Reporting on the games made in Canada and the creators behind them
With the big steam summer sale well under way, Bret Measor suggested I do a News post about the games on sale that were developed in our area. I thought "what a great idea!"
Except Torn Banner Studios beat me to it. So make sure to check out their awesome blog post (and check out Chivalry: Medieval Warfare which is on sale by 80%). Lots of great Toronto developed games are on sale this week.
Are any of the game developers that read this blog looking for co-op for the work term this coming Winter? Alice o'Carroll reached out to me over Twitter, letting me know they have a bunch of students avalble for co-op semester from their BA Game Design program.
@TorontoGameDevs Sheridan College has our first group of BA Game Design Co-op students available for a wrok term this winter!
— Alice O'Carroll (@AliceOCarrollD) June 10, 2015
You can find out more about the program by going to Sheridan's website. Any interested Game developers can also email Alice: alice.ocarroll@sheridancollege.ca. I'll try my best to find some positions for this Sunday's edition of Game Dev Jobs.
If you are hiring and want to advertise your job opening, make sure to reach out to me on Twitter or email.
With N++ just around the corner, I thought it would be a great time to highlight the developer behind the 2D platformer, Metanet Software. On May 30th, the developer posted on their blog that the game is close to being released:
"We are aiming to get N++ into cert in the coming weeks, and though we won’t know when the game will be ready for release until it’s through cert, we will keep you posted as soon as we have any info!"
They also posted some of the enemy highlights which we have also been posting. I've put some of them below.
In this series of 6 videos, we give you a small taste of what you'll be up against in N++. Trailer by Richard E. Flanagan Music by Locke www.nplusplus.org (c) Metanet Software Inc. 2015 Laser Turrets fire a deadly blast that never, ever stops. http://www.nplusplus.org
In this series of 6 videos, we give you a small taste of what you'll be up against in N++. Trailer by Richard E. Flanagan Music by Tom Adams http://www.nplusplus.org (c) Metanet Software Inc. 2015 Toggle Mines are two sides of a very dangerous coin.
Make sure to follow the developer on Twitter, and stay tuned to TorontoGameDevs.com for the latest on N++.
Fairly new developer Nefarious Dimensions will be at Stage Select this weekend. The developer, who has roots in working with EA, Sony, and Crytek will be showing off their game Planetary Prospectors: ARM (Astroid Resource Mining):
"The gold rush in space has begun! Corporations and many independent prospectors have entered the race to collect the most minerals and become the wealthiest miners in the galaxy. You have been given the opportunity to mine asteroids within an infinite procedurally generated universe that contains meteor showers, space stations, mining refineries and much more to be discovered. Purchase and upgrade a wide variety of spaceships and equipment. Use the right tools at the right time on many different kinds of surfaces to more effectively recover gems and minerals. Plan, strategize and prioritize which asteroids to mine and manage limited fuel and cargo space. Get too greedy and you can get stuck in deep space with no fuel! But manage your resources wisely and you could be rolling in spacebucks…"
First Person Cockpit (360 degree HMD fully interactive cockpit HUD) Arcade Space Mining, Simulation, Adventure, RPG & Puzzle Single player PvE, with a online Leaderboards component (Invite and challenge friends for the highest scores) Deep Space Miners and Xeno Archeologists must solve logic and spatial puzzles to survive against various dangerous deep space mining environmental hazards, overheating and running out of oxygen.
The developers behind Orbit, Bluish-Green Productions, will be at Stage Select this weekend.
"Bluish-Green Productions is a Toronto based Indie game development studio, created by Attila “Gabriel” Branyiczky. The studio specializes in 2D games created with GameMaker for Desktop and Mobile. Bluish-Green Productions is also responsible for the development of GameMaker tutorials and extensions to the program created to assist new developers who are looking to give game development a try and want an easy place to start"
Orbit FREE on iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/orbit-free/id741516056?mt=8 Orbit FREE on Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bluishgreenproductions.orbitfree Orbit EARLY ACCESS on Mac and Windows (DRM FREE!): http://bluishgreenpro.itch.io/orbit Website: http://www.bluishgreenproductions.com/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/BluishGreenPro FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bluish-Green-Productions/131158930266314
Make sure to check out some of the studios past games here, and give them a follow on Twitter.
