Yeah, I got a code from NWR before the game's release, and Karen and I just devoured the game. We couldn't get enough of the art, the characters, the humorous dialogue. Karen especially appreciated that you can't die in it.

I was surprised by the difficulty of some puzzles: the game doesn't always make clear what's important to pay attention to. Just a warning for you guys out there. The dyes for your ball aren't just cosmetic.

Our save file is at 100% completion after, I dunno, probably over a dozen hours of playtime? Definitely recommended.

I've been hovering over the purchase button for this for a couple days. Perhaps I'll give it a go.

This game looks really fun. The physics seem a bit off in the videos, though. Are they consistent? Does it feel like pinball?

@Anand

Absolutely! A couple spots the game ensures you make it through a motion so things aren't broken but that doesn't hurt things and it's only when traveling intentionally long distances.

@ploot

You won't be disappointed!

Cutesy, lush pinball Metroidvania sounds like it would be quirky enough to be right up my alley, so I ordered a copy just now. Looking forward to trying it out!

Pinball and Metroidvanias are two of my favorite things, so this is definitely happening... after Hollow Knight.

This looks dang fun (and that music! Woo!) so I will have to keep an eye on any sales and/or get some actual income to give it a go. Thanks for the heads up!

This one finally came in from the library, and I just picked it up now.

When I'll get to TRY it, well, that remains to be seen. But maybe sometime in the next week or so I can squeeze out some not-work, not-caretaking time to play.

Spent a while yesterday playing this with a friend (trading back and forth). It is one of the best designed games I've played in years.

Supremely highly recommend everyone check this out. It is fantastic, and to be made by such as small team is overwhelming to my Indiedev heart. It scratches for me an itch that I haven't had anything touch since Pokemon Pinball and Metroid Pinball way back when. Brilliance.



Oh and the music is unbelievably good too.

@J.K. Riki

I would love to see a sequel or another game of this genre in general. The idea of a pinball platformer adventure is fantastic and they did such a great job on this.

@DrFinkelstein

Totally agree. Did you 100% it? I imagine it will be fun to try and find all the bits post-ending. Going to try to do it before returning it to the library, but honestly this may be one of those games I keep an eye out for a sale on digitally and I'll just pick up a copy, because it's that good.

If they made a sequel, I'd be on board most definitely.

Lol, the funniest part to me was how the developers in the credits are like 4 people, but then the music credits are 5 times longer. And the marketing/publisher credits are 10 times longer than that. An astounding accomplishment.

@J.K. Riki

Sure did 100% it. Couldn't resist it. Not too hard to do, so I'd say go for it. The game has help to find what you need. Keep us posted on your progress!

So this was basically one of my game dev ideas. TIME TO CROSS THAT ONE OFF THE LIST.

@Zero

Eh, make the games you want to make. If no one made 2D Platformers because Super Mario Brothers exists, we wouldn't have like 25% of all video games we do today. ;)

Besides, I think everyone who has played Yoku is already itching to have more like it. It's wonderful.

@J.K. Riki

Good news! You can actually pick up the physical version of Yoku's Island Express right now from Best Buy for 50% off!

@J.K. Riki True, but I do think having a very unique idea helps you stand out and I kind of don't want to do something someone else already essentially did. My goal for game 2 is to really stand out, so whether the game is good or sucks people will at least look and think "that looks interesting!"

Mind you it wasn't a SUPER unique idea, I got it back when I was playing NightSky on 3DS and it had a few small parts with pinball mechanics and I thought you know a whole big platforming game completely done with pinball mechanics would be cool. My idea was basically taking something used minimally in that game and making a whole game from it.

And you could argue that Sonic Spinball and Kirby's Pinball Land and such did it first, although those seemed mostly vertical from what I recall.

@Zero
Just pull a Diddy Kong Racing and add shit to other shit and do a pinball adventure/Katamari combo game instead. Rolling over stuff attaches it to you, making for a risk/reward mechanic where your increased weight will make you harder to control and bounce, but can unlock new areas (and block off others) and defeat enemies more easily. Have parts of the environment affect certain things that you pick up, to create puzzles of sorts. Or something. I'm no game designer.

@r_hjort I already have a Katamari that isn't Katamari but is definitely inspired by Katamari idea. Honestly it's an idea I love on paper but I'm not sure how well it would actually work and it's definitely not going to be game 2... but it might end up game... 3? 4? If I'm still doing this at that point.

@Zero
I suppose making a prototype of sorts could help you figure that out, but I bet that's not gonna let itself be done just like that either. You should probably just put all your effort into making the world's first stealth pinball game. Metal ball espionage action.

@Zero

Good luck with that. Every single "original" game idea I've had I've researched further and found there have been people who made it already. And my notebook has several pages with 100+ ideas each listed.

The worst is when you think you've finally done something original and do the project and THEN find out that not only is there something like that already, but that it is actually pretty popular. Nothing is quite a punch to the stomach like that. After it happened the last time, I stopped trying to be original and started making fun games I (and hopefully others) would enjoy playing.


I should have just listened to C.S. Lewis from the start, but stupid me and my pride refused to hear what centuries of people have been saying. Oh well, another lesson learned!

@TriforceBun

Ooo! So tempting! I think I even have a Best Buy 10% coupon and everything... Will have to really consider this, thanks!