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[wourme]

Seeing one of Jazzuo's games featured reminded me of something I'd been meaning to post about for a while now.

I've been involved with the Game Maker community for a few years, and in that time I've seen some games get attention in other places. Similarly, some Multimedia Fusion games become popular among people who may or may not know or care that they are created using MMF.

Of course, for each game that is noticed (or at least acknowledged) outside such communities, there are many, many others that never make that leap. I'd be interested to know about some of these games.

I'm a fan of games that have a lot of heart but not a lot of polish. Sometimes I like my homebrew games to look obviously homebrew, while having something about them that makes them worth playing.

In case that makes no sense, I'll list a few examples that I've come across over the years in the Game Maker community. And I hope that others might have some recommendations from other places.

--

La La Land series by Biggt
This is a series of five games, each of which is very short and surreal and contains some sort of (sometimes vague) moral message.



La La Land 2
La La Land 3
La La Land 4

Destruere Pizzicato by RabidBolweewil
This is a short game that was never actually finished, but it's unique and has a final scene that's worth seeing.



Destruere Pizzicato
Destruere Pizzicato 2

Johnny series by Sparlatacus
This is a series of 16 (and counting) games, in which most of the challenge comes from fighting with the controls. Probably the least accessible thing I could list here (unless I listed other games by Sparlatacus).



Johnny 2
Johnny 5
Johnny 16

BDS Puzzleworld by Random
BDS stands for "badly drawn sprites." No need to elaborate on that, but I think that this is a very clever puzzle game.



BDS Puzzleworld

Water Panic by Oliver Broad
This game may not be as rough as some of the others I've listed, but it definitely has the quality I'm looking for.



Water Panic

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I could list many more, and I might if there's any interest. Given these examples, I hope that someone else will be able to name examples of what I'm looking for in other places.

[moi]

I just played Broken knuckle, I don't know where it originates from but the author postd it in these forums a while ago. It's beat-em-up with totally crap graphics but a lot of character, you get to fight napoleon and zombie-caesar.

[ChevyRay]

Oddly enough, the only Johnny game I ever played was yours and I played it right to the end as a matter of fact!

[handCraftedRadio]

I just played Broken knuckle, I don't know where it originates from but the author postd it in these forums a while ago. It's beat-em-up with totally crap graphics but a lot of character, you get to fight napoleon and zombie-caesar.

Yep, that was mine. It was our entry in last years 4 elements competition. 2nd place. The graphics are Nizzate's fault, but that was the style we were going for(Well at least thats our best excuse).
http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=148.0

And it wasn't made with mmf or gamemaker, it was coded by me in C++ with SDL.

[Derek]

Great thread, wourme!

There was an old RPG that I loved called Sword of Cobalt.  MMF game.  As far as I know, you can't download the game anywhere anymore.  The game itself was unfinished, but it had great atmosphere and charming characters.  I really, truly thought that game was great.

What's funny is that I mentioned the game in an interview once and then the creator contacted me.  Apparently he's a comic artist in Tokyo now, working with an underground comics label called Mashcomix!  Isn't life rad?

I'll have to see if I can dig this game up and host it.

[wourme]

Here are a few more.

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Destroyermech by Oddwarg
It was hard to decide which of Oddwarg's games to mention. I was going to choose Surphasm, but it doesn't seem to be in the GMG archive at the moment.



Destroyermech

Ball Fall by Brian Elting
This is one that I've played many times.



Ball Fall

Crush by Coolmoose13
Walk through a city and destroy things.



Crush

Unshadowed by P.J. Richmond
A fun little adventure game.



Unshadowed

Janitor Joe by Andrew Brown
I'm including this one just because of the music on the title screen.



Janitor Joe

[Alex May]

Damn, dude. Awesome thread! Thanks 

[skaldicpoet9]

I'll have to check some of these out...I have recently started getting into looking at a lot of homebrew type games (using RPGMaker, Game Maker etc..) and have found a veritable cache of great games for free:) I was a console gamer for many years but when I started delving into PC games I started to realize that there was a definite creative gap between what as being released on consoles and what was being released on PCs, this inevitably led me to indie games and the whole DIY approach (which being into Punk Rock/Indie Rock appealed immensely to me) and I am incredibly grateful that I have found these rare gems. I think that this is the best time ever to be a gamer!

[ChevyRay]

I was a big fan of Oddwarg's games back in the day, and beat several of them, including Major Malfunction, Animal RPG, and Destroyermech. What a strange assortment of graphics he always used.

[sergiocornaga]

There's a La La Land 5, you know.





Oh, I do like this series.

[Terry]

Here's something cool I rediscovered just today:

Clyde's Adventure

[Xion]

Here's something cool I rediscovered just today:

Clyde's Adventure

DUDE! Thank you for resurfacing memories long lost. I used to love this game. Lets see if my perception's changed any.

[Terry]

Heh, well, if you get into it, let me know. I'm totally stuck in the 6th level of the second part and I don't think anybody else is playing it

[sergiocornaga]

I prefer Clyde's Revenge because it doesn't penalize you every time you walk or jump.

[Golds]

It amazes me that Knytt, WaDF, and Lyle in Cube Sector were all made in Multimedia Fusion.  It is such a rough tool, and I'm constantly surprised what people have created with it.

[Chrissketch]

So I guess rough, unpolished games are to hipster gamers as Daniel Johnston (and such music) is to hipster music lovers. Not an insult, as I do have affinity towards both. Just a casual observation.

[moshboy]

Runman's Monster Fracas, by the same guy that made Crush. Have always loved this game.

[ravuya]

Runman's Monster Fracas, by the same guy that made Crush. Have always loved this game.

Absopositively. I've never laughed so hard playing a game.

[Radnom]

I prefer his Acwabatiacs game, actually
http://coolmoose.net/cmp.php

[moshboy]

I enjoy all of his games... not sure why I like Monster Fracas best though. There's just something irresistable about it.