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Star Guard — an Old-School Platformer Done Right

Posted by Soulskill on from the 39-deaths-i-am-terrible dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Rock, Paper, Shotgun points out a new game called Star Guard, a Flash-based platformer for Mac and PC that's a throwback to the early days of computer gaming, yet still entertaining. They describe it thus: 'Its greatest strength, to my mind, is throwing out the old-school traditions of difficulty. It does certainly get tricky, requiring the platformer standbys of carefully timed jumps and learning enemy patterns — there's something of a Metroid vibe to it. But you don't get punished for failing to meet one of its challenges — you're just plunged a few feet back to most recent checkpoint, and carry on. Lives are not finite, but the small mound of green pixels that mark your corpses are a maudlin testament to your ineptitude. However, death is useful — I ritually found myself sending in a suicide spaceman, taking out an enemy or a mine so that the path was clear for my next go. ... However, it doesn't leave people who pride themselves on their gaming skill, and demand their games to be hard, out in the cold. At the end of each level, your score alters dramatically depending on how many times you died.'"

107 comments

  1. The old games are the best by bitemykarma · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Good deal.

    1. Re:The old games are the best by buswolley · · Score: 1

      Obviously this game is just about the graphics. read sarcasm

      --

      A Good Troll is better than a Bad Human.

  2. Nice job assholes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    They have "PC" and "Mac" even though there is only "PC" and Windows/Mac/Linux.

    And they forgot the Linux version.

    Once again, nice job assholes, let me know when a Linux version is available.

    1. Re:Nice job assholes by Yvan256 · · Score: 1

      That's what I'm wondering, AC. It's supposed to be made in Flash, so why isn't it embedded in the webpage itself?

      The video did show me that it looks boring as hell, however, so I don't even care what OS versions there is or not.

    2. Re:Nice job assholes by ChienAndalu · · Score: 1

      Yep, that's a fail. I don't see why this game couldn't have been written in SDL or any other cross-platform library.

    3. Re:Nice job assholes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Flash is a cross-platform library, retard.

    4. Re:Nice job assholes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Linux sucks assholes

    5. Re:Nice job assholes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's what you get for using a retarded operating system, faggot.

    6. Re:Nice job assholes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "other", retard.

      -LAS

    7. Re:Nice job assholes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually I only mentioned Windows due to the "PC" connotation in the game.

      My day to day OS is infact Ubuntu Linux.

    8. Re:Nice job assholes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "other" besides SDL, retard.

    9. Re:Nice job assholes by cupantae · · Score: 1

      Everyone calm down

      It's just typical ignorance. The "Mac" download is just a HTML file with the flash in it. No need to go using things that specifically aren't emulators on Linux to play this.

      --
      --
  3. Linux support? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So. Does it run on Linux?

  4. Here's a very simple yet addictive game by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://www.canabalt.com/ (Flash).

    Also available for iPhone/iPod touch (see link on webpage above).

    I have no link with the game other than I find it extremely well done in graphic, music, F/X and gameplay.

  5. Slashdot effect. Try back in a week. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Looks interesting. Hope I get to play it.

  6. Iji by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    I found an old style game called Iji about a year ago and it's fantastic, even compared to modern games. It reminds me a bit of Flashback, which was one of my favourites back in the early 90s.

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

      Another World and Flashback were great. And, uhm, sorry to say, they were technically far superior to Iji, even though they're from 1991/1993 and done by a single person.

    2. Re:Iji by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      None of them were made by a single person. Another World had two programmer and a musician. Flashback had an entire team working on it. Iji was made via some game creation software by a single person with music by several others. If you have actually played Iji, you would know it's technically better than either Another World or Flashback. Iji has a higher quality soundtrack, a better story (one that changes depending on your actions), RPG-like skill upgrades, multiple weapon (some with dual firing modes) and arguably better graphics.

    3. Re:Iji by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're right, Flashback was done by a team. Another World, according to Wikipedia, was "designed and developed by Eric Chahi. The graphics and box art were designed by Chahi, while the music was composed by Jean-François Freitas."

      Let me put it another way: Both of them looked better than Iji, even by today's standards. If Iji is as good as you say, which I don't question, it's a shame they didn't put more effort into designing better looking sprites. And this is coming from someone who frequently plays Linux games.

