Motocross Challenge is a free arcade game for the Game Boy Advance where players must speed through scenic locations while trying to handle high-flying action jump ramps. Key features such as suspension, automatic gear shift, spinning, quick accelerations, realistic collision reaction, bike vibration, crashes and various ground surfaces have been included to create a fun motocross racing experience.

Featuring eight motocross bikes, seven tricks and ten tracks to unlock through thirty racing events.

Name: Motocross Challenge
Developer: DHG Games
Category: Action
Type: Freeware
Size: 1MB

Scans from GamesTM were recently posted in the Junker HQ forums, specifically the Policenauts Translation Team interview. Each image is about 600KB in size.

Japanese gamers still believe that Policenauts is Hideo Kojima's best work to date.

The stack of paper on seen at the top right portion of the first page is actually the entire Policenauts script in both Japanese and English, printed out on A4 sheets. Release date for the English translation patch has been pushed back to late 2007.

ChocoMarker is an average 3D puzzler made by Ecole, the same development team responsible for delivering the popular Melty Blood doujin fighting game series. The main objective is basically to sandwich blocks of the same color between two other blocks of a different color to remove them from the field. Complete each stage by freeing every single bomb block on screen before time runs out.

Blocks with no color can easily be switched by using the same move.

Name: ChocoMarker
Developer: Ecole
Category: Puzzle
Type: Freeware
Size: 20MB
Direct download link: Click here

Red White Yellow is a new puzzler by SKT which is based on Tetris, but with a hint of Lumines in it. The objective of the game is to remove tiles from the screen by connecting six or more blocks of the same color are connected to each other.

The current type of colored blocks which can be removed from the field switches whenever a chain is made.

Half decent but not particularly impressive when compared to Blocksum.

Name: Red White Yellow
Developer: SKT
Category: Puzzle
Type: Browser

Shellblast, the Acidbomb remake is now available for purchase. [Shellblast preview, demo direct download link]

Knytt Stories should be released at the end of summer 2007. Here's a special preview of the soundtrack which will be sold together with the expansion pack to fund the development costs of future releases.

According to DHC, Vulkaiser is close to a release and the team may yet participate in the latest 3Punge competition. [DHC's past projects]

Pixel reaffirms that Variant Interactive's PSP version of Cave Story is not supported by him.

Several new screenshots from A Vampyre Story had recently surfaced, and Bill Tiller mentions that the game will be released in Fall 2007 during an interview. [second page]



Also revealed on the third page are some concept art for a Full Throttle sequel. As he explains:

"The basic plot was... a corporation was getting rid of the roads, and instead people had to drive hover vehicles, which they would buy off the corporation. The story was about reclaiming the wheel. Ben was framed for the murder of Maureen, and was hounded by paparazzi, though one of the paparazzi was going to be friendly, and would help out a wee bit. There were also different gangs fighting. One called The Dragons, and they had flames coming out of the front of their bikes."

Click here to view a 1MB version of Coyote Spit, pictured left. [more screenshots]

Professor Fizzwizzle and the Molten Mystery will be released soon. The latest adventure consists of 210 levels to solve.

Urban Legend is an isometric turn-based strategy game with squad management. Created by Electronic Entertainment Studio, it features pixel graphics, a storyline based on conspiracy theories, capable AI, mercenaries for hire and a wide choice of futuristic weaponry. The demo features six levels with no time limit.

Name: Urban Legend
Developer: Electronic Entertainment Studio
Category: Strategy
Type: Demo
Size: 10MB

Screenshots from The Path posted, a new horror game by Tale of Tales. [gallery, web site, original post]

Guxt updated to version 1.0.1.0. Changes include:

- replay filenames now contain information about final score and last stage attempted.
- the game window no longer has an accompanying menubar.
- new sound effects introduced, quality improved to 16-bit.
- volume and window size controls now accessible by right clicking.
- the game will continue even when the window loses focus.

