Holmade Games News Feed

Pixel Whirled

In the middle of their final battle, Pirate and Ninja are forced to work together to defeat the hordes of evil sprites who have transported them into the twisted realm of Pixel World. Can Ninja use his Ninja magic effectively in conjunction with Pirate's crazy Cannon of Doom to stop the madness? Or will they fail? I can't handle the suspense!!

Kratosiflash

This God of War themed version of Pixel Whirled is an experiment in MADNESSSSS! Well actually Flash dev but whatever.

Konkos Skinball

GBA ROM.. try using Visualboyadvance! - Still under development (gotta get that gravity working!) this was my first attempt at a sidescroller. I also got to play with .mod files on this one! Go music! Press Z to jump (more like hover until gravity works...) and X to run.

Sprite Test 1

GBA ROM.. try using Visualboyadvance! - My first test with sprite animation and tiled backgrounds. Doesn't really do anything useful, but isn't that sprite sexy? Credit goes to Chris Burgesse for that one. Left and right will.. uh.. make you freak out and change into numbers...? (placeholders)

Dodgeman 2

My first complete GBA demo. 2 levels of dodging madness! Instructions are included off the main site, with much more detail/future plans for the full version of the game.

Dodgeman

A very early, very simple but amusing Visual Basic project. I had the idea at supper, ran away from the table and had the first level done within 20 minutes. This was way back when I was just a lad in 1999, under the name Bludgeon Software.

Suzi's Little Big Adventure 95

A very early, very glitchy incomplete game. The plan was for a "dodge n' explore" type game. Hunt down the key, don't get killed. Good luck finding the key in this one! This was way back when I was just a lad in 1999, under the name Bludgeon Software.

Bolo

My first sidescroller, developed in Qbasic under the name "Red Inc.".

The EmberCrystal

A point and click adventure game developed in Visual Basic under the name "Red Software".

The EmberCrystal 2

A point and click adventure game developed in Visual Basic under the name "Red Software". *INCOMPLETE VERSION*

Bolo 2 - Prototype

A prototype for the sequel to the original Bolo.

Bolo 2 Color- Prototype

A prototype for the color sequel to the original Bolo.

Suzi's Little Big Adventure - Prototype

The original prototype for what became the Visual Basic game. This one was developed in Qbasic under the name "Bludgeon Software".

Dungeon Master Helper

A text-based tool I made back in '95 that rolls dice and can generate/save character sheets for you.

Predict

A text-based fortune-telling program with goofy but completely accurate predictions and advice that I made back in '95.

VideogameShow

The first financially beneficial project I've worked on. This game was commissioned by a professor at Algonquin College in Ottawa, and is currently in use there as an exam review aid.

The Father's Day Disk

Created as a "digital Father's Day card" for my dad; includes a thrilling game of X's and O's.

The Big Pig Adventure

Original prototype that became Konkos Skinball; starring my guinea pig, Spazz.

Untitled demon game

Flash-based shooting game where you play the role of a non-evil demon taking out the more run-of-the-mill evil types.

Easter Egg

I've cleverly (or perhaps, not so cleverly) hidden an easter egg somewhere on my site! can you find it?

Sean Hennebury

Spends all day on Google Reader! Get back to work, ya bum! Pic after the jump.

New Super Paulio Bros

Update to the fun little animation that me and Paul put together a few years back. (The original was the Easter Egg mentioned in an earlier update).

Dungeon Master Helper Manual

I found the User Manual I had created for the ADandD Dungeon Master Helper program, and thought it would be fun to upload it to the site for historical purposes. A LOT of DOS stuff in there!

Wii Support!

I was directed towards Wiicade.com, home of this wonderful API that allows flash games to take advantage of the Wii Remote when viewed through the Wii browser. Check out my test of the functionality on Pixel Whirled! Point your Wiimote at the screen and twist it like a key to rotate the stage, press A to fire the cannon.

Secret Project Revealed! Bit of War!

