Review: Catch the Scootaloos

Play it Here!

This one's for all you Scootaloo fans out there. The object of the game is simple: catch the Scootaloos falling from the sky, and use the bits earned from your played rounds to buy upgrades for your bucket or the Scootaloos, or even unlock a new game mode. Credit to this game goes to Sparklepeep, who made this game for the r/mylittlepony community on Reddit. It was also featured on Equestria Daily, but I felt this game was in need of a proper review. Read it after the break!

You start out the game with 35 bits. That's enough to get you a few cheap upgrades, if you want them. When you click the play button, you get right into the action, with Scootaloos falling from the sky. With your trusty bucket following your cursor's every move, you start catching the Scootaloos and racking up a score, to the tune of  I'll Fly Higher by AcousticBrony and MandoPony.

Now the simple gameplay can get old pretty fast, with Scootaloos falling in ever increasing abundance. What's more, one round lasts six minutes, which is a very long time for a game like this. Thankfully, you can cut the round short whenever you want by hitting X, which will get you the points you earned through however long you played. The music to this game has lyrics and distinct sections, so hopefully you won't get too bored with doing the same thing over and over again for several minutes. 

Why can't I hold all these Scootaloos?

Spoilers ahead!

The only thing that will keep you playing is the upgrades. The first set of upgrades is known as Scootadiversity. When you start the game, every Scootaloo in the sky is an instance of the same image. By the time you've fully upgraded Scootadiversity (Level 7), you will have 7 different types of Scootaloo to catch. This upgrade doubles in cost every Level, so it costs 5 bits to get from Levels 1 to 2, and 160 bits to get from Levels 6 to 7.

The next set is called Receptigirth. These upgrades are more costly, but max out at Level 3. It makes the buckets larger each level, making it easier to catch the Scootaloos raining from the sky. The Level 3 upgrade is a very large KFC bucket, a jab at the whole Scootaloo/chicken thing. It costs 100 bits to purchase Level 2, and 150 to purchase Level 3.

Lastly, you can purchase a secret game mode for 100 bits. This turns out to be Endless Mode, which is exactly what it sounds like - endless amounts of Scootaloos for you to catch. Don't worry, you can still hit X to exit and claim your points. It also has a different song: Adam Jensen, a version of Barbara Streisand with "Adam Jensen" as the only lyric in place of "Barbara Streisand."

End of Spoilers

All in all, this game gets old fast, and the gameplay is very simple, but the purchasable upgrades add content to this minigame. Although Sparklepeep has stated that the game is finished, I definitely see vast room for improvements. With more upgrades that actually change the gameplay, this could be a legitimately fun game.

As much as I want to give this a Crusader Grade (that's what it was earlier), the gameplay of Catch the Scootaloos just isn't varied enough for a 6/10. So a Trixie Grade it is.

Cutie Mark Crusade Demo Release

                                                    Download Here! 
Hi everypony!

Development team Manestream Games has unveiled the demo to their new game Cutie Mark Crusade: A Dash of Adventure.  This is a point-and-click game starring-who else-the Cutie Mark Crusaders.  The art style is very detailed and accurate to the show, and the gameplay shows a lot of promise, even at this early stage.  However, this is just a concept demo so it's far from the final product.  If you enjoy it and want to support the team, follow them on Facebook or Twitter.  If you have any critiques, Manestream encourages you to let them know, so post on either of those or send them an email at info@manestreamgames.com.  Check it out now!

MLP RPG 2 Trailer

MLP RPG 2

 The creator of last year's MLP RPG: Elements of Harmony, Nurse Dashie, is working on yet another pony RPG, this time starring the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The trio don't get nearly enough fangames dedicated to them these days, which is somewhat of a shame since their age and personalities open up new gameplay possibilities that wouldn't really fit the Mane Six all that well. For example, in MLP RPG 2 (as it is currently titled) they have a "job" system, allowing the trio to change talents after battle.

 In case you're interested in following the development of this game, you can do so on the creator's Steam group. Hopefully we'll be able to post on it from time to time as well...

