After the release of Balan Wonderworld earlier this year, Sonic the Hedgehog co-creator Yuji Naka announced in September he had started developing simple mobile games with Unity.
Now, just months later, he's done it - for the "first time" in 37 years, he's made a game all by himself - and he wants everyone to play it and help "spread the word". It's called 'SHOT2048' and is available on the App Store and Google Play.
So, what's it all about? Here's the official description, along with some screenshots:
"The purpose is to shot the same number to make 2048, but aim for more. Tap to move the number left or right, and release your finger to fire the number. If you hit the same number, they will be combined and the numbers will be added. The game is over when the numbers stop in the red game over area in the foreground."
Why not give it a go yourself and let us know your own thoughts in the comments.
[source iprope.com, via twitter.com]
Comments 61
Whilst it is of course a standard 2048 type game, and not even an wholly original variation considering games like 2048 Chain Cube exist, keep in mind this is just a one-man project and should be considered as such.
Consider it a shippable development exercise. It might not impress, but it's a healthy thing to do.
Mobile games may make money hand over fist, but for me personally, the instant I hear the word associated with any project I immediately lose interest. I don't care who the publisher is or what the IP may be.
"Mobile games". .. some people.
That's a standard game dev environment. If he hit a slightly different button and released the compiled version on Switch, you'd be chomping at the bits to play it.
It's the same smegging thing.
Heh, catch me playing a mobile game in a million years. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go launch History 2048 on my Switch
Man made a game for fun in his own spare time and of course the nature of people they still want to tear him to pieces like he killed their mother or something... christ.
Not here as much (yet), but lord I've seen it.
It's entertaining. Never played a 2048 game before.
He looks like he's happy and proud of himself for making a new game by himself and that's what matters really. I will give it a go, I've never played a game like this before either.
Edit: Game is fun and relaxing!
I love that he is making a game that I can imagine myself making in Game Builder Garage... not that I actually could, but it looks like it and has that really simple, one-job-to-do feeling to it.
Dude is basically living Rocky 3 with this "you gotta get back in touch with your roots and rediscover why you fight, man!"
I enjoyed the game. Ads are ridiculous. Tried paying to remove them and it's 599. I'm out. Make it 2 bucks and I'll buy it.
@Jayenkai Not really. The Switch version wouldn't have adverts.
I don't really understand the game though, is the goal just to get over 2048 in points? Because I did and then when I reached 31420 it suddenly said "Congratulations 2048"?
Good to see Prope is still going strong lol
@Clyde_Radcliffe Neither do games in the Apple Arcade. I've been sucked into that, head line and sinker. No ads allowed. No IAP's allowed. It's brilliant!!!
And most Apple Arcade games work with gamepads, though it's a pain to have to keep syncing my PS4 gamepad to the iPad and back..
Would be great if Apple released a proper gamepad, and bundled it with an Apple TV device.
Why are they so reluctant!?! I dunno..
While made for phone games holds no interest to me, I am pleased for him. I think the Balan reaction defeated him. Would have been sad to see him feel that he had no place in this industry. All by himself too! I would not even know where to start.
That ain't impressive. I've seen hundreds of "one man" studio make games I want to play. This one I want to pass. I have nothing against the guy, it just doesn't appeal to me
From the creator of Balan Wonderworld... Hard pass...
And it looks like those games that you get a million ads for. Poor yuji naka.
All the people getting on their high horses about mobile games are funny..in the sad way.
There are some real gems on mobile. That "behind the frame" game coming to switch in 2022 I saw people gushing about wanting to play when it comes out on the comment section here..yep, that's a mobile game you could be playing now, not in 5 months. But because it will be on a console and not your phone, then it becomes somehow..better?
I just don't understand the hate for mobile games, it's almost as ignorant as the "PC gamer master race" weirdos. One would think people would be happy to have as many other ways to enjoy games as possible, especially when some are better than $60 releases and cost nothing. I'd much rather play Dead By Daylight on my phone for free then pay 25 dollars for the inferior switch version.
This feels like he's trying to prove to himself that he's still able to make games. It's a bit sad
@UglyCasanova word. There’s tons of good mobile games like the cookie run series. (Seriously those people are flat out saints when it comes to getting characters that you want)
@Jayenkai
Yes imagine that, people would rather have the non-pay-to-win compiled version of a mobile game on a platform that easily allows you to play with a controller of your choosing.
Its almost as if playing these games on a tiny screen, with your finger smudging said screen up, and then dishing out money to unlock anything worth a damn is less enjoyable than getting the entire product at one price and with a better control scheme. Who would of thunk it?
@AugustusOxy See also : My second reply to this thread.
Additionally .. "Would HAVE" It's "Would HAVE"
@bimboliquido I said what I said lol. What were the last few games he created? Would you expect his recent release to more resemble his older accomplishments or his more recent ones?
It's just a 2048 variant but it's nice to see him do something on his own time I guess. Not really great that he's trying to nickle and dime with the ads but eh, he's hussling. I can respect that.
Good to hear he didn’t exit the industry.
We' re still going on about this guy? Seriously? Okay...
@UglyCasanova But because it will be on a console and not your phone, then it becomes somehow..better?
Yeah, buttons matter.
Lost me at "mobile".
Bye game.
Not a very good game. Wonky physics, little control over the board, and the ads are very egregious, especially as you get to higher number levels.
