Simply put, Raskulls has been in development for a long time. Between the actual cycle and waiting for a successful release window, we’ve been covering the game for almost a year. I first discussed the game at GDC last year and Geoff further dove into the experience at PAX. But at the end of December, just before time ticked into 2011 the game hit XBLA running (and zapping) and was finally available to the masses. Raskulls was created by the Australian developer Halfbrick Studios who we’ve talked about frequently with their hit iOS games Fruit Ninja, Monster Dash and Age of Zombies. This new experience is a multiplayer dash on Xbox that can be played alone, with four friends on the same screen or online against four strangers.

GAMEPLAY

Raskulls takes elements from a wide variety of genres and blends them seamlessly into an exciting new kind of adventure. At its core, Raskulls is a platform game in which you run and jump your way from the start to the finish. But to shake things up, each level is filled with colorful blocks that hinder your way. Using a magical wand your character holds, you zap your way through the level’s blocks in order to race quickly from start to finish. Most of the levels you’ll encounter require you to beat other characters to the finish line, so in essence, Raskulls is a platform racer utilizing colorful cartoon characters and a cheeky sense of humor.

The controls are fantastically tight and you’ll be celebrating every win – as many are only won by millimeters. Levels are full of boost sections, block sections and blocks of water that can be swam through. Swimming brought up my only control qualm as it was often jagged and difficult to maneuver precisely through the fluid. But outside of a few missed powerups, the water setback wasn’t a major flaw in the overall experience.

The main single player quest throughout the game follows the story of pirate rats – Pirats – who crash land on the planet of the Raskulls and must steal powerful stones in order to restore power to their ship. But standing in their way are the Raskulls who must maneuver their way through dozens of levels in order to keep the Pirats from getting what they desire. Through the three worlds of the quest you’ll take control of a Dragon Raskull, a Ninja Raskull and finally the King Raskull. Depending on your times and wins, you’ll unlock content in the single player quest that will give you more multiplayer characters and other such perks.

The game is set across a map world of winding paths reminiscent of Super Mario World or another cartoon-style platform game. Gates with foreboding numbers block your way to certain areas, and you must collect the represented number of Medals in order to unlock those areas. For a perfectionist, Raskulls contains a staggering amount of content to conquer.

Multiplayer is what truly shines once the whole experience is said and done. While the single player races and puzzle levels offer a fun challenge, it’s pitting yourself against human opponents that makes or breaks a real Raskull. The exhilaration that comes from beating Xbox Live racers is unparalleled. If you enjoy local multiplayer, like everyone did in the days of yore, you can play with up to four different people in your own living room. Someone will most likely get heckled and subsequently punched in the arm – such are the unspoken rules of local multiplayer.

STYLE

Raskulls sports an appealing cartoon style that showcases just what Raskulls are. They’re quite literally skulls adorned with costumes making each one unique. They’re cute characters and getting a shot at unlocking all of them for multiplayer is quite fun.

In general the jokes and humor pan out well and I as often laughing heartily. Not everything works, but such is the risk of comedy.

SOUND

Adept sound effects and fun music populate the world of the Raskulls. But it’s not the main point that’s going to keep you coming back for more.

EVERYTHING ELSE

Raskulls is fun. If you’re into small scale racing with other players, especially locally, I highly recommend the game to play with friends. There are sixteen multiplayer levels to master and online leaderboards and placing to conquer. Your Xbox Live friends will pop up for many levels, so from the getgo you’ll be inspired to knock down what they’ve accomplished.

You can nab Raskulls in the XBLA Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points. Here’s Halfbrick Studios’ official site and the latest trailer for the game:

Hot on the success of Monster Dash on iOS platfroms, Halfbrick now brings us Barry Steakfries’ original adventure for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.  Originally released as a PSP Mini, Age of Zombies throws Barry through time to blast zombies and spout out one-lines that would make Ash Williams proud.  Halfbrick has been very successful with the $1 price point on iOS in the past, but for Age of Zombies Halfbrick is aiming high at $2.99.  And even at the higher price point, Halfbrick has another winner.