A Foal's Errand

A Foal's Errand Announcement

 After a hiatus of decent length, Filly Gamez has proclaimed that they are "rising from the ashes" and are releasing a brand-new game at BronyCon, titled A Foal's Errand. Unsurprisingly, it is a visual novel, and from what little I've seen I must say that it doesn't look half-bad. Hopefully the team will have learned from the mistakes they made in Welcome to Ponyville, although I'm still a little worried that it'll still end up being an unnecessarily massive download like the original. They also mentioned that it'll feature "a little horror", which should be at least somewhat interesting (as long as they handle it better than they did in WtP).

Anyhow, below the break you can find a screenshot of the game, a vector of Sethisto throwing up, and a sneak peak for a very special surprise...

A screenshot of Applebloom talking, obviously.

 

There's something wrong with that tail... 

 

You can probably guess as to what this is. We'll probably post about it in a few days, don't worry ;)

My Little Investigations Trailer + Demo Release Date!

My Little Investigations

Well, it looks like the Equestrian Dreamers team has released another My Little Investigations gameplay trailer, along with the information that the demo of their game is coming out on May 5th. Mark down your calendars folks, you'll definitely want to try this out!

Review: Sweetie Bot's Pixel Trip

Sweetie Bot's Pixel Trip

Well, I'll be lucky if I ever get Teithepony's Pixel Buster remix out of my head after this. Sweetie Bot has a vendetta against the pixels of the universe, and it's up to you to wreak her vengeance upon them!

Perhaps the pixels are on the offensive. Who knows? Who cares? Regardless, prepare to give your reflexes a run for their money! Review below the break.

From beginning to end, Sweetie Bot's Pixel trip is pulled off with the trademark polish we've come to expect from futzi01. On the sparse title page, the game introduces a new feature - background animations can be turned off to reduce lag.

However, once you start the game, you might want to keep all the lag you can get. Gameplay is vexingly simple: use the up and down arrow keys to guide Sweetie Belle forward, jumping from pixel to pixel. Each key pressed moves her to the closest pixel in that vertical direction. If there's none, prepare to explode against the side of the screen.

Not even the ones that swerve can escape this orgy of destruction.

For a short while, oncoming pixels are slow and survival is a cinch - but they soon speed up. At a certain point (generally beyond a score of 75), pixels appear which slither up and down, making your key-pressing decisions much harder. At time of writing, my best is a combo of 107.

Using the Konami Code while pixel tripping grants you a confusing super power: by holding space, you can simultaneously slow the game down and reverse the direction in which Sweetie Bot moves when you press keys. Be warned: this ability doesn't make your life much easier.

I had no qualms with the execution this game: snappy, simple gameplay, fitting music, and adorable Sweetie Bot sprites combined to make it a treat. What I'd like to see is simply more: power-ups, multiple gameplay modes and perhaps a campaign could really make this game a classic. Final score (with plenty of room to grow:) 6/10.

Cutie Mark Crusade Teaser #2

I swear, this game just gets more and more amazing as it's revealed. Take a look at the trailer and gaze in awe at the sheer awesomeness!

Also, don't let your jaw hit the floor too hard, or you'll have to visit the nearest hospital.

Cutie Mark Crusade Unofficial Mac Port

A couple days ago I created an unofficial Mac OS X port of the Cutie Mark Crusade Demo, and I decided that I might as well post it up here. For those of you who are tired of running the game through the command line and just want to launch it by clicking on an app, here you go!

Download (For Mac OS X): http://www.mediafire.com/?3zhjg7o8yoo2kub

Please note that this port is somewhat unstable, and I have no idea if it works for ponies other then me. Please leave feedback on stability in the comments.

Cutie Mark Crusade Video Preview

Cutie Mark Crusade:A Dash of Adventure

The fellows at Manestream Games have released a video update of their upcoming project, Cutie Mark Crusade:A Dash of Adventure. This update showcases Fluttershy's Cottage, as well as the music that will play inside it. It's not much, but I thought it'd be worth posting.

XTUX, out!