For nearly a decade, Newgrounds.com has provided us with a variety of popular characters, ranging from original gangstas like Pico and Samurai Asshole, to the more modern hit, Alien Hominid.

Two years ago a group of long-time Newgrounds contributers (Mindchamber, NegativeOne & Luis) were sanctioned to bring this motley crew of characters into a single game where they could live togethet in harmony. And by harmony, of course I mean brutal destruction.

Newgrounds Rumble is a side-view arena rumble game in the same vein as the Smash Bros series, with all the action and mayhem one would expect from the ever-popular genre.

Artistically, this game is a beast. With a cast of 10 characters, all hand-drawn, and each having their own special level, it’s very apparent that the near 2-year production time was not wasted. The attacks and combos are all rendered beautifully, and the backgrounds could give any modern console game a run for their money.

The sound is amazingly impressive as well, especially when you consider it’s all backed into 8mb. Every character has distinct effects, and even some minor voice-work that makes it really feel like a classic arcade game. The music keeps the pace up and never gets annoying. It’s like chicken soup for the ears.

The gameplay is what really makes this game stand above the rest. Every character has a very unique fighting style, and the strategy changes dramatically based on which character you play. Each opponent has a certain vulnerability… and even the levels themselves change the way you will play. The way you can mix regular, fierce, ariel and crouch attacks lets you really feel like you are doing more than just mashing buttons over and over.

While this game has so many triumphs, it also has a few shortcomings as well. Some are petty nuances, like the letters on P-bot being backwards when facing left, some effect the actual gameplay.
The AI, while challenging, is pretty predictable. If you camp out at a powerup spawn point, they will pretty much keep coming right into whatever attack you have waiting for them, and you will horde all the powerups.

The combo chaining gets a bit annoying at times as well. There is a noticeable delay after each attack where it waits to see if you are going to keep the combo going. Typically this isn’t a big deal unless you find yourself needing to turn around because your opponent has jumped over you or something.

The junk yard level is kind of lame as well… you don’t have to throw a single punch… just stand as bait beside the crusher and it will beat all your opponents for you.

Take the good with the bad though, because in spite these small shortcomings, the game is damn fun. Everything from earning ‘grounds gold’ to unlock characters and levels, to the fact that every single character has an enjoyable story mode, and you have an extremely impressive title here.

I would love to see a sequel to this with even more characters, more power-ups and some of the minor flaws removed and possibly some online play. It could definitely roll with the big dogs of the console world.

[ Let's get ready to RUMBBBLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEE ]

In almost a decade of flash based games, good platform games have been few and far between. Toast of War is a new platformer from, newcomer, Common Studios. It really brings some good things to the table…. but does it bring a balanced breakfast?

There is an opening story, but I kind of zoned it out and skipped it because there was a lot of reading, and I just wanted to play the game, so I’m still not sure what the actual story here is, but that didn’t seem to hamper my enjoyment.

The first thing any player will notice about the game is the quirky art style.  It’s hard to tell if it’s good or bad, but I’m leaning towards good.  The main character is a walking piece of toast who has to battle though legions of butter-themed baddies. All the artwork is hand drawn, and the levels are very well designed, something you don’t often see in an indie flash game (or actual levels at all for that matter).

The sounds in the game could be a bit better.  There’s not many effects when you hit something, or jump, etc…   but the basic sounds seem to be in place.  The game uses a variety of quirky music which fits the look of the game quite well, but some of the loops get really annoying, especially during the boss battles.

As with any title, the gameplay is really what can make or break the deal.  Toast has some pretty good mechanics for a flash game, but at times doesn’t feel as smooth as one may be accustomed to. Running and jumping feel pretty natural, but many of the weapons seems a bit off in their collision ranges.

The enemies aren’t too large in variety, but the levels are short enough that you don’t get too tired smashing and shooting the same brick of butter over and over.

The game remains fun throughout each level until you get to the bosses.  These guys are very easy to beat, you simply hide in a hole and pop up to attack when you get an opening.  While the lack of challenge isn’t terribly bad, the fact the bosses take longer to beat then all the levels combined is as painful as watching someone get their teeth pulled, then having the teeth painted and watching them dry while they sit on a pile of dirt which is slowly growing grass, which you also have to watch…..

I really wanted to get into this game, but by the time I got half way done with the 2nd boss… I just got sick of jumping and shooting and hearing the damn music loop for the 100th time.  This serious lack of play balance was, sadly, enough to ruin the otherwise enjoyable experience.

Since the game launched, the developers have made several big updates and fixes, so perhaps by the time you read this they will have done something to make the boss fights more fun.

For now, it looks like it’s dry toast for breakfast…

[ Butter your Toast ]

While many games have edgy titles with clever word-play, or fancy buzz words, ‘Endless Zombie Rampage‘ (by Sean McGee)  is so much more than a mere title.  It’s a complete description of all the game has to offer.  Endless zombies….

You will have to forgive my cynicism, you see… after playing ‘The Last Stand‘ my hopes for the defense game genre were sparked after having been extinguished for years. Then I played this pile of mediocrity and it pissed on the embers of my newfound hope, leaving only a smelly column of urine steam.

