Art Style Series (and bit Generations)

[Fryguy64]

While this series has been discussed a bit before, I wanted to draw some more attention to it. I am a huge fan of the bit Generations series, and Art Style is a continuation.

The purpose of the series was to create new games using simple shapes, colours and sounds in order to evoke the feel of a classic arcade game. In this regards, the "bit Generations" moniker actually fits a lot better than "Art Style".

Most of the games are developed by Skip, who brought us Giftpia, Chibi-Robo, Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol and Captain Rainbow, but the bit Generations and Art Style games deserve as much recognition as those titles. As well as seeing off the Game Boy Advance, the series is also making up a vast chunk of Nintendo's original first-party content on the WiiWare and DSi Ware download services.

bit Generations
Boundish
DialHex
Dotstream
Coloris
Orbital
Sound Voyager
DigiDrive

Art Style: WiiWare
Cubello
RotoHex (remake of DialHex)
Orbient (remake of Orbital)

Art Style: DSi Ware
Decode
Aquario
PiCOPiCT
Somnium

Has anybody bought, downloaded or otherwise played any of these games so far? What did you think of them?

I'll share my (happy) thoughts on Orbital and Orbient if this topic takes off

[8bitretroshit]

Yeah, I got Art Style: Orbient some time ago. Controls need some getting used to, but it's fun once you get the hang of it. Casually floating in outer space like that is pretty soothing actually.

I got stuck at level 17 though. I just can't seem to absorb those planets without bouncing off those annoyingly placed meteors. Even with 17 lives I managed to fail hard. Haven't tried it again ever since

e: tried it again a few times. No dice. Hitting one meteor only to uncontrollably bounce into another one doesn't help much either.

[Flip]

I have Maboshi's Arcade, but does that count?

[nocturnal YL]

Tryed those bitGeneration games. My fav is the only non-Skip one, DigiDrive.

Simply speaking, these games are insanely hard. Boundish gets you KO'd with sheer speed, DialHex takes time getting used to, DotStream features insane CPs that you can't hope to beat, Coloris is confusing without any in-game help files and later stages are just crazy, Orbital is too slow and SoundVoyager doesn't warn you enough before you crash your vehicle. Digidrive takes time getting used too, but at least once you know how to play it becomes an easy arcade-style game.

Maboshi... I want that too, but the problem is on whether I can get Wii Points at all.

[Koopaul]

I'm not a fan of character-less games, but these look pretty damn good.

[Da Robot]

I'm surpirsed MaBoShi's Arcade wasn't made an Art Style game, it probably would have done better with that brand name on it then without it, from what I'm heard the game seems to be getting mixed reviews (and quite a few people seem to regret downloading the game as well).

Also I want to see some more AS, that aren't made by Skip Ltd.

It should also be noted that Cuebello originally started as a Mayan FPS like game by Skip.

[Fryguy64]

I love the slow pacing of Orbital. It draw you in with extremely simple mechanics, and it is very relaxing, even if it does end up becoming extremely difficult. And I love the sound. It becomes more frantic as you collect more moons, and then when you get the final crescent moon it suddenly chills out... time to finish the stage.

DigiDrive was the kind of game I would expect to find as a short puzzle in a larger game. I enjoyed it briefly, but I kinda got bored of it quickly.

Also, I still haven't entirely worked out what I'm supposed to be doing in SoundVoyager

[Johans Nidorino]

The chicken mode looks funny, but I don't get it... You give chase to a colored spot?