  7. What? by MrLeap · · Score: 0

    This story seems patently off theme from the typical slashdot story. This is garish and confusing.

    1. Re:What? by Gadget_Guy · · Score: 1

      This story seems patently off theme from the typical slashdot story. This is garish and confusing.

      Yes, it does jump out at you as being unlike most of the other articles. I assume that if you are a /. subscriber then you don't see these sorts of stories. One of the benefits of being a subscriber is that they hide the ads.

  8. Just watched the video... by Yvan256 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    There's old-school and then there's too-old-school.

    I'm not one to usually say this, but the graphics really do look dated (what is that, CGA graphics flashback?), as well as the gameplay and sound effects (almost sounds like the simple PC speaker that we got rid of a long time ago, thank you very much).

    This game seems boring at best. And why compile the damn thing for PC and Mac? Why not just embed the damn Flash game into the webpage itself?

    1. Re:Just watched the video... by TheRealMindChild · · Score: 1

      Perhaps the whole goal was to make a GOOD game, regardless how shitty the graphics are...

      --

      "When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back!" -- Cave Johnson
    2. Re:Just watched the video... by Yvan256 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      If you want to see a good game with simple graphics, look at http://www.canabalt.com/.

      Damn thing only has 6 colors and yet it looks amazing.

      As for being a good game, watching the video sure doesn't makes me want to play it, and I've started playing videogames in the Atari 2006 era so I'm not biased against old-school games (Night Stalker on Intellivision is a good game, for reference).

    3. Re:Just watched the video... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Personally, I appreciate the ability to download the game as an application. At least for me, there have been times when the Internet goes down or my bandwidth reaches unacceptably low levels and I have to put a call into my service provider and see if their guy will come out, etc., and it's nice to have some aps so my computer isn't a giant brick while I wait around for something to be done. Plus, there are times when I might not be in range of a wifi signal, and, conceivably, there might be times in the future where I can't pay a regular Internet bill for a while, where having hard drive based aps also would come in handy.

      Anyhow, I just played through the first level, and the game itself seems pretty fun. It's simple, but a lot of times simple is what I want in a game, something to do while listening to some music and chilling that isn't going to require intense concentration or hand-eye coordination I don't have, and that isn't going to be overtly frustrating. :) SuperTux is really enjoyable that way as well.

    4. Re:Just watched the video... by scaryjohn · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I haven't tried to play it yet, but I would give two thumbs up to the CGA color scheme if they'd used the CGA palate: #55ff55 instead of #00ff00, et c. As someone who played old timey games on old timey hardware, seeing the VGA palate in retro games or in emulators always throws me off.

      --
      One might ask the same about birds. What ARE birds? We just don't know.
    5. Re:Just watched the video... by chrisG23 · · Score: 1

      I don't mean to get into an argument, but why don't you try to actually play the game and then see if you like it. I just tried canabalt at your recommendation. I see what you mean by the art style in that game, but I found it to be not fun for me. Of course everyone else enjoys games differently for different reasons, so why criticize a game for its graphics, especially one that you have not played?

      I found starguard to be funner, I felt like playing it longer than canabalt when I tried both games out just now, and I want to play it again. But everyone is different, why can't both games exist without the need to bash one or the other?

    6. Re:Just watched the video... by Yvan256 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      IMHO Star Guard wasn't worthy of a Slashdot article and smells more like an ad, even if the game is free.

      There's also the fact that if it's a Flash game, why not embed it in the webpage directly? I'm not running random programs from the 'net, and that includes games.

    7. Re:Just watched the video... by chrisG23 · · Score: 0

      I agree with you on both these points.

    8. Re:Just watched the video... by mikael · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Perhaps it is the simplicity of the graphics and sound - all those DOS games didn't use more than a handful of commands to interact with the screen (draw points, draw lines, draw circles/eliipses, fill circles/ellipses, paste pixelmap), and the sound command (which directly set the frequency of the speaker).

      You might just find that PC's still have the speaker built in - I found out that when keeping the [Shift] key pressed for more than eight seconds, then there was a Frogger type sound and something called Speed-Keys popped up.

      Take away the Dolby surround sound, the 24-bit HD framebuffer with motion-capture character animation and most games would probably have the same gameplay as these DOS games. Though, there are better Flash games

      Super Mario 63 is a Flash version of the Super Mario platform games.