Continuing our countdown to Stage Select this weekend, we have the independent developer OSnap Games!
"OSnap Games, founded in early 2012 by a small group of game developers who are tired of the way modern studios worked. The shared vision among the founding members was to create a highly competitive video game studio here in Toronto, Ontario that Canada can call its own. We set out to create fun and compelling games in an environment that encourages the creativity and collaboration that a successful video game studio requires. OSnap Games also recognizes the importance of a strong and loyal fan base and because of that we have a very open line of communication with our community through our forums, Facebook, Twitter and other social media. We believe that combining a healthy corporate culture and an active communication channel with our players will allow us to create highly successful games, and a very strong relationship with our community."
Most recently OSnap Games announced their twin stick shooter Quasar was successfully greenlit on Steam. Make sure to check out more of Quasar and follow the developer on Twitter!
We've hit Greenlight (http://greenlight.quasargame.com)! Take a look at this gameplay teaser to get an idea of what Quasar is all about!
The developers behind Pug Puncher will be showing off their game at the RCC Institute of Technology June 16th at 2:30pm (that's at 2000 Steeles Ave. West in Concord).
"Okay, now a little about Pug Puncher. It's a 2.5D action platformer being developed in Unity 3D. You the player (AKA Pug Puncher) must fight your way through lots of evil super-intelligent pugs to bring JUSTICE to the ruined city now run by the pugs."
If you want to check out some of the updates on Pug Puncher make sure to check out their Twitter media page. You can also follow along on the games official blog.
Fun fact! Runbow was one of the first games I ever wrote about on the Toronto GameDevs tumblr. The developer, 13AM Games, blew me away with the idea of a 9-player party platformer. The game looks so chaotic and fun and lucky for everyone it will be at Stage Select this weekend:
"13AM Games is a new studio growing out of Toronto’s vibrant indie game scene. A passionate group of people with a variety of specialties aiming to make games that will be fun to play and to showcase proudly. Having recently shipped on Android and iOS 13AM Games is developing their first console title, Runbow—a frantic, multiplayer, racing platformer."
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eep your eye on these guys, they're going to take the WiiU by storm when Runbow launches. Until then, make sure to check out Stage Select to play the game.
At the time of this writing, Loud on Planet X has hit $44,260 of it's $50,000 goal of funding, with 58 hours to go. If you haven't yet, make sure to back this game, which is a mix of Planets Vs Zombies, and Rockband. Check out the Kickstarter here. Best of luck to everyone involved!
Update (June 4th: 6:50pm):
Congratulations to Loud on Planet X for getting successfully funded! They've hit their goal of $50,000, and have a few stretch goals for Wii U and Xbox One. Make sure to check out the Kickstarter.
Continuing with out countdown to this weekends Stage Select, let's take a look at Kitfox Games. According to Stage Select "Kitfox Games is a Montreal-based studio showing Moon Hunters, an action RPG about building a hero’s mythology in a 1-4 player action RPG. Your decisions reflect your personality, which then becomes your legend." Moon Hunters is looking like a really cool multiplayer action game.
http://www.moonhuntersgame.com/
Make sure to check out the game and studio next week. You can check out all the updates on Moon Hunters by following the developer on Twitter.
Similar to what I did with Bit Bazaar, I'll be doing a Countdown to next weeks Stage Select Gaming Expo. We'll start with the developers behind the Chivalry franchise. Most recently Chivalry was updated with a Shark pack (you read that right).
