This is just a montage of a bunch of Game Maker games that I put together. There is a list of the games, with links to each and the time signatures, on the GMC thread.

Photos from the recent TIGJam 2008 meet. (source: Data)

Underside preview (note: strong language. source)

Dogfight 2 is an action game which takes place in the skies, where players assume control of a fighter plane engaged in a series of missions for the German side during World War I.

Use the cursor keys to climb or dive, and press the space key to fire your guns. Hold the left shift or alternate key to drop bombs. There are also four different ace tactics which can be used once per mission to confuse your enemies momentarily. These range from flying into clouds for cover, hovering above the ground for a short while, or even executing evasive 360 degree loops near an enemy fighter plane.

The game has twenty-five missions in total, with a different objective revealed at the start of the level for each.

Name: Dogfight 2
Developer: Rock Solid Arcade
Category: Action
Type: Browser

This week on Bytejacker: Flashbang Studios' iSplume, Edmund McMillen/Tyler Glaiel's Aether and Ted Lauterbach's Visit 2. Daniel Remar's Iji takes the crown in Free Indie of the Week. (YouTube video)

Bytejacker episode 9
Bytejacker forums

Flashbang Studios' central hub for their Unity games launches today, with a collection of their older works already available to play on the site. Not too many features yet, but future releases can now be found on Blurst instead of having to type in a different domain name for each.

The Unfinished Swan is described as "a surreal maze game set in an entirely white world", and to find your way around you'll need to splatter paint all over the place.

This project was recently chosen as one of the finalists for Sense of Wonder Night 2008 and also Indiecade 2008. Joystiq is currently featuring five Indiecade finalists a day (out of a total of twenty-five), with the last ten to be mentioned tomorrow and the day after.

No playable build of The Unfinished Swan is available to the public currently, but there is a tech demo called Whitewash which bears more than a few similarities. (playable only on browsers with the Unity plugin installed, updated version)

Note: video contains spoilers.

Marshmallow is a short action game which involves guiding the main character up into the sky while carefully navigating around other floating objects. Click anywhere on the protagonist's head and our genderless friend will move a little faster in the opposite direction. He or she (or it) will also knock any other creatures out of the sky when executing this action.

Name: Marshmallow
Developer: Recruit
Category: Action
Type: Browser

Similar game: FlyGuy

Diver maps 2D character posture to mouse position and challenges you to perform thirty death defying dives. The game shines on two occasions: when your planned dive works out, and when it fails miserably, killing the diver Stair-Dismount-style.

Maximize your chances of success by regulating rotation speed (stretched is slow, crouched is fast) so you can land with your feet on the diving platform, and descend as vertical as you can into the blue. Be forewarned, the dives' increasing difficulty will send the faint of heart swimming in a sea of desperation.

Wish list: highscore table, aesthetic dive bonuses, achievements, replay function, level editor and a standalone executable.

Name: Diver
Developer: Jeff Weber
Category: Physics game
Type: Browser

Note: the game provides links to the required (and painless) installation of Microsoft's Silverlight.

Techno-Slyph is a nice, laid back variety of shooter with a very well paced difficulty curve that should be easily picked up and playable by any fans of the genre. Shoot the bad guys and slowly evolve your ship into an ever more destructive war machine.

*edit: better controls explanation (Thanks Fish!)*
The left (blue) bar is your attack power, you can increase it by pressing 'A', but it eats up more energy.

The middle bar is your energy (yellow is max energy, red is current) - it charges over time and by pickups. If you destroy those engine-ish things (shown in the picture), a drop with a ring around it appears which increases max energy.

The right bar (purple), think of it like a Gradius system. It corresponds with the powerups shown on the bottom right screen, and can be changed by pressing 'S'.

Upgrading works when you 'select' something on your upgrade bar, and you have enough current energy at that level (ie: upgrade bar at lvl 2 for Flash, you have the red energy at lvl 2). If you press 'X' (homing laser), and have enough power, you get the upgrade and your max energy decreases. Unfortunately I *think* that you have to fill the blue vertical bars up all the way to actually use it.

Name: Techno-Slyph
Developer: KBZ
Category: Shooter
Type: Freeware
Size: 1.11MB
Direct Download: Click here

Zerosum is a puzzle game that is easy to learn but difficult to master, where players attempt to remove as many tiles as they can before their chances run out by matching at least three blocks with the same number in a column or row.

