Links: videogames

I saw that Kevin Vognar was playing UFO 50 and grumbled it was only (currently) available on Steam. Kevin shared that Whisky uses Apple's Game Porting Toolkit to allow for such things, along with making many games available on macOS,

And it looks right up my alley! The how to play video is super cute to boot. (Update: It gets quite challenging as the game board size gets larger!) / via Trey Piepmeier

A sequel to a favorite iOS video game series has appeared. This latest version of Monument Valley is being distributed by Netflix, which is a win for them. I still don't associate Netflix with games tho. (Addendum: It's Nice That has some BTS!)

I've seen this "cozy, relaxing, open-world" game with a chunky all-terrain van floating around for a while and it looks like it's out now and something I'd like to curl up with when the weather turns. Got a nice reminder about it from TeuxDeux's September Recs

Talk from the Game Developers Conference goes deep on how this handheld game console came to be along with the challenges of getting it into folks' hands.

Arun Venkatesan provides a compelling case to check out this video game by designer Adam Stjärnljus. I'd seen the trailer before, was intrigued and added it to my Sofa list of games to play. Now I'm moving it up the list.

I absolutely know I will enjoy this talk by Cabel Sasser about the creation of the Playdate handheld video game system. I'm bookmarking to watch later. / via Waxy

Ooo. I remember this game fondly. It's back in the browser! (Thanks Matt) Now I wanna see Robot Unicorn Attack make a comeback (hearing the Erasure song in that game was transcendent).

I was super into Neko Atsume 1 for a good chunk of time. It was a sweet spot in the cursory world of mobile phone games that encouraged daily check-ins, but not spending all your time there. Plus also, kitties! / thanks MetaFilter

And the birth of the jump button and platforming video games. Dig those initial sketches and every detail in these insights, even with bits of conjecture. / via Dave Rupert

This teacher shares his enthusiasm and extensive collection of classic Mario games with his class and it brings me great joy to know this is happening in the world. (Thanks Wendy!)

I love lists like this. I've fond memories with many of these video games. These lists are hard to make, but I've found if you consider them malleable it’s easier to put out there.

The group behind those iconic film logos were also behind the packaging for Nintendo of America. The design language across the NES, Gameboy, SNES and the games themselves was very likely one of the first design systems I’ve experienced. Oodles of insight about the work on their blog post Designing Game Worlds.

I’d seen this roguelike pop up on some lists but it wasn't until my friends Joe & Mike stopped by for game night with it loaded up on their Switch that I took interest. It is the most addictive game I’ve played in a while — like Dead Cells mixed with Gauntlet. There are no buttons, just directional pad controls. It is mad fun.

Create, remix, add interactivity and share isometric voxel room things/games. Neato. / via waxy

and growing up, folks that inform your journey and ways that video games can inspire futures...

Base lines from classic video games. Here they are pulled together in an extended song.

I've played four of these games that fall under 13kB or less of JavaScript (that's small) and each one was quite enjoyable! / via sidebar

Developer Sean Murray has a thread on Twitter as to why, and it gets you right in the feels. / a tip of the hat to Daring Fireball

I played this first on iOS when it launched and it's less a video game and more of an emotional interactive story. Now available on many platforms, I highly recommend giving Florence a try.

I would totally want to play this game of unpacking boxes even if I didn't realize there are over 14,000 sound effects so when you place something on a hard or soft surface it makes a different sound. Zen.

Explore the world through the eye of a young woman recording the last moments of different cultures before they’re washed away. / via @colly

Podcast with Panic as they discuss how they came to make the Playdate with Teenage Engineering (now available for pre-sale!).

Like many, I'm super anticipating the release of this little yellow console. More details released today include the game editor, font editor, the first batch of games, a dock and more.

A Twitter account, a Washington Post article and an important feature wherever dogs are present / via @desandro

Sometimes Twitter showing what your friends liked is a very good thing. Also? Firewatch is a great experience!

Incredible collected insight to one of my favorite games ever.

Jaro Gielens collection of 900+ electronic games that are searchable by color, brand and then some. Wowsers! / via Swiss-Miss

For making, sharing and playing tiny games and other computer programs. (Found by reading about the Celeste sequel)

This list has quite a few titles I'd not heard of before, and I totally forgot about Maneater, the game where you play as a shark. Scott closes out with a moving description of Kentucky Route Zero / via Metafilter

Fascinating video

Filing away just in case

This is a terribly sweet, well done and moving song + animation about video games / via Waxy

Speaking of video games, this latest revival of the old Naughty Dog franchise is fun and fresh. I also realize I'm dating myself with language like "fresh". (Also the first Crash came out in 1996!)

I JUST finished the first game last week. It was borderline frustrating and deliriously superfun.

I share Jason's enthusiasm. Also excited to play the 3D All-Stars and re-live moments in time.

I want to log back in for these. But then I will see all the weeds that have grown...

This bundle is an insanely incredible deal for a ridiculous price and a worthy cause.

Filing this Oculus Quest game away for next time I fire it up.

Current listening

I'm on day 1

"At the time, I don’t think we had much more strategy than just to have fun."

Speaking of videogames, just fired this one up and it is the most cinematic game I've played in some time. The type. Overlays of story. Framing. Music. Everything. SO GOOD.

Excerpts from the Verge article. (Essentially we need good electronic places to hang.)

This game has been on my radar. Keeping eyes peeled for a copy. / via Thor

Play the signs. I REALLY wish this was on a console. (Fingers crossed)

Plays Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Advance games? Intrigued.

A game about writing nice letters to real people. Write and receive encouraging letters in a cozy room.

Peace Island will forgo combat in favour of an experience that focuses on puzzle solving, discovery, and exploration AS A CAT / via Erik

I saw this announcement on Andy Baio's link collection and immediate went, "whoa" under my breath quietly to myself. John Gruber had a similar reaction, and went so far as to include an image in his post. He _never_ does that.

Friends came over and put together one of the first gen Labo kits and it was amazing to see it come together. This looks like a great kit.

I didn't think this would ever make it off Xbox. Fingers crossed they have an easy mode as I heard the original release was too hard to enjoy.

Another in-depth piece of the vide game phenomenon that is Fortnight. I seriously can't wait til this type of experience merges with a style of game I like (Zelda, Mario, 3rd person adventure games -- I've never been a fan of death matches or fighting games.)

A "live" event inside a videogame where hundreds of thousands? (numbers aren't out yet). "attended" This is a glimpse of what is to come.

Such a specific range of styles

Microsoft's Xbox Adaptive Controller is pretty fantastic.

Their video "Top 50 games of 2018, explained in 7 words or less" is pretty fun. I missed some good games this year it seems.

Filing this turn-based survival game away. (I don't play games on my computer, but I hope this makes the leap to a console for us old-schoolers.)

PC Gamer is made a list in 2017 and they keep it updated with new games. / via Joseph

I'm ok with this version of the future