Often it seems I come across a Flash game that is so very simple in design, and yet offers a remarkable gameplay experience. And by remarkable I mean gameplay that is easy to pick up, difficult to master, and compels you to play again and again. These types of games are the holy grail of game design: Simple, straightforward, accessible, with universal appeal. Probably not the next Halo or Doom, but they sure do engage people in astounding number.
Enter Hamure-su. A very simple game from Japan in which you guide the little hamster around the track by clicking the mouse. For as long as you hold the mouse button down, the hamster will turn to the left. Run off the course and the game is over. How far can you make the little bugger go?
it doesn't really make me wanna play it again and again.
after about 7 tries i gave up.
my record was 200 something.
Maybe it's just that I am easily amused? =)
I thought it was pretty addicting, a little confusing at first though. I got up to 1441 :P
By the way, it's called "hamure-su," like Hamster Race.
Thank you for the correction and translation of the Japanese! =)
I have updated the entry.
I confused the 'su' with the 'tsu', but got the hamster part right. Oh well, I hope to continue my study of the language, since there are many wonderful games that originate in Japan.
And I can't seem to make it past 1300. My best is 1298. =)
IIRC the oldie Microsoft Decathlon (ca. 1982) had a track event that worked like this, only you came to a stop whenever you hit the edge and had to pick up speed again until you finished the race. Two could play head-to-head.
Its kind of retarded how the distance is measured by time and not actual distance. The hamster goes way faster but the distance stays at the same pace.
Well my highest score was 1949 i cant seem to get past top ten its really hard if anyone does let me know.
this is super addictive, so simple yet brilliant
my highest score was 2465
=p
OK.......OK......*pant* I just now got EXACTLY 9000! *pant* Hand shacking.....
I GOT 10,000 plus something under 100 it gets faster and uhhh, well it just got kinda boring after a while. -MANAX
Funnily, Tyler and Manax, your scores don't show up on the high score list. hmm...
Excellent game, so simple, but I wish there was a way to compensate for taking a turn a little too tight or too wide. But then again, I suppose the single button control is it's strongest feature.
Michael - yes, I agree with both statements. This game offers inspiration for many great game ideas to be developed from its elegant simplicity.
For example, can you imagine using both buttons of a two-button mouse with this game? The left button to turn left, and right button to turn right? I wonder if using both buttons with the changing directions, as viewed overhead, would impact the intuitive feel that the one-button game has?
The wonderful thing about Flash is that it wouldn't take but a couple of hours to create a prototype to test this game idea. =)
I always mean to comment when I play this game, which I do whenever it appears in the little randomized sidebar thing. I love this game for its sheer simplicity and hand drawn graphics! Such an easy game and I for one have found it incredibly addicting. Simple pleasures amuse simple minds, I suppose. Nevertheless, a very clever little game. I like the idea that Jay has with the left and right mouse buttons. . .if I owned Flash, I would try it out.
Hey, I beat jay! Cool. This is the first time I ever got a highscore in a flash game. Cool website.
as of now, my highscore is 1,748, just 2 points lower than jayisgames at 1,750.
Can't get the game to load. When clicking the picture or links, this same page just opens in the popup. Using Firefox.
Thanks yet again, rakeback. The problem was due to the recent move to a new server, as it's running a different version of PHP. Fixed. =)
that was incredibly heart-beating-fast kind of good. who knew those curves could be so hard?
i only made it to a little past 500 before i stopped... i need to go study for my exams.
by the way, thanks for the introduction to all these games, jay, i really enjoy your site.
woot! i have the high score. this game is so addictive.
man, that hamster sure can book it!
my best so far is 1013....i noticed jayisgames managed to make the highscore list :P
The game for me is really buggy, and this is in Safari.
Sometimes when I click the thing doesn't turn for some reason, and other times it keeps on turning even after I let go of the mouse button.
The hamster moves fast! The best I can do is only pass one and a half rounds. ~340
Who the heck is Blubber? He's got 8 of the top 10 and has like 48,000. ARGH! That's impossible to beat!
Looks like someone was hacking the highscores.
I've reset them. =)
Its no cheating!
i have played this game over 500 times i think its only a thing of improvement ;)
thx for reseting the score! now its fun again :)
jay-
Whenever I click the link, this page comes up in a new window. Why is it not working?!
TaladorPhoenix - thanks for the alert. There was a problem using it with IE. It should be fixed now.
lol, I must be hamsterly challenged........I can't seem to hit 400!
Update