Click on a block to select it, then select an adjoining tile to move it over to the new spot. This block will then change to a number which is the sum of the previous two tiles, with numbers going above nine starting the count from zero again. One tile will then be taken from your stock to replace the blank spot vacated by the original block, as indicated in the next tile indicator on the right side of the screen.

As the level counter increases, more chains and matches are needed to fulfil the extend quota, which then increases your stock count by one. When burst mode is activated, tiles do not have to be in a straight line to be considered a valid match. Metallic tiles have numbers which cannot be changed, blocks encased in ice has to be freed by removing a tile next to it, and numbers in rounded tiles are increased by one after every turn.

There is a short advertisement to sit through before the game will load.

Name: Zerosum
Category: Puzzle
Type: Browser

Similar games: Blocksum

An example of games used in classrooms to teach students the importance of learning puzzle-solving skill sets.

Cavern of Doom is a full-length RPG release with original graphics and tilesets, where players take control of Mo the Great who is known across the land for his legendary feats of heroism. No task seems impossible to him, as he attempts to save the once-peaceful town of Quetharc by driving back the monsters hiding in nearby caves and earning the respect of the king and locals in the process.

Use the X key to access your inventory, and press the Z or space key to execute a default action. Switch between full screen and windowed mode with the F4 function key, or hold the left alternate and enter key for a similar effect.

Weapons, scrolls, potions, spells and armor are readily available for purchase from shops around the city, taverns are safe havens for battered warriors looking for a place to rest, while unused equipment can be sold at the pawn shop in exchange for gold. Note that your character stats can only be increased by returning to the city after engaging a couple of enemies in combat and using the free training facilities provided by the townsfolk.

The game also features four difficulty settings, side quests and hidden endings.

Name: Cavern of Doom
Developer: Ignotech
Category: RPG
Type: Freeware
Size: 2MB

Glitch is a first person shooter created by a group of DigiPen students, freely available for download from DigiPen's gallery page. Your given objective is to survive twenty-five waves of enemies whilst trapped inside a room with high ceilings and rising platforms.

Only one weapon can be in use at any time, and will remain in effect until ammunition runs out or when you collect another item. Rocket launchers, cannons, spread shots and claw guns are some of the basic equipment which you can gather, but the game does have a couple of unorthodox weapons such as the vacuum and column gun to acquire as well. Enemy locations can be spotted by looking for coloured spots on the ceiling.

There are a couple of faults to be found in Glitch. No checkpoint feature is included, so players would have to start playing from wave one every single time. Enemies also have a tendency to stay high above the air or teleport themselves far too frequently. (source: bigbossSNK)

Name: Glitch
Developer: Team Glitch
Category: FPS
Type: Freeware
Size: 20MB

Just like Fraxy and Warning Forever, every boss encounter in Armed Generator Doom Machine has been procedurally generated to ensure a small percentage of randomness. Hold the Z key down to shoot, press the X key to launch a missile, and use the C key to activate your shields. Power-ups are granted every few levels, and the choice of upgrade is left entirely to the player to decide on.

The game features built-in joystick support, stereo sound, a boss editor, online high scores and a two-player hotseat mode. (high quality video)

Name: Armed Generator Doom Machine
Developer: Beau Blyth
Category: Shooter
Type: Freeware
Size: 2MB
Direct download link: Click here

A preview of Secret Exit's new rope simulation game, Zen Bound. Out this fall on on the iPhone and iPod, with PC, Mac and console releases to follow shortly after. (high quality video, Zen Bondage)

Vampire Blaze is a freeware platform game which seems to have taken the best elements from early Castlevania releases and updated them for this project with improved controls, decent graphics and a catchy soundtrack. You start the monster hunt unarmed, but new weapons such as axes, knives, whips, crossbows and even guns can be acquired by destroying the many candelabras you will find during your adventure.

Press the X key to attack, or tap the C key to jump. Hold the Z key to sidestep or block enemy attacks with your weapon. The left shift key can be used to pause the game at any time.

Progress is saved automatically after the completion of each level, and players can continue their journey by using the resume option in the main menu. The Japanese language pack has to be installed to play, and the game will only run on displays configured with 16-bit color quality instead of the standard 32-bit. When starting Vampire Blaze, select the second option in the dialogue box for windowed mode.

