Up Down Ready (alternate link) is a refreshing small experimental game, that explored the minimal game mechanics of pressing the keys up and down on the keyboard. The aim is basically to “avoid obstacles” in changing scenes. There is the moment of surprise, because every scene got a variant of the basic core-play: sometimes you steer an airplane, sometimes a jumping horse… The mechanics of every scene are instantly understandable within seconds (otherwise this game would be unplayable). Maybe the best about this game are the cool graphics – a good demonstration, that graphics do make a difference. The process of game-making is (or will be) a little bit documented at updownready.net

PS: Thanks Corin for the hint to this game. Here is some thankful linklove to the Freeplay Independent Games Festival

Neco Touch (authors webpage) is a tiny flash(punk) game, that would make up a really great party-game – if it would be a little be more difficult! In order to meet the cute kitten, you have to steer a moving cross to a color-matching circle. Really basic gameplay, and very fun. Well rounded by the japan-like pixelartwork and the light jazz music. “If your points reach a million you win, if they reach zero you lose.” Unfortunately the score-system isn’t very balanced, so it takes ages to even win or loose a single round! Some minor tweaks would make this really a great game!

PS: This game was inspired by the “games by artworks” compo!

The Other Side is a moody flashgame, somewhere between N and Jumpman. The style is basically about shadow-shapes, the aim about collecting glowing stuff to enter the exit to the next level. Similar to Jumpman, the level rotates by 45 degrees – if you enter ramps in that case. Most levels got “hidden stuff”, that only influences gameplay and is visible, while you “glow”. This two-folded level-design somehow reminds me on Time Fcuk. All in all the game is fun to play, later levels get a little more tricky to solve, but I wonder, if one or two more game-elements wouldn’t buzz up the whole gameplay experience…?

Jeez, jump and run-lovers have a really good reason to cheer up: Frogatto is a free platformer with astounding fresh and detailed pixelart, solid gameplay, that is available for all operating systems! That are good news, especially for Mac OS X and Linux-users, because there is a decent lack of free indiegames with that flavour. The sourcecode of the game is open-source (the code, not the artworks!), only iPod/iPhone users have to pay five dollar for the game. The developers also accept donations. I would say: just have a download! It is absolutely worth it!

The popular open-source shooter “rRootage” from Kenta Cho was ported to iPhone / iPod Touch already in 2008 by Lazrhog (but seems to be unavailable again). Today a new version of this game was released by another developer: Fraglab. The recent version is fully iOS4 compatible and takes full advantage of the simple multitouch-controls to steer the ship, got music, sound effects, online scoreboards and adds various new gameplay-modes. Get the free game here. (via)

This port of rRootage is once again a double-plus, because there still is really a lack of decent 2d-shooters on the iPhone (big hint to all developers!).

Scene from Gobber Assault

The Boing Boing competitions “Games inspired by music” closed and it holds some really nice results, worth to check out and vote for. Not only are the games inspired by music, but also by other factors: some contributions are realized in HTML5 and Innovation on general seemed to be some sore of driving force. I like for example the use of the keyboard-mapping at the tank-shooter Infiltration. Anyway, checking out this game is worth the time, especially if you are interested in inspiration, than long-lasting gameplay.

Looming is a strange and small atmospheric exploration game, that instantly reminds on – oh – very vintage Atari and Macintosh-games with its hard monochromatic style.

The player is left out in a wasted, empty space. He must find paths, collect items and solve riddles. The items belong to collections, depending on who to combine them, new stories evolve, resulting in nine different endings of the game. Looming is browser-play ready. (via)