      Crazy Planets is a missile type game based on the curvature of a planet, rather than a simple grid

      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
    9. Re:Just watched the video... by ShakaUVM · · Score: 1

      >>I'm not one to usually say this, but the graphics really do look dated

      That's why God invented Shadow Complex. It's an old-school game with surprisingly pleasant graphics.

    10. Re:Just watched the video... by Tolkien · · Score: 1

      I tried this game out after seeing your post and it suffers from the same fucking retarded UI problem inherent in every fast-paced flash game that uses the mouse. The fucking right-mouse-button-bringing-up-the-flash-menu was my #1 killer. When will people learn? Argh.

      --
      how is babby formed?
    11. Re:Just watched the video... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Can I just say that the video doesn't really looks fully old school.

      Movement was way too fluid. If this were real old school, jumping would be slow and far more choppy.

      It looks like he made the character out of far more pixels than the characters in the past.

      Also, going from screen to screen without load times? What the fuck.

    12. Re:Just watched the video... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You only fucking have to fucking click one fucking button you fucking muppet. When will you fucking learn?

    13. Re:Just watched the video... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Interesting that you link to the second edition of Canabalt, the one that either does not use the flixel framework, (which one of the games author's developed, or has hidden it). On the other hand, I believe that version is identical to the one on the iPhone. On the other hand, I do wonder what tricks were used in these early flash game ports were used, since the LLVM compile to iPhone feature was not available for them.

    14. Re:Just watched the video... by Phoghat · · Score: 1

      I watched the video and can only say MY HEAD HURTS!

      --
      Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
    15. Re:Just watched the video... by commodore64_love · · Score: 1, Informative

      >>>the graphics really do look dated (what is that, CGA graphics flashback?), as well as the gameplay and sound effects (almost sounds like the simple PC speaker that we got rid of a long time ago, thank you very much).
      >>>

      Wrong on both points. CGA was only 4 colors and the PC speaker just went "beep". Starguard's hires multi-color graphics look similar to an 8-bit computer (Atari or Commodore) while the aural effects sound like they were sampled from an old Atari console (1977). And the game looks hella fun! You don't have to have blood-and-guts spilling all over the place to enjoy a game. Some of my favorite games of all time looked like Star Guard - the challenge comes from surviving the onslaught not from the T&A.

      Go play Robotron to see what I mean.

      --
      "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
    16. Re:Just watched the video... by c6gunner · · Score: 2, Informative

      Wrong on both points. CGA was only 4 colors

      Built around the Motorola MC6845 display controller, the CGA card featured several graphics and text modes. The highest resolution of any mode was 640×200, and the highest color depth supported was 4-bit (16 colors).

      and the PC speaker just went "beep".

      A PC speaker generates waveforms using the Programmable Interval Timer.[citation needed] The PC speaker was often used in very innovative ways to create the impression of polyphonic music or sound effects within computer games of its era, such as the LucasArts series of adventure games from the mid-1990s, using swift arpeggios.[citation needed] Several programs, including MP (Module Player, 1989), ScreamTracker, Fast Tracker, Impulse Tracker, and even device drivers for Linux[3] and Microsoft Windows, could play pulse-code modulation (PCM) sound through the PC speaker using special techniques explained later in this article. Several games such as Space Hulk and Pinball Fantasies were noted for their elaborate sound effects; Space Hulk in particular even had full speech.

      I'm guessing that the people who modded you "informative" were probably born in the 90's.

    17. Re:Just watched the video... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is it too difficult to press the left mouse button to play?

    18. Re:Just watched the video... by Wildcat+J · · Score: 1

      Built around the Motorola MC6845 display controller, the CGA card featured several graphics and text modes. The highest resolution of any mode was 640×200, and the highest color depth supported was 4-bit (16 colors). [wikipedia.org]

      That's technically true, but for all practical purposes, you got four colors and liked them. From your Wikipedia link, the 16 color mode was a special trick from 80x25 text mode. I played a lot of games on a CGA monitor--to this day, those godawful palettes are burned into my memory--and I don't recall ever seeing any game use that mode.

      As for the PC speaker, I can remember the Windows driver that made it a PCM device, and it was passable but low-quality and used a lot of CPU. Some games made a valiant go of it, but there's a reason why the Adlib and Sound Blaster cards became so prevalent.

