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Slam Bolt Scrappers, Go Home Dinosaurs on Steam this March
Indie studio Fire Hose Games' BBQ defense simulator Go Home Dinosaurs and formerly PSN-exclusive puzzle-fighter Slam Bolt Scrappers are stomping to Steam on March 14. The games will be $9.99 apiece ($8.99 if pre-ordered) or available as part of a Fire Hose Games Bundle for $14.99.Go Home Dinosaurs is a tower-defense game where technologically equipped gophers protect their BBQ from rampaging dinosaurs.Slam Bolt Scrappers is the PC port of the 2011 PSN-exclusive puzzle-brawler that unfortunately launched shortly before the PSN security breach that same year. The updated version supports up to four players and is big screen compatible.
Slam Bolt Scrappers review: Not enough order in the chaos
The Fire Hose Games-developed PSN title Slam Bolt Scrappers combines the tower defense of Rampart with the puzzle mechanics of Tetris and adds a fist-throwing, jetpack-wearing scrapper on top of it all for good measure. The scrapper's meant to not just pulverize the enemy scrapper, but also groups of flying beasts which periodically descend and release new blocks for placement upon defeat. The scrappers' jetpacks allow them to float around the screen, beating up stuff and placing blocks while avoiding as much themselves ... OK, deep breath. Sounds hectic, right? It is! At least initially. In my experience, the frantic confusion meant "fun" more often than not, but it also wore off pretty quickly. At least in the game's single-player campaign, the handful of mechanics that are combined to form SBS' gameplay almost immediately turned into a grind: punch enemies for new blocks, grab/place block, beat up enemy character so he can't build, repeat. Surprisingly, for a game with so much going on, Slam Bolt Scrappers wore out its welcome far too quickly.%Gallery-95679%
Indies react: PAX East as a showcase for small studios
Like so many PAX shows before it, this year's PAX East showcased a ton of indie games -- the gaming equivalent of a Williamsburg dubstep show, if you will. In our experience at this year's event, larger industry players like EA and Bethesda showed off their titles with hired hands and private theater viewings, choosing to exhibit older demos rather than new content. The indies and smaller studios, on the other hand, were out in force. Beyond bringing playable versions of their games to the show -- even Fez was playable, for the first time in several years of development -- the indie studios brought themselves. They continued the tradition of directly engaging with attendees and, often, solicited game-testing feedback on the fly. "I approached PAX East as a three-day playtest session. I learned so much about what works and what doesn't just from standing in the back and observing how people played the game," Fez co-developer Phil Fish told Joystiq. "It's also an amazing morale boost to be told by so many people that your game is great."
Fire Hose Games sprayed and prayed with Slam Bolt Scrappers prototypes
Developer Fire Hose Games followed a fairly bizarre trajectory with the development of its debut project, Slam Bolt Scrappers. Check out the dev diary to see how the game was laboriously brought to life -- sadly, the video doesn't reveal the machine they used to squeeze about eight games into one.
PSN Tuesday: Slam Bolt Scrappers, Mortal Kombat demo
PSN exclusive Slam Bolt Scrappers is the highlight of this week's PSN update. The multi-genre mash-up from Fire Hose Games delivers multiplayer mayhem in a colorful package. There is also a demo available, so definitely take the game out for a test drive. Speaking of test drives, Mortal Kombat's demo is now available to PSN plebs. Characters included in the demo are Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Mileena and Johnny Cage. There's plenty more to peruse in the full update after the break. Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list: (Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.) %Gallery-118218%
Slam Bolt Scrappers punch out launch trailer, PAX East giveaway details
Slam Bolt Scrappers is all set to drop, build and fire off next Tuesday, March 15, on PSN. The manic genre mash-up is celebrating with PAX East giveaways this weekend at the sold-out show (the Fire Hose Games team will be at booth 1133, which it's sharing with indie darling Spy Party). If you're wearing a crazy hat that out-crazies one of Fire Hose's own crazy hats, you could even win a free copy of the $15 title. So that's the going rate for your shame, eh?
Slam Bolt Scrappers punching into PSN on March 15
Slam Bolt Scrappers is building toward a March 15 release on PSN. The genre-mashing title from indie Fire Hose Games has been a tough game to explain, but the developer recently made a video attempt to sort out the madness. If you're heading to PAX East next week, the Boston-based studio will have the game available to demo at the show. %Gallery-118218%
Slam Bolt Scrappers video finally explains chaotic game
It's been hard to convey the gameplay involved in upcoming PSN puzzler/brawler/strategy title Slam Bolt Scrappers. Thankfully, developer Fire Hose Games has created a video that plainly explains the mechanics.