First, lets explore the graphics in this game.  They are okay, but there is NO variety here.  There is a base that’s got no detail… the hero who’s legs only move front to back no matter what direction you walk, and the zombies, which are all the exact same sprite with some color swaps.

Like ‘edgy’ games of the 90’s, this game relies on blood to make it ‘cool’.   Well, if blood is enough to make a game good in your opinion, this game deserves to be published on every major console, because it has plenty of that. Unfortunately… if blood is the only reason you buy a game… you can’t play it anyway because you are 12 years old and the ESRB rating would be too high for you.

The sound on this game is on par with any generic defense game… it has gun shots… blood splatters and one background loop.  The loop is actually decent… a nice moody ambient deal that would work well with a better game.

At it’s core, this game is just a generic bit of crap whipped off in no time at all to get some money from CrazyMonkeyGames, one of many sites (*cough*ArmorGames*cough*) that is more concerned with branding a large quantity of games rather than being associated with quality.  Not that there is anything wrong with that… if it makes money, it’s hard to fault them for it. I just can’t help to think back to the old Atari days when publishers used to shell out for any crappy old game too. The strategy almost killed an entire market.

In this game, you run around a big patch of dirt and aim with whatever gun you happen to have, at generic zombies.  They take a lot of ammo to put down, and the reload times are just painful. The mechanics keep you frustrated rather than satisfied with shooting the crap out of whatever you can.

The zombies are all the same, barring some variances in their speed and health.  AI-wise… there is nothing special about any color of zombie.

When you survive a day, you are rewarded with exp points that you can cash in for weapon upgrades.  While this feature COULD have been enough to make a player strive to unlock things, the rate at which you are rewarded is slower than a paraplegic track star with downs.  It took till about day 4 before I could get a weapon that was going to be any better than my basic pistol, and after all the mundane repetitiveness I had to endure to get that far, the novelty of having a new gun was short lived. Don’t bother trying the other game modes if you die… they aren’t really any different… the zombies just change their primary target.

On that note, dying in this game is actually a relief.  You can quit playing… and while you don’t feel like you accomplished anything, you at least have some closure.
I would be willing to bet that if this game wasn’t a ‘zombie’ game, it wouldn’t have nearly as much publicity.  You see… you HAVE to like zombie games.  If you admit to finding the zombie genre boring and over-saturated, all the Romero and Resident Evil fanboys will harass you endlessly on your local bbs, and your e-reputation will be destroyed. That would be a shame…
Reflecting on this game… I can’t honestly say it’s really ALL that bad… I’m just disappointed… again.

Give it a try and tell me what YOU think.

[ Survive the endless repetition! ]

I have never been a big fan of stationary defense shooters.  Most of them are simply the same thing over and over with little to no variety, and no real sense of accomplishment.  Today, I decided to give one of these games a try…

The Last Stand, by Con-Artists, is a zombie survival game where you stand behind a barrier and shoot zombies.  Yep, it certainly sounds boring already doesn’t it?

As I played this game, my first thoughts were… “Oh joy… another over-rated, generic defense game!” and I started shooting zombies with little enthusiasm.

Then as I finished the first round I fixed up my barricade, and found some other survivors….

As I continued to mash my mouse, I started to appreciate the artwork.  The zombies are all quite unique, using a variety of interchangeable parts to randomly generate several types of zombie.  The background changes from night to day as time goes by, and overall, it’s a nice looking game.

A few levels in and I started getting a nice crew of survivors, and had picked up some new guns, including a bad-ass shotgun.  I started becoming interested in seeing what everything else was like,

I hadn’t really given the audio much thought, but I suddenly became aware of the eerie ambient music that was playing.  It really helped set the mood, and managed to convey a sense of urgency without relying on a fast tempo.  I also noticed that, while the weapon and death sounds were all okay, there was a lack of zombie moaning and chatter from the defending humans.  This didn’t really hurt the game so much as keep it from feeling more like a movie.

Then I got the chainsaw.

While the gameplay starts out as any generic defense shooter, you begin to realize the weapons are all balanced in different ways.  Some are more offensive, like the hunting rifle which lets you kill efficiently from long-range, and some are defensive, like the chainsaw, which converts your barricade into a big-ass meat grinder.

The way the zombies vary in speed, and some even charge at your perimeter, keeps you on your toes as you have to decide what part of your base to defend, and how to defend it at any given time.

This game is so much more than a frantic shooting game, it has a real element of strategy to it that I actually found enjoyable.

As I finally realized this game was great, and that I was having fun… I survived day 20, and won the game.

In spite the fact I was angry that my fun was over, I can’t help but smile.  This title reminded me that you can never judge a game by it’s genre.

[ Play The Last Stand ]

In a world of edgy and violent games, every now and then it’s nice to see a friendly little adventure game.

Star Island, by Agame.com, is a refreshingly warm game that’s family friendly and easy to pick up. It features really simple, cutesy art, and colorful level art and backgrounds. While the art isn’t top notch, it’s still quite pleasant, and colorful enough to appeal to kids of all ages.