    19. Re:Just watched the video... by Dwedit · · Score: 1

      I've only seen two games use the CGA 160x100 16 color mode:
      Moon Bugs, and some breakout clone.

  9. Runs on Linux just fine! by flajann · · Score: 3, Informative

    I don't know why they would specify "Mac or PC" with a Flash game. It ran on my Linux system just fine. They had me thinking it wouldn't work under Linux for some reason (and I do know of some Flash apps that crap out under Linux!)

    --
    Ruby Neural Evolution of Augmenting Topologies
    1. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by Yvan256 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      If it's really a Flash game then why embed a stupid video on the webpage instead of the game itself?

    2. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by Sardak · · Score: 1

      I don't know why they would specify "Mac or PC" with a Flash game. It ran on my Linux system just fine. They had me thinking it wouldn't work under Linux for some reason (and I do know of some Flash apps that crap out under Linux!)

      You seem to be confusing "PC" with "Windows".

    3. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by rliden · · Score: 2, Informative

      If you're going to be that broad with the definition of "PC" then Mac would fit in that category as well since it's also a personal computer. It's pretty much accepted slang that PC means Windows when describing OS versions.

      --
      Don't think of it as a flame, more like an argument that does 3d6 fire damage.
    4. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by Jesus_666 · · Score: 1

      Especially since the "Mac version" is just a Zip archive containing an HTML file with the Flash game embedded. What's the difference to the PC version, then?

      --
      USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
    5. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

      Because it's vitally important to show filthy Linux users how much more advanced the graphics are than what they're used to and then stop them playing it.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    6. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by Sardak · · Score: 1

      You're right about "PC" encompassing Mac as well. My main point is that the description should have been "for Mac OS and Windows" in the way most people seem to have taken it, or "for PC" to be more general and accurate. Whatever happened to using the correct terminology to describe things? "PC" is not an operating system. If "PC" is synonymous with "Windows", then would you consider IBM's PC-DOS to be an early version of Windows?

    7. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by SharpFang · · Score: 2, Informative

      Wait, you used it on Linux/x86?
      Well, then it's a PC. They never said "Windows".

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    8. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by rliden · · Score: 1

      No of course I don't consider PC-DOS an early version of Windows. I also didn't decide that PC is often used as slang for Windows. I was just pointing out it's not really a confusing tag for most people.

      --
      Don't think of it as a flame, more like an argument that does 3d6 fire damage.
    9. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by mdwh2 · · Score: 1

      Not really - the narrower definition still referred to a particular standard of hardware - i.e., derived from IBM compatibles, but exclusing other hardware such as old Macs and Amigas. So arguably I'd say Macs are still included under this definition (since now they do use the same hardware - x86, graphics, PCI etc), and also, this definition still includes other OSs that might run on PCs.

      It's true that "PC or Mac" is used by some people, but I don't think that means it makes any more sense. You might as well say "PC or Dell". I think it stems from the idea of trying to give the Mac special mention - it's great from a marketing point of view.

      Talking of marketing, note that Apple themselves have tried to have it both ways for their marketing. E.g., PowerMacs were PCs (so they could say that PowerMacs were the first "64 bit PC", using some odd definition that didn't include Alphas, as they were "Workstations", which apparently is mutually exclusive to being a PC - I guess my Dell x86 Workstation I have at work isn't a PC then, and Macs aren't suitable for work, but anyway), but Intel x86 Macs surprisingly then aren't PCs - so they can have their "PC versus Mac" campaign, and get away with bashing Windows, without attracting a lawsuit.

      Personally I'd rather keep conversation about technical topics free of cheap marketing tricks, but that's just me.

    10. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by Vexorian · · Score: 2, Informative

      Did you somehow happen to be running your Linux on a PC?

      --

      Copyright infringement is "piracy" in the same way DRM is "consumer rape"
    11. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by flajann · · Score: 1

      Usually when they say, "PC", they really mean Windows. Just saying that it is a Flash game is sufficient.

      --
      Ruby Neural Evolution of Augmenting Topologies
    12. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by commodore64_love · · Score: 1

      (sigh)

      "PC" is just an abbreviation for "IBM PC-compatible" and that has been the language convention since the mid-80s. Commodore v. IBM PC. Amiga v. PC. Macintosh (or Mac) v. PC. You weren't born yesterday and should know that PC and Mac are just abbreviations (unless you actually were born recently).

