#holedown

[masturbatress]

[brinnanza]

love that these two apps are side by side you could swap the names and they would still work

[hillbilly---man]

I love having my little phone game routine. I feel like a retiree making my way through the newspaper

5:00am: I do my morning Puzzle Page before I get out of bed (it's a daily randomized page of stuff like sudoku and crosswords and picross)

7:45am: while sitting in the parking lot at work waiting for time to clock in, I check in on my civilization on Kittens Game (idle clicker game)

12:45pm: just before I clock in from lunch I do another sudoku puzzle on Puzzle Page

6:15pm: After I get home from work I do the daily challenge on Mini Metro (a puzzle game where you have to create efficient transit maps)

9:00pm: I continue my Duolingo streak (it'll be 956 days tonight)

?????: If I'm having one of those nights where I get anxious about falling asleep or scared of leg spasms or something I play Holedown (it's kind of like a breakout style game?) to kind of do the Tetris effect and fill my head with bouncing balls instead of health anxiety until I fall asleep

(it's not part of the routine but I play Bitlife sometimes too but I inexplicably feel embarrassed about it)

[y2rapidideas]

Block Breakers

holedown

arkanoid

peggle

[yr2gameplayloops]

Block Breakers

Breakout:

The player gets three lives to try to break all of the blocks across two screens, by bouncing a ball into the blocks.

This game's core loop would be to play a game, get a highscore, then to play again to try to do better.

It's selling point probably would've been flashy arcade covers, but it also probably would've been quite a unique idea at the time that it came out.

Arkanoid:

Uses the same concept as breakout, but has 33 stages instead of 2, has a boss on the last stage, and has different powerups you can collect.

this game has a much more interesting core game loop, as the player would have to focus on more than just their ball, and would have to collect different power ups to progress further too.

As this game had so much more content than the last one, that would've been it's selling point, giving the player much more to do.

Holedown:

you play as a "spaceship" and are trying to mine asteroids, they allow you to get upgrades by mining them, and once fully upgraded, you're able to mine a black hole, which is an endless mode.

the core game loop is to play until you can upgrade, then buy it and be able to go further until you get to the endless mode.

the endless mode is probably the selling point for this because not many other block breakers have endless modes, it's also much more modern than the others so that would also give it another selling point, however it seems to be a bit repetitive.

Brick Breaker Dungeon:

this block breaker has dungeon crawler aspects with it, meaning as you pass through the stages, you collect random upgrades that help you to beat tougher and tougher enemies.

Its selling point would be that it uses a very unique idea, and would likely attract a large group of people who like this style of game.

Peglin:

This is a roguelike based off the game peggle, however you use different balls that all have unique effects, to hit as many pegs as possible, as they determine how much damage the player will do to the enemies.

Its game loop is to fight enemies to collect coins and upgrades to make you powerful enough to beat the boss, then once beating the boss, go to a new area and do it all again.

I think that a large majority of these types of games are very similar, as I found it hard to get many games that differed from the other titles, they all have some form of "stages" in one way or another, and they all require the player to control a ball to hit blocks.

Most of the differences in these types of games comes from the style of them, as it's very easy for companies to make a copy of the format that works, but to change the style to make it look more appealing.

[lagameloops]

Holedown

Holedown is a block breaker game unique to breakout, its original. You get a certain number of "balls" to launch at once into asteroids and planets and dig further down. When you fail you can return, and upgrade with what you did earn from the level, and repeat the process. The upgrade feature keeps players wanting to test how much further they can go, and how varied the gameplay is with it. The quick launch balls, get a bit further upgrade and repeat is the quick gameplay loop that keeps people playing.

[srobrapidprototyping]

Block Breaker Games

1.Pong

Pong is a table tennis–themed arcade sports video game, where your basically just making sure the ball doesn't miss the platforms at either end of the screen (this is how co-op is incorporated into it). This games unique selling point was that it was a very simple game that had co-op included which made it more entertaining.