The sounds are rather basic, which only compliments the overall simplicity of the game, and the music is just so cheerful and upbeat you can’t help but feel a little happy (goths and emo kids may want to avoid this game).

The goal is simply to roll around and collect 5 stars in each level, which allow you to knock open the path to the next level. The gameplay is really simple… you roll and you jump. This basic control makes the game easy to keep up with, but the twists and turns the levels put fourth make it feel a little more advanced than it actually is.
Unfortunately, that’s as advanced as this game gets. There are no hazards until around the 5th level, and even then they are all rather easy to avoid. By the time the game begins to pose any challenge, you are bored with it.

This game’s heart is in the right place. It’s got fun controls, and a solid feel, but would be dramatically improved with more hazards, better level puzzles and perhaps a few powerups that alter the way you control the rollie guy.

I would really recommend this game for younger kids, and novice gamers. For anyone with any real gaming skill, this game is probably a pass.

[ Play Star Island ]

That’s right folks, WGM has just hit the benchmark of 100 reviews!

Since this is such a special occasion, I thought that I would review something from another special occasion, Pico Day 2007.

Pico is the mascot character of Newgrounds and has been around since the beginning of the web-game industry.  The original Pico game, Pico’s School, was a revolutionary piece of independent work that not only aided in catapulting Newgrounds to the top of the independent flash scene, but also inspired an entire generation of up-and-coming game developers, including myself.

April 30th is Pico day.  While it’s not the TRUE anniversary of the original game (mostly due to the fact nobody can recall the exact date) is IS the birthday of Pico’s creator, Tom Fulp. This year marked the 2nd annual celebration of Pico day.

Newgrounds put up $15k in prize money and a bunch of other great giveaways for members of the community who submitted pico-themed flash movies and games.  While a ton of great content was submitted on that day, only one could be the best game in the show: Pico’s Surprise Party.

Pico’s surprise party is an incredibly fun game that really captures the spirit of the original pico game.  It’s short, it’s numerous, and it’s damn fun! The story starts out with Pico’s friends luring him out of class so that they can spring a surprise party for him on his birthday.  Just like in the original Pico game, a group of social outcasts, this time the nerds, decides to unleash their fury on the popular kids.  The nerds show up at the party before Pico and proceed to slaughter all the guests.  When Pico shows up, he’s pissed…..
The graphics in this game are fantastic.  The stylized characters and backgrounds really make this game feel animated and really help illustrate the contrast between child-friendly cartoon visuals, and rated-R blood and violence, a theme that was also at the core of the original Pico.

The sound effects are all pretty decent, although there’s not a lot of variety.  But who needs variety in a game where all you do is shoot the crap out of people?  Okay… so maybe some variety in the music would have been nice.  The one techno loop that plays over and over gets old pretty fast, and doesn’t actually stop during cut scenes or boss fights.

The way this game plays is the real draw.  It starts out like a typical run and gun game, but once you start playing you realize there is so much more to it.  Pico can not only run and jump, but can also do a delayed back flip in the air, and a commando roll for dodging projectiles.  These maneuvers are critical to avoiding enemy attacks.  When you are clear to attack, the game also has auto-targeting, allowing you to keep your focus on evading attacks rather than lining up your shots.  Every enemy feels like a miniature fire-fight, and that makes things a lot more fun than you typically get from a run and gun game.

The game is pretty short, but the challenge of it stretches the playtime out to an enjoyable 20-30 minutes.  You will probably die a lot, but you can continue as much as you need to to get through the game and enjoy everything it has to offer.

This is possibly the perfect tribute game to the legendary Pico franchise, and even if it weren’t a pico-related game, it would still be a ton of fun!

[ Play Pico's Surprise Party ]

A 20th century propeller powered bomber from the future is sent back in time to battle futuristic alien invasion from beyond Pluto…. or something. With a premise like this, how can you possibly go wrong?

B29 Assault is a modern classic. The overall look is a combination of classic 2-d, arcade-style sprite work and arial photography, resulting in a rich looking aerial combat game with plenty of varying scenery and lots of cool explosions.

The sound effects in the game are all great. It really helps the game feel like a classic arcade game, but the music could have been a bit better.  While it’s not terribly annoying, it is the same generic techno crap people have been using in flash-based games since the dawn of Fruity Loops.

The gameplay is certainly unique for a game of this genre.  While typical top-down air-shooters only allow your plane to shoot in one direction, B29 Assault lets you use the mouse to aim special weapons.  Not only that, but it’s rather intuitive with it, allowing you do do things like draw a line for a force field or drag a missile locking path across enemy fighters.

Simple touches like changing direction after beating a boss help make the game feel like a constant adventure rather than a series of levels. The variety in weapons isn’t massive, but it’s enough to keep things interesting, as is the variety in enemies and bosses. The game is really fun, and the varying waves of attack, and the difficulty of the bosses keeps it challenging.

B29 Assault may have a plot thinner than an OJ Simpson alibi, but that shouldn’t deter anyone from checking it out.

[ Play B29 Assault ]