More free games from OrangePixel
23.05.2008 - no comments

In line with it’s current company directions OrangePixel embraces the DIDMO advertisement platform to deliver OrangePixel games for free to gamers.

“We believe in the advertisement-sponsored distribution method, and know that our games are doing very well within this distribution-model.” said Pascal Bestebroer, CEO, OrangePixel. “Gamers appreciate the free sampling of games without having to pay for them, the advertisements are not intrusive and the DIDMO model allows the gamer to purchase the game to get rid of the advertisements. It’s really a win-win situation for the gamer, the advertisers and OrangePixel”.

“We are thrilled with the quality and quantity of games we’re able to provide to our end users, further ensuring an exciting new mobile game download every day.” said Joseph Oliver, CEO, DIDMO.

SupaSanta in Christmas Top 10 Charts
11.12.2007 - no comments

“Cliff Richard can take his mistletoe and wine and take a running jump. For us, Christmas isn’t complete without a few games at the bottom of our stocking. No doubt you’ve already sent your software requests off to Santa, but in the meantime we thought we’d treat you to a list of pocket gaming titles that are more redolent of Christmas than any amount of mince pies or turkey breast.

Of course, there are some obvious winter sports and Santa-related shenanigans here, but to qualify for this Top 10 the game doesn’t necessarily have to have a seasonal theme. It’s all about how it makes you feel inside. Cosy, warm and full of festive spirit is what we’re looking for. Pixelated white stuff is a good bet, too”.

Read full article: Pocketgamer

OrangePixel signs deal with Softgames
22.10.2007 - no comments

OrangePixel and German developer Softgames sign a 10 game deal. OrangePixel will develop ten games with a focus on education. Targetted toward a young audience to be released on Toggo mobile, an operator for kids.

This deal follows closely on another project aimed for a younger audience: Spacemath, developed by OrangePixel for Agitatio AS. SpaceMath requires the player to use their math skills in order to survive the dangers of invading aliens, meteorites, and space debri.

“We enjoy creating these games for kids, as it ties in with our own philosophy of mobile-gaming.” said CEO Pascal Bestebroer. “We are pleased to see that companies like Softgames and Agitatio mobile see our expertise in developing mobile games and creating fun, quality games for all ages”.

Want to know which games we made for Softgames, check our projectwork.

OrangePixel dominates the Jump
29.11.2006 - no comments

November 2006, the players of the free ad-sponsored Gamejump website have agreed with OrangePixel that mobile gaming should come in the form of simple and easy to grasp gameplay.

OrangePixel having not just taken the first spot in the “Top 10 games” ranking with their excellent shooter BlackMetal.

But to empower the statement of it’s quality content the OneThumb “Micro Dragracers” takes up second place, followed by the platform games Dynamokid and Dynamokid2 in third and fourth.

Finally closing the Top 10 is the Onethumb platform puzzler Yokiyo! a new appearance in the charts that will most likely be moving up a few spots in the coming weeks.

“We are pleased to see our original IP’s doing so well in this Top 10. The gamejump charts show what is played the most, unlike other charts that focus more on what game is sold the most” said Pascal Bestebroer CEO of OrangePixel.

Mechanics receive Bronze award at PocketGamer
30.10.2006 - no comments

It’s the age-old ritual every driver fears. You turn up at the garage with some relatively minor ailment, maybe a gentle tapping sound or a blinking brake light, confident that a half hours work and £30 will see you back on your way.

But of course it’s not that simple. After some rueful glances and whistles from an oily-handed, boiler-suited chap, your car suddenly finds itself in a near terminal condition needing a good few day’s examination before it’s even road-worthy.

Mechanics offers the chance to get your revenge, albeit in a roundabout way. You see, this Lemmings-esque puzzler puts the lives of a portly pit crew in your hands, with only your skill (and goodwill) standing between them and untimely death by drowning, falling or squashing.

Sadly for the sadists out there, you’ll need to save at least a handful of them if you’re to progress to the next level, although to be honest even the most hard-hearted motorist is likely to forgive all grudges over ‘parts and labour’ when they clap eyes on the sweet-looking round-headed fellas featured here.