2.Breakout

Breakout was an arcade game where you'd basically hit a ball with a platform and aim it into the coloured blocks above, when the ball comes in contact they break and you keep doing that till all the blocks are gone without losing the ball. The unique selling point of breakout would probably be its colouring blocks and simple mechanics.

3.Bubble Bobble

Bubble Bobble is an arcade games about two little dragons called Bob and Bub who's want to save their girlfriends from monsters, Bob and Bub are controlled by the player(s). These two dragons can blow bubbles which they trap enemies in and once defeated the bubble is burst by the player's spiny back; this is how the player's score increases allowing you to progress each level.

The unique selling point of Bubble Bobble is probably their character designs as they're cute little colourful dragons.

4.Holedown

Holedown is a game that consists of you digging deeper underground (in games world) by shooting these little bullet guys and breaking block with them, making you able to progress further and closer to the the planet cores. Each round/level you get a limited amount of shots along with some blocks being firmly fixed to the wall, so strategize where to aim for the most impact.

I think the unique selling point for this game would be the silly looking guys you shoot and the overall art style of the game, as it looks so nice.

5.Bunny Bricks

Bunny Bricks is a pc game from 1992 that has the same mechanics as Breakout only your playing as a bunny who's a baseball player that hits the ball towards the bricks to break them.

In my opinion this games unique selling point was that it was quite cartoony and also had an interesting gameplay.

What similarities do they have?

All have a similar game mechanic involving balls or blocks.

What differences are there?

All have very unique and different ways of using brick breaker mechanic or the balls. For example, Bubble Bobble doesn't have bricks/blocks instead has enemies that Bub and Bob use bubbles to capture and eliminate.

What makes the game successful/unsuccessful?

They all have a unique selling point that makes them interesting and intrigue to the demographic making people want to find out what the games about. However, I don't think Bunny Bricks was that good as its game mechanics were executed poorly.

Is there something that stands out that doesn't work and what would you suggest to revise this?

In Bunny Bricks when the player hits the ball with the bat there's not way to curve bounce the the ball, so its stuck going in a straight line meaning the playing has to reset which effects the score overall; can make a player frustrated and not want to play. What I would suggest to try to resolve this problem is to find a way for the player to be able to hit the ball from an angle, or a way for the ball to bounce off something causing it to bounce another direction.

[tomorrowedblog]

subpar pool is out today

subpar pool, the new game from grapefrukt games, is out today.

A whimsical adventure of playful pocket antics at the intersection of golf and pool, from the developer behind holedown, twofold inc & rymdkapsel.

[phaeton-flier]

Only three I would suggest, given the sane limits "not just a hole to pour money into with an anime overlay":

Hoplite is a cute little turn based game about leading a little Greek warrior into the depths of the underworld

holedown is the only version of those brick-breaker games that isn't trying to either serve you ads or sell you powerups (despite, like, every single other one being near clones to the point of probably being asset flips of one source)

Simon Tatham's Portable Puzzle Collection is a freeware package of 20ish puzzles that I find rather enjoyable. Here's one:

Smartphones can play games nowadays right. Recommend games for my phone

[gamersonthego]

Chase Koeneke’s Top 10 Handheld Games of 2018

2018 could’ve been a bummer of a year. The game I was most excited about – Fire Emblem: Three Houses – got pushed to 2019. We were getting a new Pokemon game...but it was based on a mobile game and was fundamentally changing the formula I loved. And outside of Smash Bros., there was little left I was anticipating.

And yet, 2018 turned out to be a fantastic year in handheld gaming. I got a turn-based strategy game that’s up there with any Fire Emblem game I’ve ever played. That Pokemon game ended up being pretty great! And there were a bevy of unexpected indies that kept me entertained all year long. Here are my top 10 handheld games from 2018 (as well as a few honorable mentions).