Chivalry Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/219640/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChivalryGame Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chivalrythegame Website: http://www.tornbanner.com/chivalry/esrb/ Depth Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/274940/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/depthgame Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DepthGame Website: http://www.depthgame.com/
"Torn Banner Studios is an exciting independent video game company located in Toronto, Canada. Passion and innovation are the core elements of everything that we do. We are people that truly love games and are lucky enough to be following our dreams, thanks to the incredible support from our community. We want to go places other companies are afraid to go, because we believe great games begin with the passion of a small group of diehard fans. Those fans have the deepest understanding and appreciation for the subject they love and a vision for how it should be presented in a game. We want to breathe life into that vision and allow more people to appreciate it. We want to take on the challenging ideas that when done well create truly powerful and unique games that are remembered. You say it can’t be done? We say bring it on."
According to their site, Torn Banner Studios has a Unannounced Unreal Engine 4 Game in development as well, so who knows what we'll see at Stage Select.
Let's be honest. The TTC sucks. You will often find yourself sitting in a crowded bus, streetcar, or subway that just isn't moving. This is where protable gaming devices come in really handy. Here are some great games developed in Toronto (or surrounding areas) that can be played in quick fashion.
Noodles - Developed by Lummox Labs - Buy it Here.
Noodles is best described by its developer: "a relaxing, simple, addictive puzzler. Tap to spin noodle pieces, and connect them all together." Players will rotate tiles to make everything connect, and most levels (especially at the 5X5 level) can be beaten in a minute or two.
Blitz Block Robo - Developed by Nexus Game Studio - Buy it Here (Android / iOS)
Blitz Block Robo comes from Barrie developer Nexus Game Studio and makes the typical match puzzle game a bit more hectic. "Blitz Block Robo is an action puzzle game with a fresh new take on the typical match puzzler. Simple, yet challenging, control the game grid by sliding blocks, matching colors of any amount to earn points or chain together with special blocks for massive combos."
Alto's Adventure - Developed by Snowman - Buy it Here.
I wanted to put an endless runner on this list, and they don't come much better or beautiful than Alto's Adventure. Even if you're making a great run, you can always just complete challenges. "Join Alto and his friends as they embark on an endless snowboarding odyssey. Journey across the beautiful alpine hills of their native wilderness, through neighbouring villages, ancient woodlands, and long-abandoned ruins. Along the way you'll rescue runaway llamas, grind rooftops, leap over terrifying chasms and outwit the mountain elders – all while braving the ever changing elements and passage of time upon the mountain."
Honorary Mention: Bloxiq - Developed by Blot Interactive.
All the previous games I've mentioned are on phones or tablets - but what about the PlayStation Vita? Enter Bloxiq. However, I do have a confession: I have not played Bloxiq yet, still waiting for a non-Borderlands 2 Vita bundle. However when a developers describes their game as the "Demon’s Souls of puzzle games" then you've peaked my interest. Give this one a shot if you're a Vita user and give some love to the developer on Twitter.
Indie Developer Cellar Door Games have announced their rogue-like platformer Rogue Legacy is out now on Xbox One. The game is already available on a variety of other platformers, so this gives you another method of playing the very excellent game. It also comes with a 20% discount with Games for Gold.
Rogue Legacy, the critically acclaimed genealogical rogue-"LITE", has arrived on Xbox One. Every time you die, your children succeed you. Each child is unique; one could be colorblind, while another could be dyslexic. But that's okay, because nobody's perfect. So if you've ever wanted to play as a bald ninja dwarf now's your chance!
Who will be picking up Rogue Legacy on Xbox One? I didn't get a chance to beat it on Vita, but I did die a lot.
Nintendo and Humble Bundle have announced the first ever Humble Bundle for console/portable, The Humble Nindie Bundle. If you are not familiar with Humble Bundles, they are a collection of indie games, bundled together for a heavily discounted price with some of the proceeds going to charity. You have the option to pay what you want, while also distributing the payments across the developers, charity, and Humble.
The Humble Nindie Bundle is lead by Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition from DrinkBox Studios.
Get it at https://www.humblebundle.com/?utm_source=hbvid Indie hits on Nintendo consoles! We've teamed up with Nintendo to bring fans a bundle full of Nintendo 3DS and Wii U indie games! Pay what you want for Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition, Woah Dave!, and Mighty Switch Force.
Make sure to check out the bundle here - currently there is a promise of more games to come.