Plants vs. Zombies vs. PS3 this Feb., SOE announces upcoming PSN library
Like the sunrise, the expansion of a PopCap game to another platform is inevitable. Plants vs. Zombies will be available on the PlayStation Network in February thanks to the company's continuing collaboration with Sony Online Entertainment. Like SOE's previous efforts, this appears to be a direct port of the original game. If you're looking for something more "exclusive," SOE has announced an extensive suite of original PSN games as well: Acceleration of Suguri X Edition from Rockin' Android is an anime robot beat 'em up. Slam Bolt Scrappers from Fire Hose Games has you constructing buildings, and brawling bosses to protect them. Akimi Village from NinjaBee has you gathering resources to construct a village. Sideway from Playbrains and Fuel Industries is an adventure set in the "gritty art culture" of NYC. Rochard from Recoil Games is a side-scrolling puzzler set in space. Slam Bolt Scrappers is arriving this March, while Sideway is cleared with a vague "Spring" release window. Unfortunately, not much else has been released about the other titles, but expect more in the future.
Slam Bolt Scrappers seeks naming counsel
Fire Hose Games is looking for some assistance in naming two of its scrapping Slam Bolt Scrappers -- without the requirement of a charity donation this time. Also, it's not carte blanche naming like it was for helping Child's Play. The developer has a poll up on its site with naming options available for its "angel" and "masked menace" characters. Our experiences with Slam Bolt Scrappers, a multi-genre mash-up, have been fun -- once we figured out what was going on. The PSN exclusive is reportedly close to being finished. %Gallery-95679%
Name two of Slam Bolt Scrappers' scrappers in Child's Play auctions
Without the help of special potions, unguents or spells, immortality is a pretty tricky thing to obtain. Fire Hose Games is offering a pretty rare opportunity to have your genius brain live forever: The studio is auctioning off the chance to name one of the characters in its upcoming downloadable tower defense/action title Slam Bolt Scrappers, one-hundred percent of the proceeds from which will go to Child's Play. A second character's naming rights will be sold off during the Child's Play Charity Dinner in Seattle on December 7 -- tickets for which are still available! There are some limitations, of course. You can't name the characters anything inappropriate, copyright-infringing or too long, so, sorry, Boner MacBurgerKing, but you'll never be a real person. Not ever.
Slam Bolt Scrappers devs looking for beta testers in Boston
If you like fighting, tower defense, Bruins, Celtics, and playing video games before they're released, you're probably the perfect candidate for developer Fire Hose Games' call to arms. The studio is looking for gamers in the Boston area to beta test its genre-mashing PSN title, Slam Bolt Scrappers.
Slam Bolt Scrappers preview: Build those blocks up
It's difficult to convey the sheer terror and chaos I experienced in the first few minutes of the Slam Bolt Scrappers PAX demo. Though the Firehose Games reps told me how to play, it wasn't preparation enough for the actual game, a combination puzzler/brawler/strategy title that is one of the most unique blends of genres I've ever played. The learning curve was, um, kinda steep! %Gallery-95679%
Slam Bolt Scrappers playable at PAX
Fire Hose Games' Slam Bolt Scrappers impressed us at E3 even though it was a ways off from its expected "early 2011" launch on PSN. PAX, taking place this weekend in Seattle, will be the public-at-large's next chance to see what we were talking about. The game will be playable at booth #3834, and the developers will be on hand for feedback. Slam Bolt Scrappers is an intuitive and hectic combination of Rampart and Tetris. If you're at PAX, definitely check it out. The latest trailer for the game can be found after the break. %Gallery-95679%
Preview: Slam Bolt Scrappers
Fire Hose Games' Slam Bolt Scrappers may not have the easiest to remember name, but its gameplay is something you won't soon forget. The PSN-exclusive action-puzzler drops in "early 2011" and is already looking like an incredibly polished experience. Combining several genres into something fresh, SBS tasks up to four players with beating up flying goblin-esque things that turn into Tetris blocks when defeated and then using their jetpack-wearing construction worker avatar to create a tower. Making squares of 4 (2x2), 9 (3x3), 16 (4x4), etc. will turn that section of the tower into a weapon, blasting the other team's tower, or creating a shield. Building the tower is incredibly intuitive to anyone that's played Tetris or Rampart. %Gallery-95679%
Boston Indie Showcase participants selected for PAX East
The Penny Arcade Expo is mixing things up a bit for its inaugural east coast occurrence -- the annual showcase of independent games will now focus on local flavors. According to an update on the PAX East site, the Boston Indie Showcase (which attendees can spot on the show floor at Booth 117) will offer six games the chance to be prominently displayed at a major gaming event without "eating into their elusive indie budgets." Here's a list of the games which made the cut, along with links to additional info. Slam Bolt Scrappers - Fire Hose Games AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! - Dejobaan Games Dearth - MIT Gambit Game Lab Waker - MIT Gambit Game Lab Turba - Keith Morgado Miegakure - Marc ten Bosch
