While it has its critics, crowdfunding platform Kickstarter is a becoming a prominent stepping-off point for encouraging game development projects that need a helping hand. Often these games can draw from sources of inspiration not necessarily deemed profitable to a publisher but, nevertheless, can be throwbacks that excite gamers with long memories.
We may have to add Lobodestroyo to that list, a 3D adventure platformer that looks like a modern take on a Nintendo 64 game of the same genre, albeit with a smoother framerate and crisper visuals. The pitch shows off the fact that going on a collect-a-thon is part of the experience, while the Blue Bomber gives some loose inspiration as defeating bosses for their masks will give the hero new abilities; those that back big can also receive a collectible Nintendo 64 cartridge.
Into the final third of its funding phase, this title originally had a Wii U stretch goal, but after the developer was contacted by Nintendo the system has now been added to the main goal of $35,000. That's still a good distance away, however, as at the time of writing the project had raised a little over $10,500 with 12 days to go.
You can learn more on the campaign page and watch the pitch video below. Does this appeal to you?
Thanks to Zach Kaplan for the tip.
[source kickstarter.com]
Comments 40
Power to it. I think this project looks promising, but it seems like everyone else says otherwise. The engine needs a little work, but their video was excellent. Sometimes Kickstarter just baffles me.
Seems like a cool (and silly) game! I love seeing works like this, I'm often inspired by games like this. This is the sort of thing I'd love to make eventually.
Okay, that water is stolen straight from Wind Waker.
This seems like a promising download title to have. There are so many e-Shop titles I'm looking forward to, I wish they'd start coming out already.
Nice to hear Nintendo is being a little more proactive with Kickstarter games. I may support this one.
A pity it seems it won't make the goal. It looks really promising, and I love the humor in the trailer. Maybe if it fails Nintendo could pick it up and fund it as an exclusive? I'd love that.
Psychonauts is probably my favourite somewhat recent indie 3D Platformer. (Not that into them but I will get it if the quality as at that level or higher).
Never realised how old it was until this second actually its not really recent it went on Steam only in 2011 though. (Released in 2005 ...)
How did indie developers ever make games without crowd-funding?!
@Williaint I guess a better question would be: how many potentially awesome indie games we didn't get in the past for a lack of crowdfunding?
I just made my first ever Kickstarter pledge, and it was to this game. Their characters, concept art, worlds, music - it's all VERY well done, and the exact kind of thing I might like. I really hope this becomes a reality.
A suggestion for the Editor: Search about Nintendo including Wii U's SDK in Unity Development Kit and list how many of these indie games use unity. There is no surprise why every indie dev thinks of the Wii U as a good platform to develop. They don't need to port their engines. Nintendo did it for them for free. I wish everyone would remember that when saying that Nintendo doesn't support indie games.
semms rather cool!!
They should rethink their animations
This looks pretty decent. It may even be the first Kickstarter campaign I get behind.
ahemlatinocrashbandicootahem
i really want to back this game, but already have backed 5 WiiU games on kickstarter that i wont see until later next year. with this one there will be a 3 month wiiu delay after the Ouya release, which means it could be sometime in 2015 before its released
Did anyone notice the right hand in the background?
@ricklongo Diddo!
It doesn't look good enough to get my hopes up, but I'd definitely check the review to decide if it comes out on the Wii U.
I love how it looks, and I totally get that the game isn't even in beta, but they need to work on the animations for me to back this game. Love the idea, looks like it has a lot of potential.
I think that adding Wii U to the initial target is a good thing. In my experience Wii U players are active on Kickstarter, but I suspect most are like me, unwilling to pledge to a game that has a Wii U stretch until the stretch is hit, avoiding the risk of having a pledge taken but no game forthcoming after a failed stretch. Once the stretch is hit, of course, that risk disappears; The Girl and the Robot is a good example. With one day to go they were at 24,000 CAD, with a Wii U stretch 1,000 away. They started climbing, built some momentum, hit 25,000 with 14 hours to go, give or take-and then got another 13,000. More than 1/3 of their total came after the Wii U stretch was hit, even though it was in less than a day.
Lobodestroyo looked unlikely to hit their target at all, let alone the stretch, so we'll see what happens now that they've removed the risk to Wii U owners by adding the platform to the initial target. I suspect that their funding rate increases. Fortunately, www.kicktraq.com will have precisely that information, so I can test my hypothesis, even if I can't prove any reason why. I'll still claim that it means Wii U owners do support third parties, just not mindless, watered-down, AAA travesties given to us by profit-driven publishers.
I like this one. If it releases ill buy it, but saving my money at the moment, the ps4 has a hefty price.
this game looks sooo epic! i would love to play this banjo kazooie style game <3
i would back if there would be another way than only with credit card :/
i hope it will reach the goal but sadly i dont think so
Complete with N64 graphics. No thank you.
The gameplay shots look really, really unfun (the opposite of fun). The running looks slow and awkward, the jumping looks too hard to use, and the camera never seems to point in the right direction... even if it's an alpha, it shouldn't look so painful to play.
Why do so many developers love Banjo-Kazooie collect-a-thon? First Hat in Time and now this. There were better collecting games people. The original Spyro trilogy says hi.
I'm not really sure if I'd want that. The game seems to have some cool stuff, yet it doesn't impress me. I guess it's too much 'inspiration'.
@steamhare Which game ever looked good in pre-alpha stage? That's a bit much to ask for, even though I can see how it bothers you - it's not really good advertising to look this unfinished and then have us 'believe' it will become better if we throw money at it.
it has a nice charm to it, but the gameplay looks uninspired
#villians...
@Kaze-Memaryu
For a platformer, running and jumping are the most basic of mechanics. It's what they're selling. In early alpha, ugly textures and animations can be forgiven, but if the premise looks weak (The premise being that the game is a platformer) then I can't help but think the project may have fundamental flaws.
Hate the graphics
@steamhare Well, I agree. It doesn't look all that ambitious, but I'll still give it a chance and see how it turns out.
So far, this really seems like simply a, well, less enticing A Hat in Time. I can see why they haven't gotten the necessary amount of money. I can imagine this game succeeding 15 years ago, but not now.
It looks like Crash Bandicoot mixed with Wind Waker.
Definitely looks like it belongs to the Wii U more than anything.
@Kroisos i enjoyed reading your post.
N64 inspired game? Heck yea
Eekum bokum!
'Nuff said
More like a GameCube game seeing as the graphics are largely rip-offs of the Windwaker, and no, collect-a-thons aren't specifically N64 and the only Banjo Kazooie reference is the medicine man. The water, the puffs of smoke when enemies vanish and actually the graphics style of the environment in general all seem very Windwaker-ish and come on, nobody noticed the Super Mario Sunshine reference there? (hint: at 1:43)
So yeah, definitely GameCube inspired...
I was seriously considering backing this game but how are you gonna say its an N64 game and have Wii U be the last stretch goal right next PC/Mac/Linux like I really like how Xbox One is first because I have it but seriously Wii U should have been its primary target.
i just wanted say... it did it! - This game will come to the wii u <3
its awesome how much pledges it got in the last 2 days... i never thought they would do it anymore.. but here we go and one day is still left... Lets see... maybe it hit the playstation goal too... but the most imprtant thing is... it will come to wii u! (where it belongs O:) )
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...