technabob » jump

tetris’d turns tetris into a platformer

technabob — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 03:12:46 +0000

When most of us think of Tetris, we think of puzzle games. But this new variant of the classic brick-stacking puzzler isn’t about that. You see, Tetris’D is a platform game. Huh, wha?

The objective of Kobra Editing’s little Flash game Tetris’D is simple. Blocks fall from the sky just like they do in the original ‘tris, except instead of controlling the blocks, you move a little stick-figure dude who’s about to be crushed by them-thar falling blocks. You can move and jump over bricks, and with enough practice, you can even wall jump while you’re moving through the air. All you’ve got to do is stay alive without being smooshed or falling off of the platform. But don’t let the simple premise fool you. This game will seriously kick your ass when you first pick it up.

Wanna give a shot? Jump on over to StickPage and get to some Tetris’D platform’n now’n. While you’re over there, be sure to check out Kobra’s accompanying Tetris’d stick-figure animations for an added diversion.

[via DownloadSquad]

queens: simple homebrew, sobering concept

alisha k. — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:18:56 +0000

If you play any sort of video games at all, you’re probably intimately familiar with character death. We’re desensitized to it; touch the bad thing, fall off the cliff, fail the jump, and down goes your character. Whether the game is as simple as the original Super Mario Bros. or as complex and terrifying as a survival horror title, we don’t think much about the characters, because there’s always another life waiting in the wings.

Queens, a simple game–jump, run–subverts that concept and uses it to illustrate the hopeless pattern of domestic violence and the way it is perceived in society. The game was completed in two days for a competition on that theme, and is only one of the conceptually interesting titles to emerge from that challenge.

Just as with any game of this type, your characters die. Rocks fall. Chasms are large. Your finger slips on the x key. But each of these characters has a name, each represents a woman, and they are all being sacrificed in the name of entertainment.

It’s an interesting game and a sobering treatment of the material; it makes you think a little without shoving anything down your throat. You can check out Queens, and all the other games completed for the two-day mini competition, but I don’t recommend playing them all in a row.

[Queens and more via auntie pixelante]

mirror’s edge gets flattened into 2-d

technabob — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:00:23 +0000

It looks like the new hit 3-D action platform video game Mirror’s Edge has just gotten a makeover as a 2-D Flash mini-game you can play right in you web browser.

The guys over at Borne Games have created this flattened version of the game (in partnership with EA), and it’s kind of reminiscent of classic Prince of Persia type of game when squished into just 2 dimensions. I suppose if there were some enemies in there, I’d think more Shinobi.

The keyboard controls are still a little wonky compared to a joystick, but it is only a Beta, so I’m sure it will improve.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

While the video above gives you a taste of what the game looks like, the best way to check it out is to head on over to the ME 2D web page and play it now. What are you waiting for?

[via The Awesomer]

powerizer leg springs: perform superhuman feats

technabob — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:41:32 +0000

These crazy-looking contraptions strap on to your legs and feet, letting you fly high into the air and perform crazy stunts.

The spring-loaded PoweriZers amplify the pressure of your jumps enabling you to perform death-defying feats of athleticism.

Now I don’t need to tell you this, but bouncing ten feet in the air on something that combines a pogo stick and stilts isn’t for everyone. PoweriZer’s makers assume that you’re a) physically fit; b) have impeccable balance, and c) aren’t afraid to break a few bones while you learn how to use them.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

You might recognize the PoweriZers from this slick insurance company commercial that was in heavy rotation last year…

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

If you’re up for the challenge, they’re available purchase from PoweriZer online. Models range from $329.99 to $429.99 a pair, and must be purchased based on the wearer’s body weight.