Canadian development studio Next Level Games is well known for its work on Nintendo games such as Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Punch-Out!! and Mario Strikers Charged. While the studio is now exclusively developing for Nintendo platforms, that wasn't the case with an intriguing project in 2011; as revealed by Unseen 64 today it was working on a game called Clockwerk, which was targeted for release on the Wii, as well as the PS3 and Xbox 360.
Unfortunately this intriguing platform puzzler would never see the light of day. Here's an overview from Unseen 64:
It was conceived as the story of two old men, Otto & Herman, who work as Hausmeisters (caretakers) in a magical floating clock tower suspended in the clouds called 'The World Clock', that governs the flow of time throughout the universe. On their final day before retirement, a faction of evil gremlins attack the tower, dismantling its innards and disrupting the behaviour of time. In order for the grumpy twosome to finally retire, they must defeat the invaders and repair its inner workings.
While a game prototype was never developed, the talented designers and artists at Next Level Games produced lots of enticing conceptual documents and artwork for the game. Pitches were made to various publishers such as Nintendo and SEGA during 2011 and it is rumoured that a deal was about to be struck with one of the major publishers. Ultimately the deal fell through when it was revealed that the publisher was already committed to a another game which featured very similar gameplay mechanics.
Head on over to Unseen 64 to take a look at the glorious concept art for this game. Would you like this project to be reborn one day as a Wii U-exclusive title, or is it be best left forgotten?
[source unseen64.net]
Comments 28
I'm excited to see what their next game is. I hope we get to see it this year.
As for this game, it's a loss, but that's fine with me. Not all prototype games make it to the market.
That art looks beautiful.
It definitely looks interesting. I wonder what game halted the development; Pandora's Tower perhaps?
OTTO! :}
It should be revived and remastered with a Wii U version just like Rodea the Sky Soldier.
@Octane
The Unseen64 article mentions that the game was picked up by a "major publisher" in July 2011 and Pandora's Tower was already out in Japan by that point, so I kinda think it rules out Nintendo.
Wow the artwork is amazing!
I'd like to see it finished. Looks good.
Seems like an interesting title, a strategy puzzler with a story attach to it, that sounds very intriguing. Would had been nice to see a return to this, man so many great titles that sounds interesting which should had been release but never did: this game, Sadness, Project: HAMMER, Dead Phoenix, Raven Blade, Mega Man Legends 3, and Vandal Hearts DS.
This seemed like a pretty cool idea. I love the fact that the two main characters were on their last day of the job before retirement. I can just sense humorous dialogue between them.
That concept art though, wow, just lovely.
Nice to see an original IP by them, too bad it never happened. That tower somehow reminds me of Howl's Moving Castle.
I recall Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon having a mansion called Old Clockworks. I wonder if this cancelled project had any inspiration on that...
Cool concept....shame!
Nintendo should definitely revive it as a Wii U exclusive, but they'll probably want it turned into a Zelda game or something.
Just replace the gremlins with moblins, shoehorn Ganon in there somewhere, and see? It's already ruined.
@cookiex I see. Well, it was just a random guess anyway, I knew that Pandora's Tower was released in 2011 in Japan, but I didn't bother to check the date.
Sounds and looks like Professor Layton. The concept art is amazing though.
Sounds cool to me! Wouldn' mind playing something like that.
Next Level Games should just work for Nintendo like they said they are interested in. They are very talented developers with cancelled projects that deserve to be revived, especially the next Metroid game. This was probably cancelled for the same reason as Metroid 3DS, they didn't want to pass on the opportunity to work on Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon.
@Lunapplebloom that would be a cool easter egg but it's probably just a coincidence
Like the Sly Cooper villain?
@RaymanFan2 Nice to see another fan of those games. They are classics in my eyes!
Makes me wonder what the world reaction would be if say, Retro Studios revealed their next game was a puzzler new IP about two old men.
Sure, a vocal minority with cool heads would be all understanding going all "A new IP, fantastic"...but the fanrage of the rest of the Nintendo userbase would be a sight to behold.
Sounds like an awesome idea and the art looks great. I wouldn't mind seeing the project being revived.
Sounds interesting! Sadly it wasn't to be.
Meh, I'd prefer Catalyst to make a comeback on Wii U. Even the WWE Titans game without the liscense sounds like it could be fun as well.
if you replace gremilins with ghosts that scene they describe up there is an exact scene from dark moon
one of the main gameplay mechanics of clockwerk was going to be an inflatable jacket thats used to reach new heights... Yep its Luigis Mansion
@Mega179 I guess it may be a little of a stretch. Still, one can dream.
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