Current-gen Nintendo systems have their share of titles that owe much to '80s gaming, with pixel-based visuals and simple gameplay hooks. Collateral Thinking seems to be another title with that approach, with some slightly more modern touches thrown in.
Developed by Astrosaurus Games and due on 11th August in North America (priced $2.99 in the US) and 18th August in Europe, it'll feature over 100 single screen levels - pitched as 'floors' of a tower under construction - which set different tasks. In 30 seconds you'll have to "'Avoid' all the hazards, to 'Bust' all the enemies, or to 'Collect' all the blueprints". You can see it in action below.
The developer is pretty clear on the retro influences at play in this one:
The game is meant to blend the core floor-climbing, obstacle negotiation of Donkey Kong with the original Mario Bros.' single-screen enemy hunting, and then crank up the speed, intensity, and absurdity while adding elements of WarioWare's unpredictability and impulsivity to the mix.
Retro simplicity can certainly work when done well; we'll see whether this one has solid foundations when it comes out soon.
Comments 25
Gotta love all these AAA Wii U exclusives we be swimmin' in.
Ah FFS!
@Moon Well, it is $2.99. But yes, it's eShop or nothing for Wii U gamers at the mo, no argument there!
@ThomasBW84 Since you jumped in, the description says 100 levels but the video says 200 story building at 1:46. Is that just part of the games whimsy or are there maybe 100 challenge levels to unlock?
This game is pretty much everything I hate about gaming, retro graphics and music, intense levels, short, score based, but it's really pulling me in. I think it's the Q-bert looking green bad guys, I'm a sucker for Q-bert. If it cost anymore, even $4.99, I'd ignore it, but $2.99 is tempting, I liked the $ Top Score screen too, my kids and I can try to outdo each other.
@rjejr The game description I have says 100+ levels, so maybe it is nearer 200.
I'm certainly curious about this one myself, I think it looks like decent fun for a low price.
@SLIGEACH_FIRE
What's wrong?
For the price, I'll get it (pending reviews). Would have been a better 3DS title, though.
Sure would like to see Nintendo take a crack at a true DK94 sequel, though.
"Promises Retro-Style Action Platforming" because Wii U has so few of those...
This still looks quite fun. Probably gonna pick it up, who knows. Doesn't look half bad.
Sounds great.
Ok, IF THIS GAME IS FUN, then I can forgive the graphics. Sometimes I feel like indie developers are purposely putting these graphics to mock Wii U. But GAME PLAY should be the judge. There were bad 80s games too, so if you want to make a classic, you may need a blessing from God or to be a genius.
The games are retro, because they're easier to make. Hardly anyone wants to spend more time making indie Wii U games now with NX around the corner.
@ThomasBW84 Thanks.
2.99 seems a little steep for what looks to be one of those flash games online.
@Captain_Gonru "Playmotion things on clearance at Target today"
How many did you buy? W/ no more DI or those that aisle is going to be empty. More Lego D will only take up so much space, and I doubt they stock too much Skylanders after last year. Maybe the NES Mini works it's way in? If they only keep it in the Nintendo aisle w/ the Wii and DS games nobody will ever go in there and see it.
I played Woah Dave a bit but it was too chaotic for me. While this looks fast it kind of looks fast w/ a plan and a strategy.
Finished TT w/ the Tokyo movie, which was ok. Not sure what we'll do next, maybe back logged games, Ni No Kuni has been waiting for 2 or 3 years and it seems family friendly and almost movie like.
@ArcadeLove lol good point. kind of seems like 200 indie developers secretly decided together to exclusively release atari-looking games to mock us
@Phil_Kavadias Yes, I thought this for a while. Personally, I think Sonic Mania looks more genuinely "modern retro" than many other recent indie platformers.
Sounds like a good deal. I will definitely check it out. Tumblestone also looks fun.
Looks interesting actually. I will likely hold out for an official review though...
Nice port of a flash game. Give it to the wii u owners
Wow this looks really awful (I mean the graphics).
@Captain_Gonru Our little Target had all of the Playmation stuff in it's normal spot, all clearance stickered at 75% off. We didn't buy any. And let me tell you, a toy has to be pretty bad for us not to buy it at 75% off.
Skylanders comes out OCt 16th, but I think they'll just expand the Lego D section, maybe move it off of the endcap. Lego might keep making all of the old stuff for people who buy the game this year, and there is a lot of new stuff coming out.
Went to Gamestop after. Between waiting on NX and PS4k Neo news, I think the industry is turning me off of gaming. FFXV $25 season pass news just made me not want to play anything.
@Captain_Gonru Fortuantley my kids never got into Battlecast or any of those types of games, they did spend a combined $20 on Pokemon cards yesterday though, new packs came out this week, but more for collecting than playing. I think they'll be skipping this Skylanders, even w/ Crash, b/c they don't really care about him. A few of the Lego D packs look good, they still want the Portal 2 pack.
I forgot to mention I was partly down about gaming b/c we just left the orthodontist $500 poorer w/ another $2,500 to come. And perhaps another $4,500 after that, but I'm expecting some sort of apocalypse before then. Insurance is really good at collecting money every 2 weeks but not at paying for stuff.
But really, games should be making me excited to get my mind of of that stuff, not adding to it, how much will NX cost, how much will PS4K Neo cost, why does a single player JRPG need $25 worth of Season pass stuff?
2 months to Flash and Arrow, that's all we'll watch, but I'm not too excited. I watch it b/c it gives me something to do w/ my wife, and it's good, but I'm not excited for it. Mets were supposed to keep me happy all summer and into the fall but they are falling out of fall being worth watching. They really haven't been worth watching fo rover a month. Or 2. Or 3.
Oh well, someday NX, then who knows. I remain optimistic that at least my kids will be excited to have something to play. If they can afford it.
@Captain_Gonru I saw the PS4 thing. Still doesn't quite seem official but close enough, the Wednesday after Labor Day makes sense, and the Playstation theater in Manhattan makes sense.
I realized this morning I don't care about hardware anymore, just games. We know what games PS4 will play, it's really just a matter of price for me now. NX could be full of amiibo titles or good games. I'm still waiting for a game that looks like the Wii U demos of that Japanese Koi garden and HD TP. XCX looked really good, but it took 3 years to get that. We already own SSB and MK8 so I don't need ports of those. Pikmin 4 and Luigis Mansion 3 looking gorgeous, that's what I need, not Pokémon Snap.
@Captain_Gonru "Shadows of Mordor "
Never played that one, looked good, but violent for violence sake from what I could tell. Now normally I don't mind violence, but LotR name shouldn't be sullied just to sell a violent game.
Ni No Kuni is going well. I'm digging the cell shading.
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