I’M SWINGIN’ SO HIGH: READYFIREAIM’S WACKY IPHONE WALLWALKER SWAY
Officially now joining the Offworld ranks of most promising iPhone publishers alongside ngmoco and Flashbang is Illusion Labs. After storming the charts with the more traditional Labyrinth and cult fave fingerboarder Touch Grind, they’re hitting back with upstart Swedish developer ReadyFireAim‘s Sway.
Designed in collaboration with fellow Swedish design studio Picky and illustrator Amelie ‘Krawatt‘ Jacobsson, Sway looks very promisingly like underdog GBA/DS Donkey Kong title King of Swing by way of LittleBigPlanet‘s ragdoll felt and corrugated cardboard aesthetic, and rests itself on a dual-thumbed grip-and-flip mechanic to move throughout its free-form levels.
There is, of course, no precise release date as yet, but, according to the YouTube comments, the game was submitted to Apple just under a week ago, and should appear in the very near future.
Sway [ReadyFireAim, via PocketGamer, who’re reporting that it might actually be quite good]
Previously:
Touch me I'm slick: ngmoco/Hand Circus's Rolando – OffworldNgmoco: Rolando sequel coming, Touch Pets Dogs announced – Offworld
Riding the iPhone's Raptor Copter – Offworld
Things We Lost In The Snow, pt 4: Raptor Copter hit the iPhone …
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LOAD “*”,8,1: COMMODORE 64 COMES TO U.S. VIRTUAL CONSOLE
If you were following last week’s hints you won’t be surprised: this morning’s Virtual Console update has brought the U.S. debut of downloadable Commodore 64 games, each at $5 a pop. In this first outing, Nintendo has most notably released The Last Ninja, still counted amongst the top games for the C64 that have stood the test of time.
Also included are Archer MacLean’s International Karate, and Pole Position-esque two-player racer Pit Stop II, from Epyx’s Dennis ‘Impossible Mission‘ Caswell and Stephen Landrum, programmer on classic titles like Summer Games.
Wii Virtual Console [Nintendo]
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BINGO: A MINUTE AND A HALF OF SPACE INVADERS EXTREME 2 IN MOTION
I honestly thought I’d need to see Space Invaders Extreme 2 in motion before I could truly grasp its new Bingo Fever gimmick. Curiously, now I have seen Space Invaders Extreme 2 in motion and I’m still completely in the dark as to what really happened.
Japan’s Dengeki Online has scored a minute and a half of footage of the new DS game, and presents it — in true retro fashion — via a Windows Media video stream. (UPDATE: thanks to TinyCartridge for pointing to the YouTube version now included above.)
Fast thoughts? I’m really not sure how I’m going to dig on this announcer’s more insistent and invasive play-by-play. Everything else: as wonderful as ever.
Space Invaders Extreme 2 [Taito, via Dengeki]
Previously:
The Fever pitch: first images of Space Invaders Extreme 2 – Offworld
Space Invaders Extreme 2 gets.. invader bingo? – Offworld
Space Invaders getting even more Extreme? – Offworld
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BLOCKS MEET ‘BRICKS: TETRIS COMING TO BE@RBRICK TOY SERIES
In other new toy goings-on, Medicom is obviously no stranger to the games love, from the Metal Gear Kubricks as below, to those for Grand Theft Auto (GTAIII and Vice City), to their Be@rbrick line, which frequently guest stars games icons.
I’ve mentioned the Be@rbrick duo designed by French artist Rolito for Sony’s Patapon before, but according to a new graphic blurb on ‘luciferjackass’s Taiwanese toy blog, its 18th series will include new Be@rs featuring.. Tetris?
Presumably — given some of the patterened ‘bricks in the past — it’ll be a simple falling-brick motif, but your guess is as good as mine.
Previously:
New Rolito toy: Patapon X our one true heart – Offworld
Rolito unleashes new Patapon toy – Offworld
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PLAY SNAKE: NEW METAL GEAR TOYS INBOUND
Konami’s Metal Gear series continues to be one of the few franchises that really ‘gets’ the toy culture underground, and, according to some information gleaned from the slithering underbelly of Japan’s hobbyist-magazine-scanners, there’s lots more on the way.
First up, the “ultra detail”: a limited “Cold War version” Naked Snake flying dual colors on front and back, and a new line up of Ultra Detail Figures including MGS4‘s Old Snake in the ‘ready’ pose, Vamp, and Raiden, and The Boss and ‘Tiger Camo’ Naked Snake from MGS3.
Then the “not so detailed”: a new lineup of Kubricks from Metal Gears old and new, with MGS‘s Liquid Snake, MGS2‘s Solidus Snake and Iroquois Pliskin, and MGS4‘s PMC Soldier, Liquid Ocelot, and Old Snake in his full Octocamo regalia.