After several tests and iterations of this project, Holmfry and The Timm have finally settled on a style for this game.. An 8-bit NES "betweequel" for God of War and God of War II! The best part is that you can play it on your Wii browser using the Wiimote as a classic NES controller... with perhaps a few surprises in the future!

Surprise, a puzzle game - Hi-Q Einstein!

A revival of a classic peg solitaire game from the 80s. My dad brought it home for me from a business trip he went on when I was 7 or 8 and I loved it.. however years later it was apparently lost in a basement flood :( I finally tracked down a copy on ebay with my mom's help after years of searching and decided to breathe new life into it. Internet, meet Hi-Q Einstein!

Hi-Q Einstein - Latest Version Now Available!

I've updated my puzzle game, Hi-Q Einstein.. not only can you play the latest version from our website (click through for website link) in your browser, but you can now download and install it on your PC for offline play! And, of course, it's been made to be playable through the Wii browser as well for those of you who swing the Nintendo way. In addition, it's now available for play on Newgrounds.com! If you check it out from newgrounds (http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/446512), you can leave ratings and reviews/comments for the game as well. I would love to hear your honest (I can take it!) feedback.

New Section on the Website!

I've added a new section to the site, entitled "Games By Others". This section is specifically aimed at showcasing work done by my friends/family that I myself had no direct involvment in. Currently there is only one entry here, but I hope to be adding many more in the future. Click through to check it out!

Hi-Q Einstein is Top Game at Wiicade!!

Hi-Q Einstein is now available for play at www.wiicade.com. At the time of writing, it is also currently the TOP SCORING game on that site as well! Click through to check it out!

Dodgeman has a sequel! OMG!

Peep this sequel to the fly 1999 dodging game. Word. Dodgeman 2 is now available for play on the site. The game is in production and not complete. Dodge baddies while collecting flashing powerups to build your way upwards!

Paper those walls...

With our new wallpaper section. There are just a couple of items there at the moment, but pretty soon it will be full of desktop and PSP wallpaper so you can show your love for Holmade Games! And let's be honest now, you know you love us. ;)

Another historical find!

While digging through my storehouse of.. stuff... in the basement, I stumbled upon another old prototype for a game called Mode. It's a simple 2d demo using Direct X. You can move the character around on the screen with the arrow keys. I was also testing sprite transparency and animation in this demo. You can download the game from this link or the "In Development" page of the site (under prototypes). There was a later version created using Project FUN (http://projectfun.digipen.edu) but it was lost in a power surge that fried my drive and as yet no backups have been discovered.

Xbox 360 Community Game Announced!

That's right! We're venturing out into the crazy world of Xbox 360 Development! Here's a look at the new logo for the game, because, well... that's all we've got! Just kidding, you can click through to check out the original (incomplete) flash demo. It's gonna look better. Much better.
]]>

Dec 14th, 2008 = Dodgeman 2 Release Day!

Dodgeman 2 has been completed and released on our site! Give it a try and see if you can top the online leaderboard! Play the game after the jump. :)
]]>

Merry Christmas from Holmade Games!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! Here's some Christmas magic for you! In Dodgeman 2, if you hover your mouse at the top right corner of the main menu, you will find the Bonus Level menu! Currently, we have only one bonus level up - the Christmas level.. but see if you can guess what the other levels might be and when they might be up ;) If you finish the Christmas level, you might just get another little surprise! Click the link to play the game! Enjoy, and happy holidays! :)
]]>

First Xbox 360 Title Released!

We have released our first Xbox 360 Community Games title, Ocean Scenes, and it is now available for download and purchase on the Xbox Live Marketplace! Enjoy this cool gadget for your Xbox 360, and feel free to support our efforts by unlocking the full version! ;)
Title Description:

Ready for a tropical escape but can't get away? Let Ocean Scenes transform your TV into a window looking in on a virtual vacation.. in the comfort of your own living room! Choose from 18 combinations of scenery. Feel the movement of the waves and listen to the soothing sounds of the ocean. Relax in an ocean view beach house, or out on your own private stateroom balcony on a luxury cruise ship.