Honorable Mentions: Mark of the Ninja Remastered, Gris, Kingdom Rush Vengeance, Donut County, West of Loathing

10. Minit (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC)

I like to take my time in games – fully exploring worlds, talking to NPCs, reading item descriptions. In that sense, Minit, a top-down Zelda-style game that only allows you to play in one-minute sessions should be my nightmare. But it’s not. In fact, I really liked it. Minit’s limitations freed me from my thinking and made me engage with the game on its level. In a world dominated by GPS and a games’ landscape dominated by easily accessible maps, there’s something refreshingly challenging having to commit the area to memory and make plans on not only what to do next, but how to make it there in time.

9. Golf Peaks (iOS, PC)

I’m bad at real golf, but golf video games, especially the ones that don’t try to meticulously recreate the sport, are my jam. Mario Golf on the Game Boy Color is one of my favorite games ever. Golf Story was one of my favorite games last year. And Golf Peaks takes that crown in 2018. Golf Peaks expertly mixes golf, card and puzzle mechanics to make for a uniquely pleasing combination. New obstacles are layered in world by world and get increasingly bizarre, until what you’re playing is barely recognizable as golf. Golf Peaks feels meticulously crafted, and it makes for a difficult, but rewarding experience. Unfortunately, because it’s so bespoke, it’s a finite experience, and once you’ve completed it, there’s little reason to revisit it. A new world has been added since the game’s release, but after completing it in less than an hour, I’m back to waiting for more.

8. Alto’s Odyssey (iOS, Android)

Alto’s Adventure was one of my favorite games of 2015, a gorgeous and fun take on the infinite runner genre. Alto’s Odyssey further refines the formula by adding in even more things to do. The silky-smooth jumps, grinds and backflips return, along with the sublime wingsuit power-up, but they are joined by Tony Hawk-style wall rides that add a new dimension to the game. With uniquely skilled characters to unlock and upgrades to literally and figuratively grind for, Odyssey will keep you busy for a long time. It’s one of those rare phone games that’s good for play sessions both long and short, and its action never gets old.

7. Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition (iOS, Android, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC)

I was intrigued by Final Fantasy XV on the PS4, but ultimately bounced off its combat and general milling about. Pocket Edition fixes both of those issues and lets me enjoy what I really like about the game: its story and its characters. The miniaturized version of FFXV has turned it into a linear game with simplified controls (touch controls if you’re playing the phone version). The way it retains quite a bit of the themes and depth (and voice acting) of the original game despite streamlining it never ceased to impress me. And weirdly, playing Pocket Edition has actually reawakened my desire to play the original game. I want to see this treatment given to other Final Fantasy games.

6. Florence (iOS, Android)

Florence is not a game I would traditionally play on a phone. It’s not an infinitely replayable, puzzling experience like Threes or Drop7 or even a Kingdom Rush. But it is an experience, and one I deeply appreciated. Florence made me feel more than any other game this year, and it did it in a game that takes only about a half hour. It tells a mundane, yet impactful story about relationships. It’s beautiful. It’s funny. It’s tragic. But most of all, it’s real, and it uses its touchscreen controls to great effect to make you feel like you are an active participant in the story. It’s somehow simultaneously abstract and extremely specific, and I think it’s something everyone should witness.

5. Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee (Switch)

This is the Metal Gear Solid 2 of Pokemon. Let me explain. In MGS2, you play as Raiden, and you learn that you are being put through a similar adversity to the original MGS’ Shadow Moses Island in the hopes of turning you into another legendary hero like Solid Snake.

In Pokemon Let’s Go, things start familiar enough to anyone who’s played the first generation of Pokemon games (particularly, Yellow). You get a starter, you battle your rival, you face Brock and Misty and the other gym leaders and you stumble into and interrupt a nefarious Team Rocket plot. It’s all there. Except then you run into Blue, who is the real rival from the first generation of Pokemon. Which means your rival isn’t your rival. And you aren’t you. It’s fascinating and I ended up loving it.