      --
      "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
    13. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by commodore64_love · · Score: 1

      >>>So arguably I'd say Macs are still included under this definition

      Macs are not "IBM PC compatibles". They don't have the same BIOS, and also they evolved from a different genesis (Motorola 68000) than today's IBM PC/Wintel machines (8088) which have a direct lineage to that old machine.

      --
      "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
    14. Re:Runs on Linux just fine! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This would be supported by the fact that behind the PC link there is an .exe file.

  10. Spelunky by Allicorn · · Score: 3, Interesting

    http://www.spelunkyworld.com/

    Utterly unforgiving, cute, fascinating, free, old-school platformer.

    (windows only sadly)

    --
    OMG!!! Ponies!!!
    1. Re:Spelunky by BenFenner · · Score: 1

      I'm about 50% through "I Wanna Be The Guy" and can attest to it's utterly unforgiving, cute, hilarious, nostalgic, free, old-school platformer game play.

      http://firsthour.net/guest/first-hour-review/i-wanna-be-the-guy
      http://kayin.pyoko.org/iwbtg/

      I will give Spelunky World a try when I'm finished with IWBTG.

    2. Re:Spelunky by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And also buggy as fuck. Read their forum. Avoid this game.

      Instead, try something that actually works -- like Cave Story.

    3. Re:Spelunky by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Spelunky = Nethack copulating with (or possibly tentacle-raping) the first Mario Bros platformer (the fixed screen one crapping critters out of the tubes).

      Yes it is the sick twisted unholy lovechild of Death and Bimbo, totally awesome! XD

      Tip: Get used to dying and pay the Tunnel Man so you get to experience the other parts of the game before your 10.000nd death. (I've only reached Area 3/level 10 once so far with about 140 deaths and I consider myself a lucky noob).

      Shotgun ftw, spring shoes & spike shoes combo ftw, climbing gloves ftw, jetpack ftw. sticky bombs ftw , and on and on, Death ftw!!!

      Spelunky needs to include the kitchen sinks though.

      Btw Derek Yu is aiming to release the code for Spelunky!

      Did I mention the hyper-aggro hairtrigger tempered shopkeepers? THIEF! TERRORIST!

    4. Re:Spelunky by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And also buggy as fuck. Read their forum. Avoid this game.

      Instead, try something that actually works -- like Cave Story.

      Jeez are you a moron or what, how about playing the game instead of trawling through old bugs?

      Btw here's Derek Yu (Spelunky creator) interviewing Daisuke Amaya (aka Pixel, creator of Cave Story) http://www.tigsource.com/features/interview_pixel.html. They're not griefers like you.

  11. Aaaannd...it's down... by MindPrison · · Score: 1

    ...for the Slashdot Count! it haaaaaas been Slash'dotted! ;)

    (for the layman, the site is down, don't bother visiting it today, wait until the traffic heat is over - then try again!)

    --
    What this world is coming to - is for you and me to decide.
    1. Re:Aaaannd...it's down... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      vimeo video link: (the only part still up when I visited
      http://vimeo.com/5286822

    2. Re:Aaaannd...it's down... by Afforess · · Score: 1

      The direct link for PC download is right here.

      --
      If our elected representatives no longer represent us, do we still live in a Democracy?
  12. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  13. Gamepad? by Blakey+Rat · · Score: 1

    Kind of weird the instructions say "best played with a gamepad" when it doesn't actually work with a gamepad... brilliant.

    --
    Comment of the year
    1. Re:Gamepad? by Nimey · · Score: 1

      Does it take keyboard input? Decent gamepads (like my Saitek P880) come with software that make gamepad buttons emulate keystrokes.

      --
      Hail Eris, full of mischief...

      E pluribus sanguinem
    2. Re:Gamepad? by Blakey+Rat · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      That's retarded. The OS supports game controllers (you know, without making them pretend to be keyboards), Flash can definitely make use of the OS support, since I've used other Flash apps that do it. So the point is, this fucking game recommends you use a fucking gamepad, and gamepads don't fucking work. That's all there is too it.

      It's great that you have a gamepad that can pretend to be a keyboard, so you can work-around the fact that the developers of this game are fucking retards. Congratulations to you. I apologize that I had the gall of buying a gamepad that doesn't meet your high standards.