The level designs are pretty sweet too in both presentation and design terms, managing to compress all the action and some fiendish challenges into the one colourful mobile screen that your charges wander witlessly across until blocked, minced or drowned by an obstacle.

In order to help them, you need to activate a series of machines – ranging from pneumatic drills that create bridges to firelighters that trigger bombs, bubble-blowers that help the mechanics float and transportation devices that, erm, transport – at the right time and in the correct order so that the grease-monkeys are protected from harm.

In practice this amounts to a brief cerebral challenge as you suss out the level and prospective pitfalls, followed by some frantic button bashing (each machine is activated by pressing the number on the keypad indicated besides it) as you trigger the various gizmos.

The challenge ramps up steadily from the introductory levels, which require you to steer just a handful of mechanics past a single obstacle, to increasingly exacting peril-packed screens with multiple machines through which every last man must pass. As more machines mean more distinct key presses, the action can almost feel like a rhythm game at times, and indeed it’s often essential to get into a rhythm in order to progress.

Whilst the later of the 25-odd levels can frustrate more than challenge (particularly those with multiple mechanics in a small space, when timing of machine-use becomes as much luck as judgement) for the most part the puzzles are so short, ingenious and snappily designed that you’ll find yourself having just one more go again and again.

Mechanics isn’t perfect. There were still a few annoying bugs in the version we tested, which left us locked once or twice and forced us to restart. We’d have preferred to have started with a few more mechanics too, and then been rewarded for keeping as many alive as possible through later levels.

Neither of these grips are as terminal as a blown gasket though, and with bonus mini-games to stretch longevity, cute visuals, intelligent level design and a general sense of fun, Mechanics will keep you happily sucking your teeth through many a routine service.

Source: Pocketgamer

Thumb-it previewed by Pocketgamers
24.09.2006 - no comments

The concept of the one thumb mobile game has been much vaunted, with everything from Skipping Stone to Tower Bloxx touting their ability be played with just the crucial single digit of your hand.

Now there appears to be a move to create a spin-off genre – the ‘double thumb’ game – in the form of Thumb-It!

The work of the same guys who brought us Mechanics, Thumb-It! is a reaction-based affair. Inspired by rhythm dance games, it challenges the text generation (that’s us) to put their thumbs where their mouth is by pressing buttons in time to the on-screen prompt.

Aside from offering colourful on-screen rewards and boosting your gaming ego, the game also enables you to cross thumbs with other players in the RumbleX.com global rankings.

Indeed, Orange Pixel’s Pascal Bestebroer could well have been fresh from rejoicing his top score when he explained, “As with Mechanics we tried to create a new way of gaming for mobile phones. The game starts slow but eventually you really need those messaging-thumbs to do the work for you – combined with fast reflexes.”

We hope to take a closer look at Thumb-It in the near future. In the meantime you can give your number one digits a warm up via the demo (click ‘Try It!’), or else browse the pictures above.

Source: Pocketgamer

Pocketgamer previews Mechanics
28.07.2006 - no comments

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the creators of Lemmings should feel a boost to their self-esteem with the arrival of a new title called Mechanics from OrangePixel.

Still, as ‘inspiration’ goes you could do a lot worse than pick on the suicidal puzzler gem. And Mechanics does at least appear to tweak the formula.

Rather than a vast stream of suicidal rodents, you have just four mechanics (hardly enough for an oil change if our local garage’s labour charges are to be believed). These grease-monkeys happily roam around peril-packed levels, as oblivious to their fate as they would be to spot a basic timing belt problem in real-life, and it’s up to you to keep them safe and smooth their progress by operating a variety of tools within the levels.

Indeed, although you only need to keep one of the boiler-suited boys alive to complete a level, the fact that you start the subsequent stage with the same number you finished the last should engender a more protective attitude to your charges.

We’re certainly looking forward to taking care of a few mechanics ourselves when the game arrives in August. So stay tuned for a full Mechanics M.O.T. review in the next few weeks.

Source: Pocketgamer