]]>

Ocean Scenes Makes Top 10 Purchased Community Games for Week of Jan 19!

Our first Xbox Community Games title, Ocean Scenes, has placed #4 in the top 10 Community Games for the week of January 19th in the US! We also placed 4th in Canada, as well as 3rd in Italy and France, and 2nd in Great Britain and Spain!
Source:
US Stats - Xbox Live's Major Nelson's Blog
Other Stats - Xbox Live Marketplace on the web (average - may not be completely accurate)

Here's the top 10 Community Games list, click through to see the full page:

]]>

Coming Soon!

Just because.

Game n' Watch: Dodgeman

So I've been taking a bit of time off from large dev projects in order to get some things accomplished in real life.. but I had this fun little idea so I used some of my spare time to make it happen! Hope you enjoy! Click through to play the game!
]]>

Game n' Watch: Dodgeman = BIG Success!

Hey everyone!

Big news from what I thought was going to be a small side project!

Remember those old LCD Game & Watch games? Well, as a kid growing up in the 80s, you couldn't really avoid them. And who would want to? Anyway, I got to wondering what Dodgeman would look like converted into one of those suckers. So I put together a little simulation of what it would be, and made it playable online!

So that was that, and I decided to post it up on Newgrounds.com, one of the biggest names in online game sites, expecting not much fanfare. Well, it's doing ridiculously well! It got daily 8th place for March 6, and made the front page!! (That's a BIG deal on Newgrounds). As I'm writing this, it's had 12,339 plays, and that number is climbing steadily.. it's 400 more than about 7 minutes ago.. I can't even imagine that many people!

And as if that wasn't exciting enough for me.. I'm also featured on Handheld Remakes, a very nicely put together retro site that deals exclusively with this type of project! If you follow the link below, you can check out the news article the owner of this site wrote about G&W: Dodgeman.

Anyways, here are the links! Enjoy! :)

Holmfry

---------------------------------------------

Newgrounds:
- http://www.newgrounds.com (You'll see my game under "Featured Games" on the front page.. be sure to rate it when you play it!)

Handheld Remakes:
- http://www.handheld.remakes.org/gamesindex.php (news archive)
- http://www.handheld.remakes.org/online.php (Online games - you'll see mine right near the top.. you should check out the other ones too, they're all lots of fun, very retro!)

More success for the little game that could!

In addition to its previous success on newgrounds.com and handheld.remakes.org, "Game 'n Watch: Dodgeman" is now (at time of writing) the top game on Wiicade.com! (Although on Wiicade, it is called "Retro Handheld: Dodgeman") If you haven't tried it yet (or even if you have) follow the link to play the game on Wiicade! You can also rate the game while you're there.
]]>

Tons o' News!

Lots of cool news for Holmade Games in the past couple of weeks! Here are the highlights, along with their respective links:

- Holmade Games Forums now open for business! Come on in and have a chat, give us feedback, check out new releases before they hit the general public and get hints and tips on our games! There's not much there yet, but there will be soon!

http://holmadegames.forumer.com

- In addition to making top game on Wiicade.com, Game & Watch: Dodgeman is also now a Featured Game on the same site, which means it will have a special spot near the top of the page for quite some time :)

http://www.wiicade.com

- I've been mentioned on Joystiq! Joystiq is a huge gaming news site, and recently there was an article posted about the positive aspects of Xbox Community Games sales. Guess whose name is in the article! Oh, right. I already told you ;)

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/the-brighter-side-of-xna-sales/

- Game & Watch: Dodgeman has been nominated on Newgrounds.com for Game of the Month for March 2009! There were many other games nominated along with me, so please keep your fingers crossed! We're still waiting for the votes to come back. Being nominated on Newgrounds is a big honor for me! (You can't see the list of nominees/winners until the voting is completed, but you can still go have fun on Newgrounds!)

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/485939

Stay tuned for some extra cool news coming your way!

Holmfry

I've been interviewed on Joystiq.com!