      But that doesn't change the fact that his game doesn't fucking work right.

      --
      Comment of the year
    3. Re:Gamepad? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow man...was this little cheesy game really worth you freaking out?

    4. Re:Gamepad? by Nimey · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Got sand in your vagina, sweetie?

      --
      Hail Eris, full of mischief...

      E pluribus sanguinem
    5. Re:Gamepad? by jack2000 · · Score: 1

      You don't actually need a gamepad that has the functionality to imitate keystrokes.
      There are programs for that. On another point of view: Why wasn't this already an option in the way OSes handle gamepads?

    6. Re:Gamepad? by PyroMosh · · Score: 2, Informative

      I too was rather irked at that. But there are lots of gamepad to keyboard emulators out there.

      For instance, Xpadder. That one doesn't even require any kind of install. Just run it, configure it the way you like, and play.

      --
      Touch everywhere, even when inappropriate.
  14. How shocking by Angst+Badger · · Score: 5, Insightful

    yet still entertaining

    Shockingly, we played games in the 8-bit era just as obsessively as the current generation plays games in the present day. Still more shockingly, we enjoyed the hell out of them without spending a lot of time thinking about how much better the graphics would be in twenty or thirty years.

    This isn't a getoffmylawn post, though I'm sure someone will react that way. The graphics in the current games are pretty impressive; I'm often amazed at how good each new round of games looks. But as a great many gamers who weren't born until well after that 8-bit (or, for that matter, 16-bit) era will readily complain, there are still a lot of genuinely awful but visually impressive games out there. As with software generally, presentation can enhance functionality, but cannot replace it. And, of course, when it comes to games, functionality is enjoyability.

    Good games are good games. Better technology can sometimes add to them and sometimes not, if the various attempts to "upgrade" Pac-Man with 3D graphics are any indication. Play the games that are fun, and leave the marketroids to bloviate about their benchmarks.

    --
    Proud member of the Weirdo-American community.
    1. Re:How shocking by Garrett+Fox · · Score: 2, Informative

      "presentation can enhance functionality, but cannot replace it."

      That's the key part. The game advertised in the article seems like it rejected that advice on the theory, "Oldschool games focused more on gameplay, so let's go out of our way to make it look primitive instead of getting some halfway-decent graphics and sound." Ie., decent graphics and solid gameplay aren't mutually exclusive.

      I nominate Cave Story (freeware) as an example of classic Metroid/Castlevania-style gameplay done right in the modern era. The graphics are roughly 16-bit-era, the music is memorable without the use of the Japan Symphony Orchestra, and there's simple, fun gameplay with an interesting story (and even a hidden extended storyline).

      --
      Revive the Constitution.
    2. Re:How shocking by The_mad_linguist · · Score: 1

      Plus, it's (eventually) coming to Wiiware, with quadruple the graphics resolution.

      (enhanced graphics/music is toggleable)

  15. How did this make Slashdot? by richtaur · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm not bitching here, I promise: I am legitimately curious. I've played dozens of games like this and I know people who make games like this who would LOVE to get their game on Slashdot.

    So what am I missing? How is this different or unique enough to justify a Slashdot posting? ... Anybody?

    1. Re:How did this make Slashdot? by Jesus_666 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Plus, it's not even written that well. The control scheme (which is never explained) makes sense only on QWERTY keyboards and can't be changed and the game occasionally freezes (but that might just be the incredibly buggy "MAC 10,0,32,18" Flash player). The "PC" and "Mac" versions appear to be identical in everything but name and neither is a native binary.

      I have no idea why this was considered newsworthy, it's just bad.

      --
      USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
    2. Re:How did this make Slashdot? by Sparton · · Score: 1

      The control scheme (which is never explained) makes sense only on QWERTY keyboards and can't be changed [...]

      Press "k". It says so in the instructions (which is in the same root folder as the *exe file).

    3. Re:How did this make Slashdot? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What, you actually use a DVORAK keyboard? God, the inane things people on slashdot will complain about.

    4. Re:How did this make Slashdot? by Jesus_666 · · Score: 1

      No, QWERTZ, which is the default in Germany, for very good reasons (we virtually never use the Y so it doesn't make sense to waste a highly accessible key on it; conversely, we do use the Z fairly often).