Name: Vampire Blaze
Developer: RED
Category: Platformer
Type: Freeware
Size: 30MB
Direct download link: Click here (right click to save, use 7-Zip to unzip)

Note: video contains spoilers.

Hoshi Saga 3 is a new collection of puzzles designed by Yoshio Ishii, where the objective of the game is to search for stars hidden in each of the thirty levels included. Practically no instructions are given, and players are expected to solve puzzles by experimenting with random elements found in every stage.

Name: Hoshi Saga 3
Developer: Yoshio Ishii
Category: Puzzle
Type: Browser

video walkthroughs
puzzles 71 - 84
puzzles 85 - 94
puzzles 95 - 100, ending

A teaser site for the next Mondo game is up. (preview clip, Mondo series)

Introversion Software's multiplayer strategy game Multiwinia is out, and a demo of the game is available for download from the Multiwinia site, Steam and Big Download. Introversion's online store carries both digital download ($24.90) and limited edition box sets ($49.80); Steam users can choose to get their copies off Valve's digital distribution service ($19.99) instead.

In other news, the retail version of Mount & Blade can now be purchased from stores across the States and Europe, or bought off GamersGate directly for $29.99. Version 0.960 is still available for download from TaleWorlds' web site, which works as an outdated beta of the full game and also a demo since a license and serial key need to be bought to unlock the level limit preventing characters from advancing further than level six. Customers who purchased the game while it was still in beta can grab version 1.003 from the forums instead.

Sebastian Wolff on piano, performing a twenty-four minute long medley of tracks from Pixel's Cave Story. (source: Doukutsu Monogatari LJ, high quality video)

This is possibly your last chance to grab the latest version of Pillowfort Games' Goo! before it gets upgraded to commercial status. A DirectInput compatible gamepad or a wired Xbox360 controller is required to play.

Freeware Game Pick: Goo!
Road to the Austin IGF: PillowFort's Goo!

Shortly after the recent release of Penumbra: Requiem, the people at Frictional Games have announced their next project (currently untitled) with the launch of a teaser site. This new adventure is set to take place in an old castle during the late 18th century, and players can once again expect the same type of shocking horror and surprises which the Penumbra series is known for.

The developers have promised an engaging storyline, more freedom to explore and an updated engine to render this upcoming first person survival horror game, due out sometime in 2010.

Blast Passage is an 8-bit mashup of Gauntlet and Bomberman, currently being developed by Markus Persson for the Retro Remakes 2008 Competition.

A new platformer with gameplay elements resembling those found in The Adventures of P.B. Winterbottom, Chronotron and Braid. The main storyline contains thirty episodes in total (one complete episode seen in video). Temporal has been in development for more than six months, is feature complete (save for additional bonus content), and will be released soon.

Bunny Bomb is one of the bigger contradictions in game design I've seen. The whole thing from top to bottom is absolutely dripping with enough saccharine sweetness to make your eyes bleed, and yet the only thing you can do besides walk around is cause your rabbit to self-destruct. You get a new one, but seriously, self-destructing your pet rabbit over and over. Harsh.

Use the arrows keys to walk around and the z key to send fluffy to his/her doom. Clear each level by activating and getting to the teleporter in each stage.

Name: Bunny Bomb
Developer: Kuriimuchiizu
Category: Puzzle
Type: Freeware
Size: 9.5MB
Direct download link: Click Here

Winners of the Intel Game Demo Contest 2008 were recently announced on the official competition web site. The organizers are currently hosting downloads for all entries on the same page as well.

2008 Intel Game Demo Contest Winners

This week on Bytejacker: Anthony picks ten of his favorite entries from TIGSource's recent bootleg demakes competition.

Bytejacker episode 8
YouTube video
Bytejacker forums

Kaleidoscope Reef is a new action game created by the same development team who brought us Anika's Odyssey. The reef which is home to five of our aquatic friends are in danger of being destroyed by humans through pollution, and it's up to the player to rebuild their sanctuary of peace one coral at a time. This is achieved by grabbing young polyps and placing them on top of rocks, then feeding them planktons so that they may grow into corals.

The number of corals required to pass each area is indicated by a gauge on the left side of the screen, which fills up by a small margin whenever you've successfully cultivated a coral. (web site)

Name: Kaleidoscope Reef
Developers: Jeff Nusz, Tom Robinson, Nobu Kasajima
Category: Action
Type: Browser

Wolfire Games (David Rosen and team) had revealed today that the sequel to Lugaru will be called Overgrowth, and a new web site was unveiled to coincide with the announcement as well.

