Serious Sam-I-Am is a scrolling action game in the style of Metal Slug, developed by The Podunkian for a recent competition. Use the W, A, S and D keys for movement. Tap the space key to jump. Press the left or right mouse button to shoot and snipe.

Don't miss the intro as the included level is only a few screens long.

Name: Serious Sam-I-Am
Developer: The Podunkian
Category: Action
Type: Freeware
Size: 5MB

English versions for both Crocodile Garden and Marble Seals were recently posted on Anahara Masataka's home page. Fans of Sokoban would be interested in the former, a game about transporting alligators to their watery abodes.

Obstacles block your way frequently but these can be pushed away using bulldozers which only moves forward or backwards. Climb into a vehicle from it's sides, and grab a reptile using the enter key. [original review]

Crocodile Garden download page

A recorded video of Jonathan Blow's lecture given during the Independent Games Summit in March was made available by GameSetWatch for viewing. There's a lengthy gameplay demonstration from Braid which begins around the fifteen minute mark, as Mr. Blow explains about the importance of prototyping. He also manages to slip in a subtle hint about what his next game will be.

- watch it on google video
- download the 170MB .mov file
- read the article
- prototype download page

To celebrate the 12th anniversary of Command and Conquer's release, the original Command & Conquer Gold has been offered on EA's site as a free 1GB download together with instructions on how to get the game working on PCs with Windows XP installed. [source: Retro Remakes]

Grab the game here

A recap of the games mentioned this month, August 2007:

Shooters

GrowWing (pictured above) was recently updated to include one new level. This horizontal shooter with 3D graphics is a work in progress, featuring two playable stages. [direct download link]

The updated version for Sonic Ironstorm which includes new levels will be released sometime in September. [direct download link, screenshots]

A screenshot from Nigoro's upcoming shooter game was recently posted on their development journal.

New screenshots added to Soldner-X's media page.

Fraxy gets a new update.

Cryptic Sea has started up a new development journal in which fans of Gish can keep themselves updated about the sequel's production progress (pictured above). Barely visible in the image is a 2008 release date. There's a video posted with Edmund himself attempting to call Nintendo's Reggie to secure a publishing deal on the Wii.

Edmund McMillen is also responsible for the character art in Braid, among other works.

Visit the development journal

The author of the Submachine series has announced a schedule for his upcoming projects on his development journal recently. All of the following games will be released before Christmas 2007, in this order:

Covert Front 2 (soonest)
two untitled platformers
DayMare Town 2
Submachine 5

Mateusz Skutnik's games page

StarPox is a new horizontal shooter by Lazrael, creator of Banana Nababa and Poyo. Work in progress. [Dick the Duck preview, Lazrael's past projects]

Space Phallus will have levels that are entirely different from each other.

It's a pretty simple affair, which uses 8-bit themed graphics and sound. The premise of the game is to save the galaxy from the marauding space penises that are threatening to destroy it. This one is coming along quite quickly (is that a pun?) so should see release in the coming months. I'll try to post some pics and maybe a video soon.

Cheers
Charlie (author of Bullet Candy)
Charlie's Games

Amanita Design (Samorost series) is currently working on a full-scale adventure game entitled Machinarium. The new project features hand-drawn art and backgrounds, but retains the point-and-click interface that fans of the series have grown accustomed to.

Adventure Gamers had also revealed that the world is populated by robots, and players can expect to interact with a small inventory during the course of the game.

Machinarium will be released sometime in the second half of 2008.

Ben Jordan Case 6: Scourge of the Sea People is the latest in a series of adventure games by Grundislav about a young man and his journey around the world in search of mystery and danger. Puzzles are much easier compared to it's predecessors though certain screen exits can be easily missed at first glance.

There's one scene with pixelated nudity, so approach with caution.

Name: Ben Jordan Case 6: Scourge of the Sea People
Developer: Grundislav
Category: Adventure
Type: Freeware
Size: 30MB

Swedish developer Bits & Pieces Interactive brings us an innovative new twist on the paltformer genre with Fret Nice. The game can only be played with a guitar controller, requiring either a USB-to-PS2 adapter or a USB Xbox 360 guitar controller. Naturally, this will limit how many of you will be able to try it. If you have the ability to play this, however, you will be pleasantly surprised. Fret Nice is a recipient of the Best Game Concept Award at Swedish Game Awards 2007. It's reviewer states that it is "a game with an innovative use of control, which impresses in many areas."

The game will find you jumping to perform "air combos" that allow you to defeat the various enemies, as well as climbing, swinging, and slinging your character onto and off of various objects in the levels. In all cases gameplay feels fresh and is a lot of fun, while the nontraditional control method makes Fret Nice an innovative newcomer to the indie scene.

Name: Fret Nice
Developer: Bits & Pieces Interactive
Category: Platformer/Unconventional
Type: Freeware
Size: 28MB

Raingraph's Ace Speeder 2 is a decent racing game with uninspiring textures and pretty standard gameplay, but simulates a speeding race track well enough to please casual fans of the genre.