GAMEPLAY

On the PSP and PS3 Age of Zombies was a twin-stick shooter, and the iOS version carries over that control scheme quite well.  Virtual joysticks appear on-screen under your thumbs and can be easily used to move Barry and aim his gun at the oncoming hordes of undead.  It’s a control scheme found in dozens of iOS titles, and while it does mean a decent portion of the screen is covered during play, it works well with the limited options available on Apple’s devices.  Age of Zombies does a better job with it than most though by having the joysticks appear wherever you set your thumbs down.  With the iPhone’s limited screen real estate it is a huge improvement to be able to adjust on the fly what area of the screen my thumbs cover.

Barry Steakfries’ arsenal might not be the most original, consisting of genre staples like SMGs, shotguns, and flamethrowers, but the way they are used is fairly unique.  When you pick up a weapon power-up, every zombie you kill with that weapon counts toward a combo meter.  When you run out of ammo or pick up any other weapon (including another power-up of whichever weapon you are currently using) the combo is broken and you collect a score bonus based on the combo you built to that point.  This encourages a bit of restraint in terms of how you ration the power-ups that are dropped in the level, which can become a challenge when trying to balance 40+ zombies coming at you from all sides.

And of course, let’s not forget about the zombies themselves.  As Barry travels through prehistoric times, 1930′s Chicago, ancient Egypt, feudal Japan, and into the future the zombies change to match his new surroundings.  This isn’t just a cosmetic change, as certain time periods introduce new enemy types with new attacks.  This is topped with a boss battle in each time period, like a showdown with a zombified T-Rex.  Between the different zombie types and weapon-based combo system, Age of Zombies does a nice job of breaksing up what could have easily become an all too repetitive shooter.

If there is a downside to Age of Zombies, it would be the game’s length.  With only five levels (consisting of three short stages each) to the game’s story mode, it doesn’t have quite the same replayability as Halfbrick’s other iOS games.  To extend the game’s length there is also a survival mode, allowing you to enter any of the time periods and fight as long as possible to secure a place on the leaderboards.  And while the gameplay is incredibly addicting in the survival modes, the real draw for me in Age of Zombies is the story so I seldom found myself motivated enough to actually select that menu option.

STYLE

Age of Zombies looks fantastic on any iOS screen.  It looks even better than it originally did on the PSP, and that already was no slouch.  In a top-down isometric perspective, the zombies that already stole the show in Monster Dash show even more personality as they follow Barry around each level.  The levels themselves deserve recognition of their own, featuring bright colors that pop on the portable screen, but are never a hindrance in distinguishing Barry or his undead adversaries from the surrounding area.  It’s a shame that playing the game requires you to cover up so much of the screen with your thumbs, preventing you from seeing all of the detail put into every frame.

STORY

Ah, now here is where Age of Zombies shines brightest.  The evil professor Brain has sent zombies back in time, and it’s up to Barry to go back and fix the time-space continuum and save the day.  The writing is often hilarious, completely self-aware, and enough to dethrone Duke Nukem as the king of videogame one-liners.  In his review of Monster Dash, Arsen lamented the lack of story to give context to Barry and the crazy world he inhabits.  Well, Age of Zombies is exactly the story that was missing in Monster Dash.  How can you say no to robot zombies?  Yes, there are robot zombies.

OTHER

Age of Zombies is a great shooter for iOS devices.  Better than the original PSP Minis version, in fact.  Add in support for both Open Feint and Game Center, and you’ll have leaderboards and achievements to last you a long time.  The main story mode might be short, but it’s comic gold that you won’t want to miss out on.  Leaderboard addicts will love the survival mode, unlike the PSP Mini version those leaderboards are online to offer competition from around the world.  If you like to laugh, then Age of Zombies might be the only iOS action game you’ll ever need.

Halfbrick’s casual-for-hardcore-audience (at least, that’s the impression I got) Monster Dash has received its second update, available for free on the App Store. The update is larger than the previous one, which added the lead character Barry’s motorbike, a new achievement, and a few fixes. This new update adds a ton of awesomeness, including Game Center support — which, if you’re like me, you’ve been looking forward to for quite some time now.