Overgrowth development journal
Wolfire Games forums

Finalists for the Sense of Wonder Night 2008 event (to be held at the Tokyo Game Show venue) have been revealed, with all twelve participants required to present and demonstrate their games to attending visitors this coming October 10th, 2008.

Here's a list of links for the games to be presented at SoWN 2008 (translated English titles by Wired):

Camera, by Yareyare
Depict, by Jesús Cuauhtémoc Moreno Ramos (trailer only)
Genocide Automation (download available)
Trash Box, by Trash Box Team
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (trailer only)
Moon Stories, by Daniel Benmergui (playable build available)
Nanosmiles, by Yu Iwai (download available)
PixelJunk Eden, by Q-Games
Randy Balma: Municipal Abortionist, by messhof (download available)
Twintower, by OMEGA (download available)
Whitespace, by Ian Dallas *
World Icelansista, by Ambition

* no demo available, but there is a game created by Shawn White with a very similar concept called Whitewash (demo playable only on browsers installed with the Unity plugin)

list of finalists for SoWN 2008
SoWN 2008 information page
Wired: Games of Tokyo Game Show's Indie Showcase
Opinion: Why TGS' 'Sense Of Wonder Night' Matters

Nigoro's Bounce Shot can easily be summed up as a cross between Breakout and Space Invaders, where players are entrusted with the mission of driving back an invading alien force and save planet Earth in the process.

Similar to classic arcade shooters, you're only allowed to have a limited number of bullets on screen. This limit can be increased by shooting at Blue Bouncians just as they turn white, and those which blinks before the start of each stage will surrender power-up capsules when taken out. Note that only bullets fired from a ship with a little swerve applied will bounce off walls and ceilings.

You can hold your ship in a stationary position when firing shots to eliminate the need for dodging your own bullets, though certain Bouncians are well-protected and can only be destroyed with bounced shots. You will lose a ship and all of your acquired upgrades if you collide with a bullet fired from either your ship or by the enemies.

A boss battle awaits on the tenth level, and every ten stages after.

Name: Bounce Shot
Developer: Nigoro
Category: Shooter
Type: Browser

Alien Assault is an homage to classic vertical shooters created by the developer of Super Bubble Blob and the Hurdler series, where every stage only lasts for about a minute long before a boss fight begins. Keys can be reconfigured by pressing the F5 function key, and the window size is altered by pressing any number between 1 to 8. Note that your button configuration settings are not saved when exiting the game.

There is only one shoot button, but random power-ups will appear whenever you defeat a boss. An online high score submission feature is included, and the installation of the Vitalize 4 plugin isn't necessary if the game is downloaded in zip file format.

Name: Alien Assault
Developer: knpmaster
Category: Shooter
Type: Freeware
Size: 2MB
Direct download link: Click here

There is music eight seconds into the video, so don't flip out and turn up the volume during that period just because you're not hearing anything. (source)

Squish is a remake of the PSP puzzle game Crush in 2D by Terry Cavanagh, where players would have to collect all marbles in each level to open the exit door. Platforms can be squished into a single flat line by using the X key, allowing you to collect marbles which are previously unreachable at first. Your character will always be standing on the lowest row when the platforms are unsquished.

Windowed mode can only be enabled in the current build by editing the config.ini file.

Name: Squish
Developers: Terry Cavanagh, Josiah Tobin
Category: Platformer
Type: Freeware
Size: 2MB

Coming soon to Direct2Drive and GamersGate this September 30th.

Trailer for FEIST, a game developed with the Unity engine. Due out next month. Controls for the beta are:

Arrow keys - move
Ctrl - take, drop
Alt - throw, hit

download Mac OSX beta (no Windows version)
high quality trailers

DrPetter (creator of sfxr) had recently updated his music editing tool musagi with a number of new features and bug fixes. An OpenGL paint application called protoshop was also released to the public, which should be receiving regular updates in the coming weeks.

Developers looking for a freeware game development tool might want to take a look at Construct. There are a few examples to download which demonstrates the engine's basic features in action, and a showcase section in the forums where members would regularly post their creations to.

Construct still has some ways to go before achieving the popularity or versatility of Game Maker and MMF (lack of comprehensive tutorials isn't helping), but what's already available so far does show promise.