Mechanically, it’s a weird mix of adding from more recent games while also stripping away complexity. Mega Evolutions are in. Held items are out. HMs are out. Steel, dark and fairy types are in. And there are some brand-new mechanics like catch combos that are a fun and new way to engage with Pokemon. It’s not all rainbows (I’m still not sold on the GO-style catching system,) but I hope the next mainline Pokemon game takes a little inspiration from these games. And I hope they remake Gold and Silver in this style too.

4. Holedown (iOS/Android)

Holedown became my go-to phone game for most of 2018. While you can beat it in a manner of hours, the game is so addictively fun and replayable with its final, seemingly endless level that you’ll be happy to dive back in again and again to improve your score. Holedown is satisfying in every sense of the word. Endorphins rush when you see and hear massive streams of balls ping-ponging off walls. Hitting the perfect angle to keep the combo going higher and higher is intensely gratifying. It’s so easy to play and understand, and yet you’ll be learning new tricks after your hundredth attempt. Holedown rules. Play Holedown.

3. Super Robot Wars X (Vita, PS4)

OK, this one’s a bit of a stretch. Super Robot Wars is not available in the US last I checked (though it is available in English.) Also, I did not play its handheld Vita version. Instead I played it on the PS4. So, on one hand, this game doesn’t really belong on this list. On the other hand, I love Super Robot Wars X so much, so it’s staying.

This was my first dip into the series and immediately found it to be an incredibly dense and confusing experience. It’s a turn-based strategy game like Fire Emblem, which sounds right up my alley, but the number of things to account for is staggering. To list all its mechanics would be a daunting exercise. Slowly, but surely, I learned to engage with more and more systems until finally, I felt like I could see the code, that I had entered the Matrix. I suddenly knew strategy game kung-fu. The game would set up almost impossible odds and, sometimes after an insane amount of consideration, I’d find a solution. I could boost the range on one weapon for the one turn I need it. Or maybe that shield I’ve never used would actually come in handy here. Oh wait, this pilot has a special skill I could utilize. The solutions are always there, you just have to look for them. It’s a beast of a game, but one I became utterly mesmerized with.

2. Dead Cells (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC)

I jealously watched early access PC players make run after run on Dead Cells. I heard people extol the game’s virtues on countless podcasts, and then, finally, the game released on Switch and I too could experience its splendor. And boy, did it deliver. Dead Cells bends over backwards to tailor the game experience to you. It allows you to choose what and when to unlock new skills, letting you further customize your arsenal as you play. It accounts for novice players who need to take their time getting through its sprawling levels while also providing options for crafty veterans who are able to speed through its content. And yet, as much as it caters, you’ll inevitably get to a point in your run where the game says “OK, now we’re going to test you.” I have failed that test every time. I have not beaten Dead Cells. But I am damn sure ready to try again.

1. Into The Breach (Switch, PC)

Where Super Robot Wars X is a turn-based mech strategy game on a macro scale, with an inconceivable amount of systems and options to deal with for your double-digit army of robotic fighters, Into The Breach stuffs all the same intensity into a comparably tiny grid and only a trio of battlers. It maintains the perfect amount of complexity, making every unit, every weapon, every move and every choice matter. It’s the ultimate chess game. And just when you think you’ve wrapped your head around its mechanics, it hands you a new team of mechs that plays completely differently. Runs are short, but meaningful, and the optional challenges (that let you unlock more new teams) push you out of your comfort zone to learn new strategies. Not only is it my favorite game of the year by a country mile, it might be one of the best games of all time.