Check out an all-new level, new monster, new weapon, and more with the update. As a side note, I have to commend Halfbrick for the work they put into dollar titles when other developers would more than likely move on to new projects. That being said, here’s a more comprehensive list and explanation of what you can expect:

NEW LEVEL AND MONSTER – Yeti Heights, featuring massive abominable snowmen to blast! With falling snow and music taking cues from Jingle Bells, this is one cool addition.

NEW WEAPON – Rocket Launcher! This bad boy will decimate monsters with a special lock-on feature, also dealing collateral damage to any nearby spikes or hazards. At speed you will be a major force to be reckoned with!

GAME CENTER – Leaderboards and Achievements are good to go, so get online with your Game Center account and show the world your scores! *** Game Center minimum requirements – iOS4.1 and iPhone 3GS/iTouch 2G ***

I highly suggest buying Monster Dash on the App Store if you haven’t already done so.

[Halfbrick]

We swung by the Halfbrick Studios booth at PAX this morning for a quick glance at what they’re up to. With Monster Dash recently released, their next iPhone title headed towards the App Store is Age of Zombies. While it’s already on PSP Minis, the game has been meticulously ported for use on the  mobile platform.

The most intriguing and intuitive addition to this twin stick shooter is the fact that the stick controls literally move with your fingers. No matter where you place your fingers on the screen, the controls will pop up directly underneath them, making for seamless and easy controls. You move your hero through various time periods filled with zombies quite easily. Fans of the original Mini and Monster Dash will immediately recognize the character as the grizzled, gun-toting same.

Filled with fast-flying quips that are as cheesy as they are funny, the main character is pure personality. And the waves of zombies come flying to quickly its difficult to keep from being overwhelmed (a good aspect of a mobile game). I played through a prehistoric level that escalated into a fight with a Zombie T-Rex, of which the main character feels terrible for having to kill such a theoretically cool beast.

There’s no official release date on the App, but expect to see it in the next few months. For now, just go play Monster Dash.

My, my…how Halfbrick manages to develop so well for the iOS platform is beyond me. Luckily, since I’m a gamer and not a developer, I can live with it. After the monstrous success of their hit Fruit Ninja, Halfbrick has returned to iOS with Monster Dash — an action game featuring main character Barry Steakfries and loads of monsters that need to be handled.

Essentially, Monster Dash combines aspects of Canabalt and side-scrolling shooters to form a superior product with only two game mechanisms. It’s a title that could have just as easily ended up on PC or Xbox Live Indie Games, but Monster Dash works far too well on the iPhone/iPod Touch. Here’s a full rundown of what works and what doesn’t.

GAMEPLAY

As mentioned before, there’s two game mechanisms in Monster Dash: jumping and shooting. Why not running? Well, that’s because in plain Canabalt fashion the game does the running for you. You can tap the left area of the screen to jump and the right area of the screen to shoot. Initially, Barry will start out with a shotgun — a loud and satisfying weapon. The game will randomly pit you into a starting area — “Demon Dynasty,” “Vampire Kingdom” and so on. At every 1000 meters, it will transport you to a different area. Each area has its own set of enemies — obviously enough reflected by the name. On a side note, the pace of your running increases the further you get into your play-through.

So, most importantly, is the game fun? Absolutely. From the get-go, you’ll notice that blasting the monsters’ brains in a fast-paced manner as utilized in Monster Dash is highly enjoyable. Various different methods can be used to lower your enemy count — from jumping on enemies’ heads to weapon pickups like “The Pacifier,” “Machinegun Jetpack,” “Mr. Zappy” and others. Each of the weapons have their own special characteristics — “Mr. Zappy” shocks enemies at a medium range, “The Pacifier” is a handgun which shoots at a long range, and the “Machinegun Jetpack” is exactly what it sounds like: it’ll have you jumping over enemies whilst shooting them in the meantime. Monster Dash is beaming with personality and it’s so refreshing to see its mechanics brought to life the way they are.