@Jayenkai I don't know much about games development, but I'm fairly certain that Apple games and Switch games use different languages, right? Wouldn't there have to be a little more to it than just pushing a different option upon compiling the code?
@yuwarite Wow, google play on PC, my life-long dream.
@BloodNinja depends entirely on how it's been written, what language was used, what devkit, etc.
In this case, if you zoom into the pic on Twitter, you can quite clearly read "Unity" at the top of the screen.
Unity makes it as easy as pi.
Great for him and I hope it's successful. For me though I just can't get into mobile gaming no matter how hard I want to like the game.
@Jayenkai I see what you did there But thanks for the explanation. I dabbled with coding in C++, but moved onto a different career path and never went back to it so these things still look like magic to me.
It's never too late to learn. SmileBASIC, Fuze and Nintendo's own Garage Builder thing make it all the more easy to give it a go as a hobby, right on the Switch!
I think the game is pretty good. At certain points it reminded me of Puzzle Bubble. It's not perfect, and it's monetized way too aggressively. However, it has a pretty solid, fun gameplay loop and it shows a humility from Naka that I find really, really remarkable. I know many veteran game designers who never bothered trying to learn to make a game on their own, let alone later in their career. Their ego would just never allow that. So, this shows a lot of character and passion.
Ya know, I was optimistic that on mobile Naka-san was going to make something cool, but this is the last thing I expected and it was the worst outcome
It can be little fun, I suck at this lol
I would rather play Balan Wonderworld than this
@bimboliquido From the lead programmer of Sonic. He had little to do with the character creation. His contribution is WILDLY overstated, and the credit has gone to his head. He's a good programmer of 2d, but a terrible programmer of 3d, and a HORRIBLE designer.
well congrats on him!
Well at least he's doing what he loves, making more garbage games.
This shows people what game directors can actually do when they are alone without a big team backing them up, so they think twice before godifying them. (Cough Cough.. Sakurai..)
I played it.
Won on my first playthrough then deleted it.
Sorry Yuji. I love ya and all. But I can't stand the constant Ads of Mobile games. I get it, you need to make money, but 30 minute ads every 10 seconds just doesn't do it for me.
I seriously thought that was Space Cadet Pinball on the screen for a minute lmao
It’s a neat diversion. Yay Naka-San!
I know he's kinda torpedoed his reputation, but I hope this guy still finds success in what he does next. Say what you will about Balan Wonderworld, but I'm impressed by his fortitude.
Imagine his position for a moment. He was given the go ahead by Square Enix to make the 3D platformer he always wanted. He did so, only for it to eventually become an unmitigated disaster that tarnished his legacy and burned most of the good faith he still had from both his superiors and his audience.
Most people in that situation would just take their ball and go home, but Naka decided instead to throw himself into releasing simple, cheap Unity games for mobile. He probably knows he'll get made fun of a lot for doing this and I'm sure he understands that this 2048 release will be mostly forgotten by next week.
But he does it anyway. Because he loves making games, regardless of how they'll be judged, and he wants to continue sharing his projects with anyone who wants to play them. In an industry increasingly dominated by cookie cutter design and predatory monetization schemes, I find people like him to be both refreshing and undervalued.
@rottame "Monetized aggressively" "Shows humility"
Nah it's him making a simple game and trying to use his name to shamelessly squeeze money out of players. If he wants to practice he should make an actual free game.
@Dr_Lugae Do you work for free?
Great to see Yuji not being down about Balan and instead throwing himself into something new and learning. Winning mentality. Massive respect!
It doesn't even work for me. It loads, gets to the game screen, and then crashes.
@rottame Nope, but you can play all the games I've developed for free:
https://azzie.itch.io/
Haha, I did notice that he never closed PROPE, but instead just had the number of employees listed as ONE. ^^
Well... this turns out to be super fun. Love the shot physics added to the 2048 concept. Is pleasurable, strategic, and can even get frantic.
Ok I'm back after playing it for a while and I must say... it's incredibly annoying to get ad after ad everytime you hit 2048. Especially when your score is getting high and you get 2048 with every other shot. It's egregiously monetized and this dude is laughing his way to the bank. Probably doubting why he even put that much effort into Balan.
@SuperCharr can you define "real and good games"? Does a game lose that status if it's ported to mobile?
@Crono1973 Seems like a "you" problem, then.
@Specter_of-the_OLED Do you define Iwata solely by the Wii U and not the several hardware and software successes he's been behind? That's the mentality you hold.
@Nintendoh Seems like a "you" problem, then.
What seems like a 'me' problem? Maybe you could quote me so I know what you are talking about!
<scrolling up>
I see, you think preferring buttons to touch controls is a rare thing?
@Nintendoh Iwata and Naka are not in the same boat you know. With Iwata at least he acknowledge the Wii U was a failure and makes up for it, Naka never admit anything. Even if he made the biggest pile of poop ever he'll still believe people are gonna want to try it and like it. Remember people play the Balan demo and hated that they had to use one button for everything. What did Naka do about it? Nothing, you will play it and you will like it and it will be in the final game which it did. So what did Iwata do when the Wii U sucks? He went back to the drawing board, fix all that's wrong with the system and what did that give us? The Nintendo Switch. What did he do when the 3DS sucks? He dropped the launch price of $249 to $169 and gave early adopters 20 free classic games to make up for the rough launch and the rest is history. He even cut 50% of his own salary so his team could keep their jobs. His sacrifice was not in vain.
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