Samieru announces that English instructions and a level editor will be added to Death Village soon, while stating that the character's actions are not random. Nigoro's next release could be out in a matter of days.

eXceed2nd-VAMPIRE REX- is a remake of FLAT's vertical shmup which mimics the polarity gameplay system made popular by Ikaruga. The color of the circle surrounding your character can be changed by tapping the C key. This will determine the type of enemy bullets that your ship absorbs while charging the special weapon in the process.

Press the Z key to shoot and use the V key to bring up the pause menu. There are only four stages in this trial version.

Name: eXceed2nd-VAMPIRE REX-
Developer: tennen-sozai
Category: Shooter
Type: Freeware
Size: 300MB

Dotechin is a horizontal number from Japan which attempts to fill the entire screen with destructible objects instead of the usual hail of bullets present in most modern day shmups. Your robot is equipped with some decent firepower so it isn't particularly difficult to make it from one stage to the other.

Use the space key to skip cutscenes, tap the X key to shoot and press the shift key for a temporary boost. The Z key can be used to initiate a special attack, possible only when the smaller blue gauge at the top of the screen is full.

The F1 function key can be used to pause the game. Select the second option from the main menu to start playing. If you lose, a continue option will appear as the first choice although progress is not saved when you exit the program. Use the free 7-Zip software to unpack the file.

Name: Dotechin
Developer: JMG
Category: Shooter
Type: Freeware
Size: 10MB
Direct download link: Click here

Skullgirls is a rare versus fighting game that isn't actually made using the popular Fighter Maker engine. The animations are jerky and default controls are rather awkward, with the I, O, K and L keys mapped to punches or kicks. The U key can be pressed for a defensive stance.

A work in progress that shows some promise, but fans shouldn't expect anything more than a technical demo in it's current state.

Name: Skullgirls
Developer: Alex Ahad
Category: Action
Type: Freeware
Size: 10MB

Another screenshot from Ishi's 3D platformer posted. [Clockwiser, Pushover review]

Beast Invaders 3 updated. Bullets are much easier to distinguish now. [Beast Invaders 3 review]

Here's a recent interview with Oddbob himself, the creator of G-Force and Beast Invaders sequels.

Mr Colossal is working on a new game. [Automation review]

A new trial version of Akatsuki BK was recently made available. Joypad is chosen as the default controller, so if you don't own a gamepad be sure to change this to keyboard controls using the config menu before playing. To get it to work, just right-click the config.exe file and set compatibility mode to Windows 200.

The demo comes with four playable characters and several game modes enabled. [Akatsuki BK review, Inverted Castle article]

Initially the screenshot itself caught my eye, especially because of my interest in art games. After reading a little more about the concept I was eager to try Blumenmacht (German for "flower power"). What I found is an intriguing twist on the top down shooter model.

The twist is in fact rather substantial in that the game has become largely non-violent. You're no longer actually shooting down enemies, but engaging in a dance which fills the respective "ballerinas" with happiness. Some will undoubtedly be put off by this motif, while I was glad to see a game with such a unique artistic vision.

I found the game to be a little frustrating at first. The amount of visual stimuli can certainly be overwhelming, and it took me many tries to actually figure out what I was doing, despite an in-game tutorial. In a way, this is to be expected with a new or revised game concept. After some time, however, I realized that it was not quite as difficult as I thought it to be initially.

If you bear with it, and learn the ropes, you'll find a very unique, stimulating, and enjoyable experience in Blumenmacht. Granted the game can see some improvements, and many have been suggestion in the forum thread. Yet there is something very good and appealing in its cacophony of colors and additional challenges will continue to present themselves in later levels.

You can also view a gameplay video here, via YouTube.

Name: Blumenmacht
Developer: Urs
Category: Shooter, Unconventional
Type: Freeware
Size: 10MB

This hobbyist's recreation of the cover for one of Cave's classic shooter is bordering on the extreme. Every single part is modeled with care, even the insides of pictured ship is not spared and somehow recreated by using a bit of imagination.