That being said, however, it’s surprising to see the game offer only one mode. The unfortunate truth is that some gamers might just get bored with Monster Dash. The entire purpose of the game is to blast through monsters and run as far as possible — it’s like an arcade game, focusing on high scores. There is some solace, as OpenFeint integration will provide gamers with leaderboards and achievements. But will this type of gratification be enough to keep players interested? Not entirely. Knowing Halfbrick, though, updates are in store and new weapons/areas/game modes are probably in the works. For what it’s worth, Monster Dash is easily one of the funnest games on the App Store.

STYLE

Halfbrick’s expertise stretches beyond gameplay. Nearly every game I’ve seen from them looks beautiful; Monster Dash is no different. Barry and the monsters are distinct and each area has its own set pieces and dynamic backgrounds — even the music is catered to each different area, with a much more Eastern sound devoted to the Asian-themed “Demon Dynasty.” For a 2D side-scroller, Halfbrick has also managed to use a lively amount of color and helps the game stand out among the rest of what the App Store offers.

STORY

While I’m fond of the personality of the game, I’m a little disappointed that the story is not more elaborate. Barry Steakfries is an excellent character — reminiscent of Ash Williams-like badassery. Apparently, the world is now swarming with monsters of all different types and Barry just has a lust for killing. Why isn’t the game more story-based? It would make much more sense to me to see this character obtain some sort of closure at the end of the road. It’s especially disheartening because of how good of a game Monster Dash is. I suppose one could argue that this is meant to be a more casual game — as Fruit Ninja was — but there’s no denying that Monster Dash would have benefited greatly had Halfbrick strung together a few plot pieces.

EVERYTHING ELSE

OpenFeint rocks. Moreover, everybody loves achievements. Even if you think they’re tacky or gimmicky, there’s a sense of accomplishment for obtaining an achievement — you’re not just doing shit for no reason. The leaderboards clue you in as to where you rank among other Monster Dash players. According to the leaderboards, I’m not doing so well…but I’m having a ton of fun and that’s all that matters, right?

At an introductory price of $0.99 — Monster Dash will most likely blow up on the App Store just as Fruit Ninja had done so before. It’s a different genre and caters to a different audience, but Halfbrick’s newest has all the makings of a hit. You heard it here first. (Err…except for the other reviews, I suppose.)

[DIYgamer obtained a free copy of the game for review purposes. This in no way affected the outcome of the review.]

Screenshots:

Halfbrick knows a thing or two about success. If their newest game — an action/platformer/shooter named Monster Dash — manages to break through the App Store and wow iDevice gamers everywhere, then no one should be surprised. Boasting an impressive release resume with ultra-popular games such as Fruit Ninja and Echoes, Halfbrick knows what it takes to create a compelling experience.

As Barry Steakfries — a badass in the likes of Evil Dead‘s Ash Williams — players will travel to various exotic world locations while battling demons, mummies, vampires, and other monsters. Along the way, gamers will find several pickups, including weapons such as the Pacifier, Mr. Zappy, and even a Machine Gun Jetpack. In fellow iOS hit HellKid fashion, run as far as possible while shooting the shit out of monsters and obtaining as high a score as you can. With OpenFeint integration offering leaderboards and achievements, you’re in for a very rewarding ride. I’m currently playing through the game for a review, and I have to say that it’s got my attention.

Halfbrick invites you to do the Monster Dash starting August 19th, and here’s a trailer to prove why you should:

[More info.]

[Source: GamesPress]

For those looking for a more robust experience slashing pixelated flowering plant products, Halfbrick passes along good news. The dev has prepped an enhanced version of their popular iPhone/iPad Touch game Fruit Ninja for the iPad set to arrive tomorrow.

Along with improved graphics, Fruit Ninja HD will bring input for up to eight fingers and introduces head-to-head multiplayer battles in Classic Attack and Zen Duel modes. Given the apparent heroin-like properties the game oozes, multiplayer and the ability to swing eight swords all at once certainly can’t help the addicts.

