Retro Remakes Competition 2008
I probably should write more about Retroremakes, as they're a wonderful source of 8-bit remakes, with a welcome slightly European spin. This is as good an opportunity as ever - they've just announced their Retro-Remake 2008 competition, with a deadline of December 6th. There's six categoriescategories to consider, with overall and section-category prizes (Which adds up to over 5000 quids worth of stuff). I have a wander through the categories beneath the cut, as well as say "Well... this is what I'd do..."
Except I clearly won't, because I'm well lazy.
Anyway - Categories:
Category 1: Retro Remakes. As in, just remaking a game. But not Arkanoid/Breakout, Asteroids, Jet-Set Willy, Pac Man, Pong ( In ANY dimension), Snake, Sokoban, Space invaders, Tetris, Time Pilot.
Category 2: Games That Weren’t. As in, games which were meant to arrive, but never actually did. Oddjob lobs up a picture of MireMare, which is a fine example, but you can be less obscure if you like.
Category 3: Sequels That Weren’t. As in sequels to a game which probably deserved one, but didn't get one. Neatly, this lets you take the structure of an already existing game, plus its iconic flourishes, and build some extra mechanics on top of that.
Category 4: A Game For Helen. I'll quote here: "This is especially aimed at bringing games to those who cannot play arcade type games using conventional controls due to disability.This sector of the Retro Remakes competition will be looking for entrants to create accessible updated counterparts of real or imagined arcade games from the 1920’s to date. These can include mechanical, electro-mechanical and video games. Basically - anything at all you might find in an amusement arcade through the ages." This is, especially a good one to get involved with.
Category 5: 8 Bit Mashup. In other words, can you top ROM CHECK FAIL.
Category 6: We Like It Retro. As in, new retro games. As in, ones which could have been released in 1982, but don't. Back in 2003 or so Paul Morley argued the White Stripes with Elephant released the best album of the year - but the year was 1967. Do that, but for games.
Frankly, you'll be better off reading the instructions.
I'm hoping this is an enormous success, if only because Retro Remakes have set some interesting - but not insurmountable - challenges before the developers. With the time limit, keep it simple, keep it direct would be the watchwords - which, pretty much, is how the developers of the period actually did things. Nowt wrong with making a one screen game, but just make it the right screen.
So - stuff off the top of RPS-chatroom's head...
SKOOLDAZE meets WHERE TIME STOOD STILL
Anything to do with CHAOS (CHAOS but with a UFO/X-COM metastructure)
Anything to do with HORACE, the least appropriate games genres imaginable. HORACE GOES... well, almost anything.
Mash-ups involving multiple early-iconic platform heroes (WILLY, MONTY MOLE, CHUCKIE-EGG) going head to head, perhaps co-op, perhaps competitive! Race to finish single screen
RICK DANGEROUS in reverse - as in, you make the death traps to kill the dip.
DEUS EX MACHINA
TRAP DOOR (Not THROUGH THE TRAP DOOR though).
HOW TO BE A COMPLETE BASTARD
A sequel to GHOSTBUSTERS (Which took the structure and made it work)
DARK SCEPTRE
Inappropriate INTERACTIVE FICTION versions of games
ADVANCED LAWNMOWER SIMULATOR
ALIENS UK. Though that has been remade as the lovely LV 426. For the record, this is what Bioshock 2 should rip off.
In fact, some kind of Mash-up of all of Codie's ADVANCED NOUN SIMULATORS could be fun.
LIFE OF REPTON
A sequel to SCIENCE HORIZONS SURVIVAL.
And that'll do for now, as we'll be here all day. What about you - brainstorm! What stuff would you like to see done?