, from now until Monday, May 20. For instance: Bit.Trip Collection, which includes Bit.Trip Beat, Bit.Trip Runner, Bit.Trip Core and Bit.Trip Void, has had its price cut by 75% and is now just $11.98. Likewise, all of those games can be purchased individually at a discounted price of $2.49. Even last year's gorgeous Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien has had its price dropped to less than $12 – we recommend gettin' while the gettin's good, as our very southern mom would say.
Runner 2 jogs onto EU Wii U tomorrow, PSN still TBA
European Wii U owners only have to wait one more day for Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien. However, it's still unclear when the Bit.Trip Runner follow-up will cross the PSN finish line in the region.Gaijin Games' rhythmic auto-run platformer is already out on XBLA, Steam, PSN, and the Wii U eShop in North America, but only the former two saw concurrent arrivals in Europe. Today, Gaijin revealed the April 11 release date for Runner 2 on the EU Wii U eShop, but admitted the lack of any word on a PSN arrival is out of the studio's hands.
Runner 2 Wii U patched to fix freeze bug
The patch fixing Runner 2's Wii U bug, which would cause the system to freeze upon shutting down the game, is now available for download. Now all you have to fear when playing are spikes from above, spikes from below, wooden obstacles, flying wooden obstacles, fireballs, Beats, gaps between platforms, and the fiendish Timbletot.And a bunch of other things. But that's all.
Overheard@GDC: 'Absolutely'
The PlayStation Vita Development panel featured a lineup of veteran Vita developers, who for an hour espoused the benefits of working with Sony and getting a game on its handheld platform. The panel featured Brian Provinciano of Retro City Rampage, Bobby King of Pinball Arcade, Chris Harvey of Guacamelee and Richard Hogg of Frobisher Says, and it was moderated by Gaijin Games' Alex Neuse.Neuse was interested in the panelists' answers since Runner 2 is on its way to Vita sometime in the summer. To help set his mind at ease, he asked the developers if their next games would show up on Vita."Yes," they all said. "Absolutely," one of them added. When Neuse later asked the crowd who was considering developing for Vita, a sea of hands shot straight up. For those interested in developing for Vita, a Sony representative suggested this website.
Indie Spring Sale bounces onto Steam
From now through March 29, Steam will be hosting a cavalcade of discounted indie games, both old standbys and newcomers alike, as part of its Indie Spring Sale. The list of discounted games (just click on "Specials") is as long as it is jam packed with great deals.For instance, 25 percent off of Kentucky Route Zero is something you can have in your life right now, as is the opportunity to buy To The Moon, Home or Jamestown for less than $5 each. Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien, Super Hexagon, Proteus, Retro City Rampage, VVVVVV; the list of discounted greatness goes on and on. There's even quite a few options for you Linux gamers out there, so apologize to your wallet and start restocking your gaming retirement fund.
Gaijin Games working on Runner 2 Wii U patch
Gaijin Games is working on a fix for the unfortunate Wii U Runner2 bug that causes the system to freeze when exiting or powering off. "We had never experienced this issue on our devkits, during development, so it seems that this is an issue that only occurs on retail Wii Us," notes Gaijin co-founder Alex Neuse. "This makes it super gnarly to debug. It might not even be our bug. But we have tried to fix it."Aside from making it stop doing that awful thing, the upcoming patch will make a few other tweaks, like saving your highest score on the leaderboard instead of your most recent, and putting some feedback in the mysteriously long-lasting login screen.Despite this problem, we recommend playing Runner2.
Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien review: Running down a dream
If you asked me in person for my opinion of Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien, I'd probably just respond with a string of rambling praise, eager to explain the game to you and enthusiastically answer any questions you might have. In fact, every attempt to write this review so far has resulted in just such an imaginary conversation in my head.So, I'm just going to go with it. Without further ado, here's my attempt to explain the radness of Runner 2 to a fictional, random gamer.%Gallery-173614%
