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GP32 Gets Homebrew Games Galore For Competition

Posted by simoniker on from the fighting-cigarettes-always-a-boon dept.

Thanks to GP32News for its set of freely downloadable games from the ADIC2003 competition, a homebrew contest for the previously discussed GP32 handheld game console. Highlights include 'LOL Fighters', featuring a giant fighting cigarette, a classic 2D puzzler called 'Puzzle Mix', and the sideways scrolling shooter 'Magical Quest'. GP32News also has much supplementary information regarding other homebrew projects for this cult handheld.

17 comments

  1. Looks. It's Part Of Gaming. by Yorrike · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Though it's great to see home brew games are alive and kicking, and that the GP32 has a cult following because of it's open nature, I must say that all of the games not mentioned in the article look mediocre to terrible.

    Now, don't get me wrong, I'm one who'll prefer shining gameplay over shiney graphics, but most of the displayed games look like the developer haven't even tried.

    Take this one for instance. In case you don't recognise what that's supposed to represent, it's a snowboard going down a mountain. This console is capable of much better.

    --

    Looks can be deceiving. Or CAN they?

    1. Re:Looks. It's Part Of Gaming. by johndoejersey · · Score: 0

      why re-invent the wheel?

      Horace Goes Skiing was loads of fun!

    2. Re:Looks. It's Part Of Gaming. by Oddly_Drac · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "I must say that all of the games not mentioned in the article look mediocre to terrible."

      I remember buying a Hewson game called '3d tanx' for the spectrum back in the day. 5.00 for the tape. It was bloody awful, but it was a commercial game. Back then your average software company was a couple of guys hacking (if you were lucky) assembly.

      So personally I would be a little forgiving to the people that try to create for the GP32. I feel that the game you pointed out wasn't really much cop and I'd not put money on it to win, but I think it's heartening to see something of that sort happening.

      --
      Oddly Draconis
      Too cynical to live, too stubborn to die.
    3. Re:Looks. It's Part Of Gaming. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > why re-invent the wheel?

      Re-invent it? From that screenshot, it looks as if they haven't even *used* a wheel.

    4. Re:Looks. It's Part Of Gaming. by Cpt_Kirks · · Score: 1

      the GP32 has a cult following because of it's open nature

      For something a bit more advanced, check out the Tapwave Zodiac.

      Faster CPU, better screen, better controls, etc. And the SDK is free and (as soon as the new license comes out) OSS friendly.

      I have both. The GP32 is great, but the Zodiac has so much more potential. Now it just needs the games and emulators to make use of the potential.

    5. Re:Looks. It's Part Of Gaming. by mrseigen · · Score: 1

      For what it's worth I think most of the games (namely the ones at the top) look good. The rest are of varying quality, but there are some damned nice ones here.

    6. Re:Looks. It's Part Of Gaming. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Zodiac is technically a PDA, and has palmOS in the background running, so it may have better specs, but the price for it, and the analog joystick problems, a GP32 is a much safer bet :D

      If you would want to spend alot on a Zodiac to wait for good homebrew stuff, in which doesn't suck for freeware *although some people put this as the wanting to get a system, but free games that do not suck is better than paying for stuff that are in development/needs improvments :D *it is known that PalmOS doesn't have many good*well, really good* freeware games**

      Right now i*and many others* only see the GBA's Dev kit as the competition for the gp32, in which the GP32 beats them by alot, but the Zodiac is an interesting device in itself

    7. Re:Looks. It's Part Of Gaming. by stonecypher · · Score: 1

      Heh. Homebrew games on closed platforms have been getting stronger every year. Have a look at pdroms.com, gbadev.org, devrs.com, et cetera. We all hold competitions like this all the time. It's what keeps us going.

      --
      StoneCypher is Full of BS
  2. They should port MAME and see what happens... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...nuff said.

    1. Re:They should port MAME and see what happens... by imperator_mundi · · Score: 1

      it seems that among many other emulators a port of MAME is in progress, altough it looks like now just some very old games run.

    2. Re:They should port MAME and see what happens... by imperator_mundi · · Score: 1

      sorry about the link... wrong copy paste I suppose ;-)
      it shoud have been this one, I beg your pardon.

  3. Great. by mrseigen · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's nice to see there's people working on the GP32 other than the script-kiddies who just download emulators and ROMs to it and bitch on message boards.

    1. Re:Great. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Gamefaqs. What's it about? Is it good or is it whack?

  4. How much does it cost? by _iris · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Where is the price?

    1. Re:How much does it cost? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Try Lik-Sang. They sell both the backlight and no backlight versions of the GP32.

    2. Re:How much does it cost? by frolik · · Score: 1

      If you're in the UK, go to www.gbax.com - you will usually recieve your gear the next day. 125 with a front light, and 90 without. Highly recommended site

  5. Intellectual Property Rights... by zenintrude · · Score: 1

    Am I the only one that thinks this Magical Quest borrows more than a little from Cotton?

    --
    - colin