Only two race tracks are accessible in this demo. Hold the space key to accelerate, and tap the same button quickly to use the boost. Swap camera view by pressing the C key. The V key can be used to turn the HUD on and off. Pause the game with the backspace or delete key.

Name: Ace Speeder 2
Developer: Raingraph
Category: Action
Type: Demo
Size: 30MB
Direct download link: Click here

Joystiq previews Metanet Software's N+ (pictured above), due out for the Nintendo DS soon. Hot dual screen action!

"The view for the DS game provides a zoomed-in bottom screen and a zoomed-out view of the whole level on the top screen."

"The game will feature all new levels designed by original creators Metanet in both its Pure (based on the original Flash game) and Plus (new graphics and enemies) versions."

Also from Joystiq, an interview with the director of the 1GB noir adventure game Fate by Numbers.

Updates

Dicewars DS (a Nintendo DS port of GameDesign's popular dice strategy game, pictured above) updated to version 0.3.4.

Georg Rottensteiner's Joe Gunn gets a final update, recently reviewed in RGCD. [installation instructions]

Shooters

There's a couple of scans from Arcadia with information and screenshots about Cave's latest horizontal shooter Deathsmiles posted in the insomnia.ac forums. [AM show information]

From Arcadia again, information and a screenshot from G.rev's (Border Down, Under Defeat) upcoming vertical shooter Mamoru-kun wa Norowarete Shimatta. Apparently the game is a collaborative effort with ex-Seibu Kaihatsu staff, the same people responsible for delivering the Raiden series. [official web site]

Soldner-X is available for preorder from Play-Asia.

Platformers

Ishi has resumed work on Tor de Force, a platformer originally developed for the four color competition held by Retro Remakes. [forum thread]

Ten new screenshots from Lexaloffle's upcoming platformer Jasper's Journeys (pictured below) were recently posted. [Swarm Racer]

Miscellaneous

GameTunnel's Monthly Round-up has been replaced with a new column entitled The 60-Minute Trial.

Chocolate Castle is the latest Manifesto Games' pick.

Being my first YouTube piano video, I only thought it would be appropriate to make it from Cave Story. This is of me, playing my own arrangement of selections from "Plantation" and "Moonsong." Sorry about the quality! - markarian.

- MP3 downloads and sheet music for several tunes from Pixel's Cave Story

There have been many changes to Bootansoft's horizontal shooter Arachnos since it's initial release. In the latest version (1.84), the author has included a difficulty setting and the option to increase the number of ships for each game.

Arguably the best freeware Gradius tribute available. [gameplay videos]

Name: Arachnos
Developer: Bootansoft
Category: Shooter
Type: Freeware
Size: 10MB
Direct download link: Click here

The third issue of RGCD, the freely downloadable retro discmag, is now available. Blast Arena for the GBA is its featured review this time around.

Amongst the 28 other games covered are Hurrican, Burn the Trash, Frazy and Zub for the PC, as well as Joe Gunn for the C64 and Blizzard's Rift for the Spectrum. This issue also has part one of an in-depth article about the history of the man behind Llamasoft, Jeff Minter.

As always, all content is thoroughly checked for viruses and is 100% spyware free.

Nifflas has released Knytt Stories a couple of days ahead of his original August 30th release date.

Knytt Stories doesn't have a specific plot. Instead, each level is its own little adventure. A level called 'The Machine' is included with the game, where you have to stop a machine that draws the life out of the planet. An official expansion pack is also featured at the website with four original levels.

Knytt Stories is a 2D platform game that runs on Windows 2000, XP, and later.

Name: Knytt Stories
Developer: Nifflas
Category: Platformer
Type: Freeware
Size: 33.9MB
Download: From the download page.

In Lonely House-Moving, the reluctance of the story's protagonist to let his young partner relocate to greener pastures has caused him to chase after a moving truck carrying the love of his life and her belongings in it. Your task is to avoid the falling objects by jumping over them for maximum points whenever possible.

Bonus points are awarded for jumps which are further to the right. Execute Mario stomps on moles and crows for a score boost. Collect corns or rice balls to restore health. Approaching bicycles can be anticipated by listening closely for their ringing bells.

Use the arrow keys to move, and hold the space key to jump. Avoid catching her undies to earn extra points at the end of the game.

Name: Lonely House-Moving
Developer: Nigoro
Category: Action
Type: Browser

Guardian Popon is a simple arcade game in which the player has to protect his or her fort from invading forces with only a single cannon equipped on your ship as the defensive measure.

Hold the left mouse button to set the cannonball flight distance, but restock regularly as your ship is able to carry a maximum of ten cannonballs at any time.

Name: Guardian Popon
Developer: GamePure
Category: Action
Type: Browser

In Biniax-2, the players controls a box with an element inside. Pairs of elements can be removed if the element controlled is the same as one of the pair. When a pair of element is removed, your box will take on the form of the other element in the pair. Press the space key to remove an entire column. This special move is limited and the number of uses allowed is indicated on the right side of the screen.

A new tactical mode, improved graphics and multiplayer option is included in this updated sequel.

Name: Biniax-2
Developer: Jordan Tuzsuzov
Category: Puzzle
Type: Freeware
Size: 5MB