      --
      USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
    5. Re:How did this make Slashdot? by Jesus_666 · · Score: 1

      I guess I'm too pampered by other Flash games, which usually have the instructions inside the game. Even though the game does have a keyboard setup, not having it available as a menu item and not offering instructions in-game is really weak in comparison to most Flash games.

      --
      USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
    6. Re:How did this make Slashdot? by Eil · · Score: 1

      Slashdot submissions don't write themselves!

    7. Re:How did this make Slashdot? by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 0, Troll
      1. Editor needs something to put on the front page, surveys what's in the queue, and decides we haven't had a games story for a while. Poof.

      2. Editor gets bribed. As an editor myself, I can certainly say that it works. Sometimes the bribe is shockingly small. I smell bribery all over Slashdot's consistently odd choice of articles. It's like living in 1975 and watching Betty Ford stagger around and not really understanding what's the problem, yet you know something just ain't right.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    8. Re:How did this make Slashdot? by mister_playboy · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Changing one key to make QWERTY more logical is a bit like putting a bandaid on an amputated limb.

      And yes, I use Dvorak.

      --
      Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law ::: Love is the law, love under will
    9. Re:How did this make Slashdot? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Caring about keyboard layouts is a bit like having a war over which end to cut off a boiled egg.

      And yes, I use the normal layout.

  16. Slashvertisement by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    'nuff said. I can go to a product's website if I'm interested in their understandably-biased description.

  17. Finished the game by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Pretty awesome really. Really evokes the satisfaction from playing the old Mega Man or Contra, but with a more silver-age arcade look and sound. There's a neat little story in there too for those diligent enough to get through the whole thing.

  18. What's old is new again by DerekLyons · · Score: 1

    "Rock, Paper, Shotgun points out a new game called Star Guard, a Flash-based platformer for Mac and PC that's a throwback to the early days of computer gaming

    It does certainly get tricky, requiring the platformer standbys of carefully timed jumps and learning enemy patterns -- there's something of a Metroid vibe to it.

    And people wonder why Hollywood keeps going back to same ol' same ol'.

  19. Is a retarded flash game news now ? by Latinhypercube · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Is a retarded flash game news now ? Seriously, wtf is news worthy about this game ? I have 100's of games like this from 30 years ago.

  20. Why can't we have fast Web Applications? by Cassini2 · · Score: 1

    I watched the video, and it clearly showed how Web applications are still slow. I had Java applets working and deployed in industrial applications by 1997, but they were slow. Flash is somewhat quicker, but why is everything in JavaScript?

    It is 2009. We are almost have 15 years of mass customer acceptance of the Web Browser. Why isn't the web at least at World of Warcraft level of graphics? Crysis level of graphics? Able to run super-pi? quickly?

    When are web applications going to exceed the speed of a well-programmed 8-bit microprocessor from 1972?

    1. Re:Why can't we have fast Web Applications? by Tumbleweed · · Score: 1

      It is 2009. We are almost have 15 years of mass customer acceptance of the Web Browser. Why isn't the web at least at World of Warcraft level of graphics? Crysis level of graphics? Able to run super-pi? quickly?

      Current versions of non-IE browsers have VERY fast JS, and WebGL has been added to dev versions of both Firefox and WebKit. Yes, this has taken WAY too long, but we're within sight of a whole new Web experience. HTML5/Canvas/Video/SVG, etc., will make it 'a whole new paradigm'. Except for IE users, of course. Even the Web needs an equivalent to white trash cousins, I guess.

    2. Re:Why can't we have fast Web Applications? by kalirion · · Score: 1

      It is 2009. We are almost have 15 years of mass customer acceptance of the Web Browser. Why isn't the web at least at World of Warcraft level of graphics? Crysis level of graphics? Able to run super-pi? quickly?

      How many gigs of textures do WoW and crysis have? You really think you could put that on a web page?

  21. And it runs on Linux by emj · · Score: 1

    :-) not vrms compatible, but it's a wonderful game if you have 5 min, and a pair of headphones.

  22. Then I'm Proud to say, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If Linux sucks, then I'm proud to say Linux gives the best *wink* multi-head *wink* after a hard day of work.

  23. Moneyseize by dFaust · · Score: 1

    I'd also recommend Moneyseize. Conceptually, very simple. However, the levels become insanely difficult. Similar to Star Guard you have unlimited lives, and since each level is only a single screen dying never sets you back significantly. Of course, it might sometimes take a few hundred tries to get past that single screen.

