Opinion: 2007's Top 5 Downloadable Games
[This was written by me for big sister site Gamasutra, but I know a lot of GSW fans love console downloadable games, so it seems eminently worth a cross-post, if only for argument-related reasons.]
"Throughout this week and next, Gamasutra is presenting a year-end retrospective, discussing notable games, events, developers, and industry figures of 2007.
First up, we take a look at the top 5 downloadable console games released this year, from Everyday Shooter through Pac-Man CE. The games picked are the editor's choice, and are chosen from the titles released in North America during 2007's calendar year to date.
5. PixelJunk Racers (Q-Games, PlayStation 3)
The folks at the Kyoto-based Q-Games (Star Fox Command), led by former Argonaut coder Dylan Cuthbert, have been trying to take things back to the '80s with simple, iterative self-funded downloadable titles for the PlayStation 3.
Racers is the first of these, and it's intentionally incredibly simple - just acceleration and lane changing needed, slot car style. Perhaps because of this, it's relaxing and addictive all at once, and bodes well for further titles in the PixelJunk series for PSN coming soon.
4. Jetpac Refueled (Rare, Xbox 360)
For those who grew up in Europe in the 1980s and remember the original Jetpac, this enhanced remake is even more enticing - but even for those who don't, the gameplay is beguiling.
It's particularly notable that the gravitational physics behind the Joust-style thrusting, transplanted wholesale from the Stampers' 1983 Ultimate Play The Game original - the first ever title from the now-departed Rare founders - work just as well almost 25 years later.
3. Everyday Shooter (Queasy Games, PlayStation 3)
A gloriously abstract shooter that originally won multiple prizes at the Independent Games Festival this year (Disclaimer: I am IGF Chairman), Jon Mak's title is particularly enjoyable because of its careful blend of strategy, stylish visuals, and action-generated music.
In addition, the concept of radically changing gameplay and look on a level by level basis - something that Mak has compared to a music album - is particularly progressive as a concept. It's also nice to see high scores as a success arbiter returning in such a prominent manner.
2. fl0w (ThatGameCompany, PlayStation 3)
One of the games released this year that is least like a... game, the depth-based eating/growing experience that is fl0w had already been well-tested in Flash by creator Jenova Chen and his associates.
The reason that fl0w works so well is because of its serene experience, carefully basic motion controls, and simply understandable game mechanics. Even the state of navigating the game is relaxing. The fact that such an organic-feeling experience had an explicit end is sad, though - algorithmically generated levels next time?
1. Pac-Man Championship Edition (Namco Bandai, Xbox 360)
The original Pac-Man is simply one of the best games ever created. And, in this world of enhanced remakes, the Japanese developers at Namco Bandai worked with Pac-Man's father Toru Iwatani and created something incredibly special - a remake that improves on the original.
With all the flavor and excitement of the original, the multiple new modes - many of them with explicit time limits and related high scores - layered even smarter strategic gameplay upon the peerless original. And with smart art direction, the title looks amazing in HD. Tremendous."
Comments
If you have a PS3, you must get Super Stardust HD. As far as I can tell, the only reason Simon didn't include it was he didn't want to make all those other games look bad. ;^)
Posted by: jvm | December 11, 2007 11:21 AM
You must be kidding! SSDHD has got to be one of the most crap games ever.
The flame weapon looks awesome and is fun to shoot for a few seconds, that's about the extent of the good points.
When jon brought over his PS3, none of us knew whether to laugh at how terrible the game was, or cry because this is the sort of game that gets to waste a slot on PSN. Boo!
It was amazingly less fun compared to the other two PSN games we tried, which are 3 and 5 on the above list.
Posted by: raigan | December 11, 2007 12:31 PM
What if you *REALLY* like shooting rocks? SSDHD is clearly the best rock shooting simulator since Asteroids.
Posted by: Shawn | December 11, 2007 12:57 PM
Well, there's only one thing less useful than an opinion and that's an opinion on someone else's opinion. ;^)
Sorry you don't see what I see in it. :^D
Posted by: jvm | December 11, 2007 1:27 PM
This probably reveals way too much about me, but the top downloadable game around our house isn't a game by most standards.
For sure it would be either the Check Mii Out Channel or the Everybody Votes Channel (most likely the former over the later).
Each of the 'channels' is turned on religiously as they are in constant demand by my kids. My wife, who rarely plays anything, will stop whatever she is doing to come be involved when they go on. Creating Miis for the contests on the Check Mii Out channel is a family affair that logs at least an hour of play time every week. Seeing how our Miis fared, what were the characteristics of the winners and scheming new ways to make Miis is all part of the fun and ensuing discussion.
It doesn't meet some viewpoints of what a game 'is,' but if the channels were on DS cartridges I think we'd all call it a game.
Regardless it's a bit of overlooked downloadable gaming that appears, based on the number of entries, to have a fairly large following.
I'd also cast a vote for Pac-Man CE, it's pure brilliance, and I would love to play some of the PSN games if I didn't have to spend $400 for the right to play them.
Posted by: Russell Carroll | December 11, 2007 3:18 PM
PacMan is amazing. I can't stop playing it. Good choice for number one.
Were Catan and Carcassone this year? I think they're probably the bravest games on Xbox Live atm.
I played a bit of Everyday Shooter on a debug PS3 I'm borrowing for a review - it feels like an art style searching for a mechanic.
My list would include Puzzle Quest and probably Exit, but you might be discounting them because they appeared first on PSP/DS.
What's interesting about the XBLA service is that, really, I don't think it's been the great indie hope I wanted it to be. There's an awful lot of shovelware in the listings. Does anyone know how well games on there generally sell?
Posted by: Tim E | December 11, 2007 4:37 PM
"I played a bit of Everyday Shooter on a debug PS3 I'm borrowing for a review - it feels like an art style searching for a mechanic."
I really have no idea how you came to that conclusion.
Ironically, we ripped into Exit the same night Raigan was talking about SSDHD.
Posted by: Shawn | December 11, 2007 7:14 PM
I'd also add Space Giraffe to the mix. It's so refreshingly hardcore it's brilliant!
Posted by: gnome | December 12, 2007 7:41 AM
Ah, Jetpac.
One of my favorite games from the NES days is Solar Jetman, which is basically Jetpac crossed with Gravitar with a space salvage theme. Don't think it did very well in stores, but it's quite a clever little game.
Posted by: John H. | December 12, 2007 3:50 PM
Everyday Shooter is still the dumbest, cheesiest name for a game. EVAR.
Posted by: Jason Craig | December 13, 2007 10:12 AM
i told jon he should have gone with "boring generic shooter" ;p
Posted by: raigan | December 14, 2007 2:24 PM
Don't get me wrong; I'm sure the game is a lot of fun. But come ON! Couldn't he have come up with something much more imaginative instead of something that smacks of boy band-ism? I guess if you're in it for money (nothing wrong with that, of course), choose the most easily digestable name.
It still makes me cringe everytime I see it, though. But that's just me and my worthless opinion.
Posted by: Jason Craig | December 15, 2007 8:57 AM
It was a case of corporate censorship -- Sony balked at the original title, "Donkey Raping Shit-Eater"
Posted by: raigan | December 16, 2007 7:06 PM