Previously:
New Rolito toy: Patapon X our one true heart – OffworldRolito unleashes new Patapon toy – Offworld
I'm your puppet: Media Molecule/Sony reveal official Sackboy toys …
Touch Snake: Kojima opens iPhone Metal Gear site – Offworld
Metal Gear Ac!d coming to mobile phones – Offworld
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WAR, SEX AND GOD: 8-BIT CULTURAL CRITIQUE AND THE WHITEBOX PIXEL GALLERY
Artist Lenny Correa sends in his latest project, the Whitebox Pixel Gallery, “a special-purpose computer built to preserve and expose the history of console video game design… [and] aims to facilitate a dialogue between the understudied history of the medium.”
Correa explains of the game selection in his first curated Whitebox exhibition at a NASA (Newark Artists Space Association) Space Camp event, which included cheesecake porn NES games like Hot Slots and Honey Peach, Wisdom Tree’s unlicensed Christian output like Bible Adventures and King of Kings and “pro-war” titles like Operation Secret Storm and Contra:
this catalog is limited to the Nintendo Entertainment System and is based on the themes of war, sex and god. the examples included clearly illustrate the infancy of the medium while still allowing their cultural relevance to be felt…
in general, most of these games are really bad for you.
More info and plans to build your own Whitebox are included at the site.
Whitebox Pixel Gallery [Lenny Correa]
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THE 1CONSOLE FUTURE: TORONTO DESIGNER SUPERBROTHERS GOES GAMES
Several months back you may have spotted, as I did, designer Craig ‘Superbrothers‘ Adams’ excellent pixel-art computer history video ‘Dot Matrix Revolution.’
Adams and I made some silent but knowing pact to become PlayStation Friends at its debut, but until this morning I was unaware he’d made a bold and beautiful move into the games sphere with The 1 Console.
What’s that? Adams explains:
THE 1 CONSOLE is an epic barebones blog-type thing on the topic of videogames.
THE 1 CONSOLE is a fevered dream-vision for simple minded utopists.
THE 1 CONSOLE is a public mental health issue.
THE 1 CONSOLE is constantly seeking worthwhile experiences.
THE 1 CONSOLE is designed for play with SUPERBROTHERS.
Currently up for your dense and info-rich perusal, Superbrothers’ breakdown of thatgamecompany’s new fl0wer, gorgeous 1console crew portraits with top games of this and last century, and a write-up on Adams’ recent Toronto games shindig.
The shindig brought together local indie names like N+ creators Mare Sheppard and Raigan Burns for “some friendly chatter… [and] access to a series of carefully selected platform videogames on a variety of consoles and displays,” and, should it continue, will be the second strongest reason for me to visit the city soon, just below stalking Edgar Wright and co. as they continue filming the new Scott Pilgrim film.
The 1 Console [Superbrothers, thanks Adam!]
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UP FOR BID: A POSTHUMOUS LOOK INSIDE MICHAEL JACKSON’S NEVERLAND ARCADE
As mentioned by the Mother Boing last week, Julien’s Auctions is selling off 2,000 of Michael Jackson’s curiosities in April, including, of course, a wide variety of arcade games and amusements. Julien’s has the full lineup of cabinets cataloged, including vintage miscellany like Dig Dug, console demo-stations from the 3DO to the Nintendo 64, Dance Dance Revolution (obviously), and even a life-sized statue of Tomb Raider‘s Lara Croft.
But curiously, and has probably been pointed out a million times before, not a single cab of Jackson’s ownarcade debut Moonwalker (at least, not for sale).
Michael Jackson arcade auction [Julien’s Auctions, via Siliconera]
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ROLL YOUR OWN MR. SATURN EARTHBOUND TOY, METROID HAT
Earthbound Central again steps in to save the day and links us ‘Eyes5’s pattern and tutorial for creating your own near-life-size Mr. Saturn — alien co-star of the cult hit SNES RPG — for all those that couldn’t get the ultra limited edition official version of the same.
At the same time, the site also shows us this group-shot of more Earthbound plush toys, some officially coming to EB wares-house Fangamer (dig that pig!).
And, via a quick look around elsewhere on Eyes5’s site, you can also spot plans to cook up your own adorable plush Metroid, or, should you like, this life-sucking hat variation.
Earthbound plushies [via Earthbound Central, Metroid plush pattern]
Previously:
Saturn-ine: another Mother/Earthbound treat we can't have – Offworld
Earthbound goods for the rest of us – Offworld
Mother 3 translators start Earthbound Central blog – Offworld
Harvey James's Mother 3 fan art vanguard – Offworld
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YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY: BLAZING LIZARD ANNOUNCE IPHONE STRATEGY/SHOOTER CROSSFYRE
Oh! This could be quite good: Austin studio Blazing Lizard have sent word that they’re moving into the iPhone space with CrossFyre, a game they say crosses both straight up shooting and tower defense-type strategy.
CrossFyre‘s hook, as you can make out from the screenshot, is that you control both the ‘ANGL’ ships at the left and right edge of the screen to destroy the alien armada in the middle, constantly mindful that you avoid your own, erm, crossfire from the opposite ship.
Most recently known for their Xbox Live Arcade downloadable Pirates Vs. Ninja Dodgeball (which is coming soon to the Wii), the Blazing Lizard team formed in late 2007 after leaving their former posts as design and art heads on Saints Row and Red Faction at developer Volition.
CrossFyre [Blazing Lizard]
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