Joystiq.com contacted me recently and requested an email interview in regards to my Xbox title Ocean Scenes and XNA development in general. Click the link for the resulting article.

Give the article a read and thanks again, everyone! :)

Holmfry

New Game n' Watch! God of War!

The 2nd in my series of Game n' Watch simulators, this one is based on the classic Nintendo game Vermin. However, instead of moles and hammers, you've got Blades of Chaos and Minotaurs!

Click the link to try the game, and be sure to hit the video button near the bottom left for a new teaser trailer for our upcoming game, Bit of War!

Holmfry

More good news for Game n' Watch: God of War!

Hey everyone!

A couple of awesome news items today, both regarding my latest Game & Watch simulation "Game & Watch: God of War"!

First, I've made front page of Newgrounds once again! Again, this is a HUGE honour and to have that honour two projects in a row has completely floored me! The game is doing quite well in the reviews, and has even been called "scrumtrulescent" by one user, a word I've never heard used to describe - well, anything - so he MUST have enjoyed it! :) Click the link to give it a try!

G&W: God of War is also now featured on Handheld Remakes as well, along with its predecessor, G&W: Dodgeman. This site is an awesome repository for Game & Watch simulators, both online and offline.. go check it out here.

Thanks for all your support! :)

Holmfry

Nominated on NG again!

Game & Watch: God of War has been nominated on Newgrounds.com for Game of the Month for May 2009! As when Dodgeman was nominated, there were many other games nominated along with me, so please keep your fingers crossed! You can't see the list of nominees/winners until the voting is completed, but you can play the game after the jump.

In addition, G&W:GoW has replaced G&W: Dodgeman as a featured game on Wiicade a while back! Click here to check it out!

Holmfry

We're alive, also website completely overhauled!

November 20, 2009

Hey everyone! We haven't been updating for a while due to the fact that we've been buried up to our necks in Pixel Whirled development. We can now see the light at the end of the tunnel though, and we'll have more news (hopefully a release announcement!) on that very soon!

Also, Google Pages is soon to be no more so I've been forced to do some actual HTML coding - resulting in a complete overhaul of our website! I was going for that oldskool 8-bit style that you all know I love so very much. Here's a screenshot, you can check out the new look and feel in all it's retro glory after the jump.

Holmfry

Pixel Whirled Released Today for Xbox 360!

December 21, 2009

Our latest Xbox 360 Indie Game, Pixel Whirled, has been released today on the Xbox Live Games Marketplace!!

Queue up the trial or full version to your Xbox 360 after the jump, or visit the Games Marketplace > Indie Games section from your Xbox Dashboard.

Hope you all like it!

Additionally, you can check out the game's mini-site at http://pixelwhirled.holmadegames.com for more info on the game, downloadable goodies, screenshots and the official trailer!

Holmfry

Pixel Whirled In The Press!

January 5, 2010

Our new Xbox Indie Game, Pixel Whirled has been making quite a splash on the gaming review sites! Check out all the links below to do some reading, or check out the official game site after the jump!

And we were even podcasted! (Is that a word?)

Signed In podcast!
(You can stream the podcast directly from the player embedded near the top-right of this site. Pixel Whirled is reviewed at about the 6:20 mark, but the whole show is worth listening to!)

Thanks everyone who played the game! And if you haven't.. *scowl* well, what are you waiting for? ;)

Holmfry

Final Entry - A Farewell To This Old Newsfeed

February 4, 2010

Alright, so that title was a bit melodramatic. It's more of a migration, really. You see, I've been updating this old .xml based newsfeed for the past 2 years, and for around the same amount of time, I've also had a separate development blog.

Well, they started to seem redundant and I decided to merge them both into one uber-blog, which will contain both general news, and development blog entries. Click through to access the newly overhauled blog site. From there, you can find subscription links to keep up to date with everything Holmade! I will be leaving this newsfeed up with all the existing entries however, just for historical purposes.

Catch you on the flip-side!

Holmfry