  24. Does Level 4 go blank for you? by zonker · · Score: 0

    Having lots of fun and I made it to level 4 and then the screen is completely blank. I'm guessing this is a bug because it doesn't seem to do anything (though I can hear the shooting sound). Anyone else having this problem?

    --

    Large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

  25. hackable! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Did anyone notice already that the levels are just XML files, containing the level's map?
    Should not be too hard to reverse engineer, and make your own levels ;-)

  26. Where's the beef!? by AlgorithMan · · Score: 1

    if this game was amazing, I wouldn't ask this, but what has this to do with "stuff that matters"? it's just a pretty lame game - no innovative ideas, no innovative gameplay (like in "this is the only level"), not very funny concept (like "fantasy telemarketer"), no sweet sweet violence (like "barbarian onslaught") - just plain NOTHING interesting about it

    I just don't see what this game "finally gets right" - IMHO its is like tons of other games, just with worse graphics...

    PLUS i have to say, that I find it ridiculous (and a very noob thing to do) that they offer 2 zip files instead of embedding the .swf into the website (do they want to save traffic?) - especially it's ridiculous that there is a 2.76 MB "pc" version (that does not run on my linux pc) and a 468 KB "mac" version (that runs on my linux pc)... the mac version would even run on windows, too and given its smaller filesize, why would you offer the .exe version, if you wanted to save traffic!? you could play it 6 times on average in an embedded form until the download of the .exe pays off, trafficwise...

    and as a german it pisses me off, that "z" is for jumping, since german keyboards have "z" where americans have "y", so I constantly have to move my left hand around on my keyboard, which gets you killed if you have to react fast

    BOTTOM LINE: its a lame, dispensable game and the form of distribution is stupid... save your time and do something else!

    --
    The MAFIAA is a bunch of mindless jerks who will be the first up against the wall when the revolution comes
    1. Re:Where's the beef!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      german-angry-kid much?

  27. rick dangerous by tommeke100 · · Score: 1

    yet it looks like a cheap knock-off from rick dangerous back in the days and that you can play online with flash http://rickdangerousflash.free.fr/ here.

  28. It's no Cave Story. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://www.miraigamer.net/cavestory/

  29. Why is this on Slashdot? by darpo · · Score: 1

    I downloaded it, couldn't figure out the controls, stopped playing. There are thousands of shitty Flash games on the web. At least those ones don't make you download a .zip file.

  30. Definition Theatre... by John+Pfeiffer · · Score: 1

    Grab a dictionary, look up 'entertainment'. This game pissed me off beyond what is reasonable. It's ABSOLUTE BASTARD hard and frustrating even in normal mode, and the fight at the end is impossible. Fuck it. A game is entertainment, and you're supposed to be able to ENJOY IT. I think I'll go play some Samurai Spirits Zero with my cabinet turned up to Level-8 instead, Sankuro's INVINCIBLE SELF-HEALING CHEAP INSTANT BULLSHIT is less frustrating than this, and I ALREADY want to kill people over THAT. (Also, the controls at least respond 100% of the time.)

    Also, as far as flash-based platformers go, Canabalt is much better imo.

    --

    Friend: "The NIC is misconfigured..." Me: "No prob, I'll just telnet in and fix it." *Silence*
  31. Trogdor by bguiz · · Score: 1

    Homestarrunner has one of the best pixellated, beeps-for-sounds, games available on the net.

    And yes, they are in flash, and you can play them right in the webpage. Much humorous in-game reference too. Try "Trogdor".

  32. And yet he kept on playing... by John+Pfeiffer · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Fine. I beat the damn game. Not because I was enjoying it, but because I'd be GOD DAMNED if I didn't beat this damnable game! The first part of the boss fight was BULLSHIT. It took me 60 lives to beat Level 9 on my second try. Fuck that. ARRGH! At least now I can delete it from my hard drive.

    --

    Friend: "The NIC is misconfigured..." Me: "No prob, I'll just telnet in and fix it." *Silence*
  33. The Most Difficult Platformer... by Spamicles · · Score: 1

    is easily "I Wanna Be the Guy". Check it out, it is crazy http://kayin.pyoko.org/iwbtg/