A really simple concept drives this game. A few bubbles run around the screen, and you have to touch them in order to inflate. As log as you touch a bubble its value increases. The goal is a cumulative score of 100 for all bubbles on screen. As usual with these games it starts off easily but after a few levels it gets really tricky. There's a paid iOS version out there, but I suppose most people will settle for the free version, right? :)

A short 3D platform game that stars a little boy trying to find his way through a scrapyard, trying to find his sister. Apart from the usual 3D level design found in these kind of games, Cantrip includes an unusual mechanic: the boy is cursed to attract metallic objects, and repel for a short amount time. Now this can be a burden (especially if you want to run to avoid guard dogs) or a blessing (for example hitting huge switches on the ground that require lots of weight). The game has pretty nice visuals as you notice from the screenshot, and also audio. One final thing to notice is the many different ways the boy can die and the narrator commenting on them ("And suddenly the boy had as many holes as a sieve" for example). Play it online or download it.

From the author of Cave Story (I just realised that I've never reviewed Cave Story, but then again I hardly think anyone isn't aware of it!) comes this cute pixelly exploration game. If you've played Cave Story then I guess there's not too much to say about this since it's in the same vein only you're into sea. The story follows a similar structure too (not to say that it's the same thing of course). Anyway, the go-places-talk-to-characters-do-chores-get-better-abilities mechanism works really nice and the game can be completed in 1-2 sittings, so grab a copy and try it out!

A nice blend between a platform game, a shoot'em'up and columns. You have to shoot the blocks that appear, and any adjacent to the one you hit with the same colour disappear as well. You don't want to shoot too much though, as you'll hit the spikes at the bottom. Also there's coinage to collect. As I said, a really nice blend, try it here. Also the author states that there's a deluxe version coming up, so keep an eye for it if you like this game!

The author says it's still just a prototype, but what's already there is good enough for me :). In this episode of "2D platform games with a twist" we get to swap around item's sizes. So, you got a big crate you can't jump over? Click it, then click another smaller item (like a picture frame) and presto! they exchange sizes! With later puzzles even your character changes size, so I'd say it's definitely something to try out and keep an eye for in the future!

Pixelly zombie. Run. Eat brains. Throw people off platforms for MOAR points and COMBOS. Enjoy the hell out of it! F**k yeah this rules!

Well, if you're a fan of the Ace Attorney series on Wii or NDS (HOLD IT!), or you wanted to play them but never owned a Wii or NDS (OBJECTION!), or never could afford them (OBJECTION!), here's a chance at some free spin-offs, they even use a NDS-like screen to show the game (NO OBJECTION!). Keep quiet about them using samples and some gfx from the original games though, we don't want to put them into trouble ;) (again, NO OBJECTION!).

A no-frills platform beat'em'up with a post-apocalyptic theme. It plays really nice with responsive controls and abilities you gain as you play. Don't forget to save now and then - especially if you want to come back to it :)

Yet another platform game with cute gfx and weird rules after a while (like having a 2nd partner that helps or hinders your progress). It has narrative too, which really spices up the game (it really reminded me of One and one story, which is definitely a good thing!). The story ended a bit crappily though, but still it's something I'd like to play again some time :).

Get a piece of paper. Fold it as many times allowed to create requested shape. FUN! 'Nuff said :).

Another of those platform games where the standard rules are broken by rotating the view screen or mapping the play area in a spinning cube, etc. Dunno why I love 'em all, I just do!

Hey, where did the other 3 go? Who cares, it's yet another pixelly Canabalt clone, it's quite hard but fun! Give it a go, even if it is for 2 minutes :).

Weird concept (quite original), great game. From the game author's description:

You've just been assigned the editor-in-chief position at The Republia Times in the glorious and free nation of Republia. You must use your influence to print positive articles that paint Republia in a good light.

So your task is to get the news feeds, then use your DTP software (resembling an 80s Mac) and filter out the news that make the country look bad and only include the good ones. Your family's health is at stake, so you'd better please the right people! Plus, after a few editions there's this twist that.... Well, I'd better let you discover it by yourself. DTP like it's the 80s again :).

Anyone remember Alexey Pajitnov's awesome puzzler, Pandora's box? (please don't tell me that even the author's name doesn't ring a bell! Pretty please? :))

Well, one of the subgames of Pandora's box was a picture puzzle, but not an ordinary one. The screen was split in uneven pieces, so depending on where you put the puzzle piece, it would grow and shrink to fit the rectangle's size. Well, this game is close to the spirit of that subgame, except you have to resize the pieces at will. It's not very hard once you get the hang of it, so go try it out!

A pixelly sandbox game with a 1800s western theme. Lovely art, and quite amusing that you can pull your gun during the dialogue (this can cut some discussions short or put pressure in the other person) :). Just click this, pardner ;)

Take one standard 2D platformer. Take a hammer and smash the screen to pieces. Take the fragments and shuffle them around. Then let the player try to sort it out. And that's what this game is all about.

If anyone remembers The I of it reviewed a while ago, this is a more stylized take on it.

Contrary to what you might think from the screenshot, you actually control the chair the guy is sitting on, which can expand and compress. So, have fun!