Fruit Ninja HD will run $4.99 and arrives tomorrow–Wednesday, July 14–on the App Store. The launch trailer:

Indie links are back yet again.

Plenty to share this week, with some really solid help and advice for aspiring developers, a list of previews and impressions and a trio of interviews including a hilarious RPS exclusive with Zombie Cow on their upcoming title Privates. Quite a few to get through so let’s dive in.

How to make interesting games by accident (Wolfire)
“The blank page, is one of the greatest things ever, as well as one of the most irritating; it can become anything you imagine, the trouble is your imagination is pretty crap. Don’t get me wrong, it does some amazing things, but to most of us, sooner or later those amazing things start to get repetitive, you wonder if you are really as creative as you once thought you were, when all your ideas turn out to be more or less along the same lines.”

Three More Tips For Getting Started In the Indie Gaming Biz (The Bottom Feeder)
“In February, I wrote my first three tips for getting started in the Indie gaming biz. I am starting to feel old and outdated in this business, so I feel like I’d probably be better off not trying to act wise. Sometimes I get e-mails from successful Indie developers, telling me what an inspiration I was to them when they were young. And then my skin starts to peel off in sheets and my hip spontaneously breaks. And yet, there are still several more bits of advice that I think are genuinely helpful.”

The Indie Game Doctor (formspring.me)
“All heavens and all earths. Your indie games. I will fix them. Ask me how to fix them. I am indie game guru and I can help you make indie game better. All solution applied.”

Independent Games Festival Names Boyer As Chairman (IndieGames)
“The UBM TechWeb Game Network, organizers of the yearly Independent Games Festival and Independent Games Summit has announced that scene notable Brandon Boyer has been named Chairman of the IGF, as it continues to expand its role in evangelizing and rewarding the best indie games.”

The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Rotor’scope (Joystiq)
“Being a giant, beloved video game blog has its downsides. For example, we sometimes neglect to give independent developers our coverage love (or loverage, if you will) as we get caught up in AAA, AAAA or the rare quintuple-A titles. To remedy that, we’re giving indies the chance to create their own loverage and sell you, the fans, on their studios and products. This week we talk with Mauricio Garcia, one of the programmers of Nivel21, about how their game Rotor’scope proves that nothing is impossible.”

The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Armor Games (Joystiq)
“This week we talk with Armor Games’ Daniel McNeely (Founder) and John Cooney (Head of Game Development), who converted a love of medieval Flash games into a full-on gaming hub.”

Xbox Live Indie Games: 10 Titles For 2010 (Gamasutra)
“With almost 1000 titles now available on Xbox Live Indie Games, what kind of games are breaking through from a quality — or quirkiness — point of view on the service? Gamasutra looks at 10 of the best new titles on the Xbox 360′s hobbyist and indie-contributed game service, from Mamotte Knight through Zombie Estate and beyond.”

No Longer A One-Button Game: Canabalt’s Typing Tutor Edition (GameSetWatch)
“If you’ve spent months playing Canabalt, mastering the one-button game to the point where you can vault across dozens of rooftops at breakneck speeds without increasing your heartrate or hit the 30,000 meter mark in every playthrough, developer Adam “Atomic” Saltsman has posted a slight variant of the game that adds some complexity (with a purpose!) to the simple title.”

Interviews

Exclusive: Getting Intimate With Privates (Rock, Paper, Shotgun)
“Upon hearing the news of Zombie Cow’s pee-pee and hoo-hah themed game, Privates, we clearly wanted to know more. What are these “vaginas” and “penises” they’re talking about? So we got ourselves a chat with project lead Dan Marshall to find out the details on their STI-busting project. We exclusively reveal what the game’s about, how it will play, and what disgusting items lie in Zombie Cow’s search history.”

Halfbrick shares Fruit Ninja sales numbers, how to succeed on the App store (Joystiq)
“iPhone and iPod Touch gamers have likely already heard of Fruit Ninja, a game where you coldly murder different offerings from nature’s bounty — by tapping and slicing across the screen, you cut down watermelons and the like. It’s a pretty simple game and at only $.99, it’s quickly climbed the charts of the most popular Apps in the US, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Denmark and Sweden. So we decided to grill Halbrick’s creator and lead designer of Fruit Ninja, Luke Muscat, on all things iPhone.”