[operationrainfall]

Nintendo Download for 11/7/19

Nintendo Download for 11/7/19

Well folks, I hope you’re all having a better week than me, since I’ve been coughing and wheezing all week of this Nintendo Download. But as I’m starting to feel human again, I’m here to cover your weekly Nintendo Download! As this is the first Download of November, there’s officially no focus on Halloween hijinx anymore. We have a few featured titles, some new events, the usual sales and some…

[noah-luck-easterly]

I beat holedown YEARS ago, and I still pick it up and play it a couple times a week

holedown

Holedown is a brick breaker game where you dig down to the core of a moon, planet, or other large body. You can upgrade different aspects of the game and unlock larger things to dig into. As you play, a little worm will chill in the corner of the screen and has some dialogue if you click on it. the game is $2.99 but is completely ad free, not buggy at all, and is a good level of challenging. There is no limit to how many times you can try digging, if you fail you can just try again. The blackhole level is endless but maintains an excellent level of difficulty even when everything is fully upgraded. The music is nice and scify-like and the sound effects are cute! This is a good game to play as a quick brain tickler and I hope the devs update it in the future!

Overall rating: 4.5/5

[indiehangover]

Ball-bouncer games are one of my favorite genres for on-the-go gaming. When I heard about Holedown, a $3.99 mobile game that promised a lot of heart and a terrific ball-bouncing, block-destroying, precise-aiming experience, I was intrigued. I’ve only purchased a couple mobile games in the past – Gorogoa and Super Mario Run – but a polished game of this type sold me on the idea of purchasing my third mobile game. With so many free games like it available, I had to know if the polished graphics, upgrades, and planet delving made this worth the purchase.



Title: Holedown Developer: grapefrukt games Platform: iOS Game Version: Final Review Copy: Purchased by reviewer Interface: iPhone 5s Available on iOS and Android

Dig deep underground by shooting balls and breaking blocks, traversing your way to the planet cores. With limited shots per round and some blocks fixed firmly to the wall, thoughtfully strategize and aim for maximum impact. Knock down as many blocks as possible while collecting crystals for upgrades and getting deeper beneath the surface.

Holedown is a cute mobile game that puts some solid twists on the classic block-breaking, ball-shooting genre (seriously, there HAS to be a better name for them!). For those not familiar, these games typically lay out a screen with various blocks that have numbers on them. Your job is to break these blocks by hitting them with the slew of balls you’ve got. You aim where you want to fire and then let go, and each hit on a brick lowers the number on it by one; once it hits 0, the brick breaks. Each turn, the bricks move toward you, with a new row added behind them, and if they get to you the game is over. To make things even crazier, the new bricks typically have a number at least one higher than the number of balls you fire, so you need to rely on bouncing shots as much as possible each turn.

But Holedown is unlike many of the games I’ve played. Each level (aside from the black hole) has a definitive goal, and you have a limited number of shots to reach it. The challenge is not only to avoid crashing (by having a block come up to you) but also to clear the blocks as quickly as you can so you descend faster. This creates a unique balance where you’ll want to clear higher blocks as fast as you can, but also try to break lower ones so that you don’t get overwhelmed when you rush toward them.

Another major twist is that the blocks aren’t all independent of one another. If you take out a block, all of the blocks above it will be destroyed as well unless they have a screw in them. This blends bubble shooter mechanics in with a new genre, making a perfect shot against the bottom of the screen even more effective since a surgical strike on one or two blocks can clear the whole screen, rapidly boosting you deeper toward the core faster.

Finally, unlike every other game of this type I’ve played, the blocks aren’t all the same size. Some are regular squares, while others are all sorts of tetrominoes (Tetris shapes), and some are even more ridiculous. Typically, the bigger the block is, the higher the number on it will be. But bigger blocks are also easier to hit more than once in a shot, and because they all have rounded corners, it’s easier to make shots bounce like crazy.

As you clear levels, you’ll pick up crystals from some blocks, and these can be used to upgrade various stats. Unless you’re a ridiculously intelligent AI that can calculate every angle perfectly, you’ll need to increase all of these to progress through the game’s handful of levels. I’m a sucker for any game with upgrades, and there really is a terrific sense of progression. Going back to the first level after maxing everything out is almost hilarious, as even the worst shots can practically clear the screen.

