06/09/2019

So That’s What A Video Game From North Korea Looks Like (From The Attract Mode Archive: #045)

by Matthew Edward Hawkins

The following post originally appeared on attractmo.de, on March 12, 2013.
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The “theme” of this month’s random game related imagery found on Instagram round up is quite simply: there’s a lot happening, and all over the place.

For example, yesterday I mentioned BitSummit, where Japanese indies got together to reveal what they’re up to, engage in dialogue, plus offer each other moral support. As well as pay their respects to “the original Japanese independent developer”.

As is the case with most things that happen in those parts, BitSummut had a mascot, the Bit King, seen above. And below is John Ricciardi with Professor Sakamoto, just one example of how much of a who’s who from the world of Japanese game culture the entire thing was…

Meanwhile, here in NYC, we just had the inaugural IndieCade East. Was rough around the edges, but that’s to be expected for the first stab at anything. Case in point, Kris‘s keynote did not go as planned, but was still a fun and fascinating look at CAPY’s “hidden past”

Can’t wait for “take two”, which happens at GDC later this month! Anyhow, another highlight was the indie game jam; here’s a work in progress by Team Donut Goku, a three person team that consisted of the two person team behind Heads Up Hot Dogs

Included in the showcase was Thirty Flights of Loving. Must have encountered a bug cuz my character picked up an orange that he wasn’t supposed to. Which I didn’t know, so I spent all this time offering it to various characters with zero effect. Like this blocky-headed cutie…

And the Night Games programming featured Rakete, in which five people using foot pedals try to navigate a starship…

Meanwhile, up in the Great White North, Zack Kotzer was at a thing in which people controlled Dead Or Alive by grabbing onto people’s upper bodies. Reminded me of Tekken Torture Tournament

Zack also came across this Game Boy port of Andy Warhol’s Empire

Back to Kris and game jams; his studio just had CAPYJAM3. Here we have concept art from his contribution…

Meanwhile, Renaud shows off something called THE SYNCHROMATIC CUBE

This one is called POISSON CONTRE CHATON

As noted, GDC is very soon, and this year’s must miss social is the Venus Patrol/Wild Rumpus party. At the very top of the list of reasons why is a brand new multiplayer game by Keita Takahashi. Here it is being play-tested by Robin Hunicke and friends…

Speaking of the creator of Katamari and Noby Noby Boy, a sneak peak of the game he’s working on with Adam Saltsman that recently popped up on the LA Game Space Instagram feed…

Back to NYC; I was there for the big PlayStation 4 “unveil”. For me, the biggest highlight was seeing PaRappa the Rapper on the big screen, for all of 0.5 seconds…

In Seattle recently was the Emerald City Comic Con, where Chris Furniss was doing commissions…

Here’s Olly Moss doing his thing with Big Boss…

Olly also recently picked up this rather nifty looking Zelda plate [UPDATE: Chris tells me that Olly is the one designed it!]…

And Stu Bret recently nabbed this equally stylish tee from Redbubble

Sticking with apparel, and back to BitSummit; here’s James Mielke (the guy who put BitSummit together in the first place) showing off the official staff jacket…

Along with this pile of Famicom Game Boy Micros, which are about $133 each (that’s still dirt-cheap compared to the prices found on eBay)…

Guess who was recently spotted on Japanese television? Or should I say, which member of Anamanaguchi spotted himself on Japanese television? Answer: Ary Warnaar

According to Lindsay Collins: “Found giant sonic at Value Village. Obviously I had to pose and put a sombrero on him”

One thing I’m always fascinated by is what people have as their wallpapers on their iPhones. And Lindsay’s does not disappoint!

Shaun Hatton showing off his Pianocade, which he just got a strap for…

I guess if I had gotten beer all over my gold slime, I’d take a picture to like Mike

It’s Kimika, just chillin’ with her 3DS XL and an entire book shelf filled with manga…

Courtesy of Jordan Dowdy

Jordan also got himself that Dominos Pizza X Hastune Miku iPhone app that’s all the rage. So you too can have a Vocaloid just lounging around on your shag carpeting, and totally bored of Ninja Gaiden 2

Speaking of the classics, Katie Morrison illustrates how beautiful the Japanese version of Life Force looks like…

Drag & Derp, by Aussie chiptuner Ten Thousand Free Men & Their Families, just $100…

I totally want this CAPY print that Nathan has that Dominique Ferland whipped up…

And I’m not sure who’s responsible for this fab piece of Mega Man fan art that Robin recently showed off, but it too is very pretty…

Speaking of, Lamar reminds us all that that Mega Man Gigamix is a definite must read for all fans of the Blue Bomber…

And check out Lamar’s idea of the perfect console…

I swung by Kyle Fewell‘s place the other day, where I discovered that he had a treasure chest filled with game controllers. Literally!

It’s Travis Nichols, enjoying the helicopter ride through the city. Liberty City that is…

Also from a place that is very much unreal, and last but not least, is a smart phone game that Jean Lee, the AP’s Korea bureau chief, purchased while in North Korea. Jean’s Instagram feed is a fascinating look at one of the last corners of the world that we know very little about. At least we now know that they play video games!

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