A handful of tiny, quirky, off-beat kinda games to enjoy this weekend. Want to step on spikes, die, then come back to life? Gotcha covered. Want to blow things up then run for your life? Check. Want to toss your hat? We're so into that, too.
You Can't Possibly Expect Me To Do That (Windows, 1.8MB, free) - Yes, I can! You Can't Possibly Expect Me To Do That (or YCPEMTDT for kinda-short) is a platform puzzle game that's all about dying, healing, mid-air double jumping, and probably dying again. To reach the star in each stage, you have to smash into spikes and other obstacles to kill yourself. While "dead", you fly through walls, allowing you to maneuver to impossible areas and collect health packs which bring you back to life. Some of these stages are absolutely crazy, and you'll have a great time figuring out what to do.
Mr. Splode and the Fireworks Factory (Windows, <1MB, free) - A short, experimental platform/puzzle game created by Lexaloffle for a previous Ludum Dare competition. Scoot over to the flammable boxes, toss a match, then step back as a chain reaction of fireworks fills the room. Avoid firecrackers and stay safe until they all disappear and you'll move on to the next level!
Hatman (Windows, 2.7MB, free) - A tiny (in many ways) platformer with one interesting gimmick: you have a hat to throw. The hat flies out and comes back, allowing you to jump or avoid it for some boomerang-style attacks. You can also clear blocks and modify its trajectory somewhat with the [arrow] keys. Oh, and the first boss? Awesome.
Note: All games have been confirmed to run under Windows Vista and are virus-free. Mac users should try Boot Camp, Parallels, or CrossOver Games to play Windows titles, Linux users can use Wine. If you know of a great game we should feature, use the Submit link above to send it in!
I tried playing YCPEMTDT but once I picked a stage, I couldn't get back to the main menu, and I also couldn't close the program! Even clicking on the big X to close the window didn't work. Ended up having to go to the Windows Task Manager to force close the program. :(
LOve YCPEMTDT and Mr. Splode, short and fun. Hated Hatman, throwing is delayed and I don't like how the platforming is executed, sorta slowish.
Anyone noticed how YCPEMTDT steals its character concept, aerial sprite positions, double jump system (including the arrows), and overall demeanor (heck, if you've played this, you've probably said the title once during the game) from the Jumper games?
Maybe it's just a spiritual successor, though, I guess the author didn't mean anything bad by it :P
Mr. Splode not refilling your health was lame. Also, it was really random. I don't want to play through the first levels over and over again just because a sparkler bounced the wrong way and set off another box before I was ready. I particularly don't want to replay that second level with its inescapable pits that you have to keep jumping over as you run away from fireworks. Hasn't the author ever heard of checkpoints?
Sorry for the double comment, but... YCPEMTDT has a minor flaw... the background is all black, which causes problems in 2-6, which has a lot of blind doublejumping in space to get an arrow and blindjump again. If you had some sort of background, or scrolling camera in the middle of the map as opposed to only on the boundaries of the level, finding a reference point to make the best jump would be easier.
Fireworks factory.
Excellent concept.
Possibility of getting stuck or leaving behind a few boxes is frustrating.
Mr Splodecan definitely be more explored! I had fun playing this experiment :)
I haven't given to other ones a try yet.
i agree that mr. splode is an excellent concept for a puzzle platformer. it plays okay too but has limitations I guess because it's such a small game. Ripe for further development or maybe an expanded/improved sequel?
Am I the only one that read "Mr. Splode and the Fireworks Factory" as "Mr. Spleen and the Fireworks Factory?"
I think I like my name better. :p
(Sorry. Not trolling. I seriously misread and was entertained.)
I see you've been watching the Obscure Indie Game videos. :)
Of course Mr. Splode has limitations!.. I don't understand why people chose to ignore the word "experimental" right next to it. This means it's not really a game, but an experiment with possible gameplays.
I want some more Mac love here. Without Flash games that are reviewed, and no free Mac games, what am I supposed to play on this long weekend? :(
Seriously, man. Every Weekend Download should have at least one game that has a Mac version.
I'm most likely the only one commenting on here so far who has enjoyed hatman. I have beaten both mr. splode and hatman and am currently working on YCPEMTDT. Although Hatman was great, it had a ton of flaws as far as its gameplay is concerned. Mr. Slpode was a blast (haha bad pun) to play, but one life and only 4 hard levels was kind of disappointing. YCPEMTDT is currently the best of the bunch, despite its lack of visual design. This was a really good weekend for me, and it's thanks to you guys. Keep 'em coming JIG!
I beat all the levels to YCPEMTDT except for 2-6. Any tips?
Woah, I had no idea my game (YCPEMTDT) was this widely received! Why don't people tell me these things? :P
Update