However, I was really disappointed at how few levels there were in Holedown. Games of this sort usually have hundreds of levels, and I assumed there would be at least a couple dozen to get through here as well. Sadly, Holedown has only 6 (including the endless black hole), and the progression is wonky. Because there are so few levels, there’s a huge difficulty curve between them. If you’re upgraded enough to make it through the third level, for example, you’ll barely get anywhere at all in the fourth. You also don’t earn crystals any faster in harder stages, so it’s much easier to go back a level or two and grind there than it is to earn one or two crystals (if you’re lucky) in the most recently unlocked level.

Holedown reminds me of what I’d always heard about older online FPS games: sure there’s a campaign, but it’s basically there to get the player acquainted with the game before playing the “real game”. The difference is that, in Holedown, the “real game” is the black hole. The black hole is a limitless level where you dig deeper and deeper until you inevitably crash. Even after unlocking everything you’ll still collect crystals, but they don’t seem to have any purpose anymore. I’ve tried the mode several times after unlocking everything, but there’s not even a “revive for 50 crystals” option or “start 30 meters deeper for 20 crystals” or anything.

The lack of levels alone makes it hard to recommend Holedown when there are so many free games with hundreds of levels out there. It definitely has more polish than a lot of the free games, and they don’t have an adorable mole-like creature telling me to seize the means of production the way Holedown does. But unless the lack of ads is that important to you, or you want to support some indie devs who clearly put some heart (but not so much depth) into their game, it’s likely not worth dropping money on this one.

#indiegame Holedown from #indiedev @grapefrukt is a "ball bouncing spectacle" on iOS and Android, but is the charm, polish, and lack of ads worth the price for this mobile game? Ball-bouncer games are one of my favorite genres for on-the-go gaming. When I heard about Holedown…

[apkify]

Holedown v1.0.2 Apk

Dig deep underground by shooting balls and breaking blocks, traversing your way to the planet cores. With limited shots per round and some blocks fixed firmly to the wall, thoughtfully strategize and aim for maximum impact. Knock down as many blocks as possible while collecting crystals for upgrades and getting deeper beneath the surface. Choose your ideal upgrades such as more starting balls,…

[famicon]

holedown

[prozd]

my favorite things this year

Here are my favorite things I consumed this year.

favorite movies

1. Into the Spider-Verse 

2. Won't You Be My Neighbor 

3. The Act of Killing 

4. Three Identical Strangers 

5. Black Panther 

6. The Death of Stalin 

7. The Anthem of the Heart 

8. My Life as a Zucchini 

9. Crazy Rich Asians 

10. The Look of Silence

also good: The Handmaiden, The Boy and the Beast, Paddington, Undefeated, Captain Underpants, Spotlight, Isle of Dogs, BlacKkKlansman

favorite video games

1. Super Smash Bros Ultimate

2. Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

3. Fire Emblem Warriors

4. Card Crawl

5. Holedown

also good: Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Battle Chef Brigade, Florence, Peggle Blast, Pokemon Quest

favorite anime

1. My Hero Academia 2

2. Aggretsuko

3. Full Metal Panic: Invisible Victory

4. Laid-Back Camp

5. A Place Further than the Universe

also good: Wotakoi, Tsuredure Children, Made in Abyss, Hinamatsuri, Land of the Lustrous

favorite TV shows

1. OK K.O.

2. Terrace House: Boys and Girls in the City

3. Barry

4. Tokyo Encounter

5. My Brother, My Brother and Me

also good: Craig of the Creek, The Good Place, The Crown

favorite board games

1. Pandemic Legacy: Season 1

2. Deception: Murder in Hong Kong

3. Time's Up! Title Recall

4. Azul

5. Clank!/Clank! In! Space!

6. Terraforming Mars

7. Secret Hitler

8. Mansions of Madness: Second Edition

9. One Night Ultimate Werewolf

10. Spyfall

11. Dixit

12. Five Tribes

13. Blood Rage

14. Legendary: Villains

15. Scythe

16. Lords of Waterdeep

17. Captain Sonar

18. Codenames Duet

19. Suburbia

20. Telestrations