League Of Legends’ Merrill On Succeeding With Free-To-Play Core Games (GameSetWatch)
“Free-to-play games often associate with the social/casual market, but Riot Games’ neat, core gamer-centric League of Legends has topped 1 million downloads — Marc Merrill tells our own Chris Remo about growth and prospects for the DoTA-style game.”

Previews and Impressions

Impressions: Frozen Synapse Beta (Mode 7 Games) (IndieGames)
“Lagging behind with this one, but I’ve finally gotten around to giving the Frozen Synapse beta a playthrough. For those out of the loop, it’s an upcoming turn-based strategy with a Rainbow Six feel to it.”

Preview: Super Meat Boy (Team Meat) (IndieGames)
“Caution: loud music.”

Preview: Voyager (Big Block Games) (IndieGames)
“Voyager (currently in alpha) is a space trading game in which you play as the pilot of a spacecraft, transporting goods for a quick profit and earning the experience needed to access other planets around the system you’re in.”

Preview: The Wretcher (Alan v. Drake) (IndieGames)
“Made with the AGS game creation engine, The Wretcher is a 2D adventure game about a writer named Keith Morrison and his girlfriend Aileen Hayward, both visiting a town called Crowhaven to investigate the mysterious circumstances that led to the death of Ms. Hayward’s uncle. The story begins with the couple arriving at her uncle’s manor, not knowing what horrors await for the two of them.”

Since the release of Echoes in November 2009, Halfbrick has released three more games to the PlayStation Network. Establishing a total score of 79 on Metacritic, Echoes seems to be a generally well liked game on the platform. In a celebratory fashion, the developer has decided to permanently drop Echoes‘ full price of $2.99 down to $0.99. The price drop has been effective since May 12th in both Europe and the United States. In light of this, Echoes is officially the cheapest game on the PlayStation Network.

In Echoes, gamers take on the role of Charlie, who is transported into a dream world must collect crystals and avoid Echoes (which shadow the player’s movements). To get the game, check out the PSN store. If you want to check out more work from Halfbrick, visit their official website.

Press Release:

May 12th 2010 – Today Halfbrick is happy to announce the permanent price drop of their action-puzzle game Echoes for PlayStation Minis. Released in November 2009, Echoes became a critical success garnering a Metacritic score of 79 overall and a cult fan following.

Halfbrick is a professional game development studio based in Brisbane, Australia. Founded in 2001, it has developed popular titles for the Game Boy Advance, PSP, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS, with expansion into XBLA, PS3 and iPhone development. For further information, please visit www.halfbrick.com and follow on Twitter, Youtube and Facebook!

Are you ready to take part in the Great Fruit Massacre of 2010? Indie devs Halfbrick are putting together a little something for the owners of Fruit Ninja (seems like Geoff had a lot of fun with it). Thanks to the iPhone/iPod Touch title’s OpenFeint integration, they were able to fashion a competition in which “the Openfeint player who is sitting atop the Best Score leaderboard and has slashed the most fruit in one game will have their username written in Fruit Ninja history.” Doesn’t that just sound lovely?

The competition will close at 11:59pm PST on April 30, 2010. Halfbrick has promised to feature the winner on their official Fruit Ninja and Halfbrick websites, and a future update of the game will add a new achievement–named after the winner of the competition. Fruit Ninja is available for $0.99 on the App Store and the update should be available “very shortly after” the competition.

Press Release:

April 23rd, 2010 - To celebrate the release of Fruit Ninja on iPhone, we are putting together a little healthy competition. It’s fruit, so of course it’s healthy.

Halfbrick is a professional game development studio based in Brisbane, Australia. Founded in 2001, it has developed popular titles for the Game Boy Advance, PSP, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS, with expansion into XBLA, PS3 and iPhone development. For further information, please visit www.halfbrick.com and follow on Twitter, Youtube and Facebook!