Well, after this title screen what's more to say? :)

Anyway, the objective is to sneak behind people and then use the mouse to play a mini game, where you have to drag a line that the game instructs you to without errors. The thing is, both the sneaking behind and minigame happen at the same time, so you have to keep moving your character and move the mouse, resulting in much fun! Here you go, here's a link for you to try out!

A simple platform game, with a small twist in the scenario. Nothing much to add, just run, jump, shoot and have fun with this quickie game!

Quite a charming puzzle. It's a turn based affair, you've got 2 characters getting closer with each turn. Your job is to make their distance grow (but not become impossible) by placing blocks in their path. Due to the fact that this was made for Ludum Dare it lacks a bit of fine tuning, so the 2 characters can appear in places where it's impossible for you to win. But nevertheless it's quite fun! Play it!

Boulder Dash (and by that I mean the original Atari 800 version) is one of those games that'd been cloned to death. Which would have been all right with me since I love the original to bits. I've played and played and played it till I had memorised all levels and their solutions - I guess the next step would have been learning to play blindfolded :).

But the thing is, most of those clones stink. Almost none get it right; the sprite would move too slow, the rocks/diamonds would move wrong, the butterflies/square things would follow other rules, the fire button won't do what it's supposed to (halt the player and dig to the direction you turn the joystick), the levels would suck, the scrolling would be slow or nonexistent etc etc. Mind, as you noticed I only touched the core gameplay issues here. Pretty graphics and sound are totally secondary since this is a game that's defined by its brilliant gameplay (not to say that the original wasn't coded properly, in fact it's pretty awesome!)

And then there's this:

Doesn't look like much on the surface, but if we omit the fact that all the sprites move smoothly instead of jumping one block to the other, it's a damn perfect reproduction of the original. The levels have been lifted directly from there. The level goals, the timings, everything seems in place. I wasn't absolutely sure about this till I came across the first bonus level, where you're awarded with 1 life and if you pass the level you get to keep it, otherwise you die and move on.

Back then I could pass that level about 6 times out of 10, so I went ahead and tried the exact timing I was using. It worked. That sold me :). Ok, granted, the game runs at a much slower pace than the Atari 800 version so I had a better chance, but still that was pretty amazing I think!

So, big thumbs up from me, and I'm pretty sure that if Peter Liepa ever comes across it, a big smile will appear on his face :). Ah yes, here's the link. Go play it!

P.S. if you check the screenshots you'll see that they say "Nyan" - that's just the language selection I made, there are other languages too :).

A quite fun and different platform game, in which in order to reach the end of the level you have to drop some hanging blocks to create a new path. Of course positioning is a key here, otherwise you can get stuck. Short game but sweet, try it out!

So, anyone remember this sketch on Kids in the hall with the guy that was supposedly crushing people's heads with his fingers? What if that was actually happening? What if you could pick up an object that's far away from your view point and not changing scale as long as you hold it, regardless of moving around? Well, then you have a quite fresh concept for a game! The third level was a bit of a stinker, but the idea is great :). Go check it out!

Usually I don't go for card games like Magic: The gathering because I simply have to devote ages learning the rules, making a good deck, devising strategies etc. But every once in a while I come across a game (like for example this) that does away with all that complexity and just gets down to the basics without much overhead. Encounter is one of them.

Each turn you just pick a line, column, or diagonal, which is composed of 4 characters (there a 4 different skills). Depending on the characters and how many of each there are in your selection you get different attacks, combos and even more combos depending on the powerups you get. It really only takes a couple of turns to figure out most of the game so I think I've written too much already. Try it out!

It's a mini GTA, mostly focusing on the evil bits because of Ludum Dare's theme (You are the villain). Beat grannies, young children, gangstas, old people to complete missions! Fun!

Help Santa push the candy canes away to get to the presents! Mostly Sokoban with a couple of additions, like irregular box types, mending the candy canes, etc. Fun!

Xmas Stash

A little bit tower defense (urgh, I sort of not like the genre much!), a bit of Dungeon Keeper (yay, I totally like that genre!), add deepnight's distinctive excellent bitmap style, and you've got a quite enjoyable game!

Josif Stalin, Karel Marx, a baby, Christmas, sheep, social workers, the army. The first two are protecting the third from the rest. Piss take theme (communists in Christmas?), taking the piss of a game genre (Tower defense, although it's really not boring as a traditional tower defense, you just select your weapon and it's shot directly - no boring decisions about where to place your defenses) from McPixel author with really ridiculous dialogs. There's even an Outrun minigame and the weapons screen includes a Mad Max tune (although it's been bastardized with SID vocals ;))! So what are you waiting to try it out?

Continuing on yesterday's experimental gameplay, here's another one: you play the role of a small girl who just wants some quiet time, without that stinky bodyguard around. Try to cause as much mischief to get away from him!

Made for Ludum Dare 25 (theme: you are the villain), you play the role of a sorceress that tries to kill the hero. Help her perform her evil schemes without failing! I can't say more without spoiling the gameplay for you, so I suggest you go try it out!

Tiny sorceress