Looks like Spelunky hit 1.0... and the big time

doctorfrog on 2/9/2009 at 07:22

Inline Image:

http://drfrog.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/2009-09-02_002810_spelunky1_0.jpg

I was just writing about Spelunky for my blog, wondering when it would hit 1.0, when BAM, front page of IndieGames:

(http://www.indiegames.com/blog/2009/09/spelunky_coming_to_xbla_in_201.html) Spelunky Coming to XBLA in 2010

No foolin'. And it's got a real website, too:

(http://www.spelunkyworld.com/original.html)

Though it came out shortly before year's end, I've pretty much thought of this action roguelike as my personal Game of the Year '09. It's not immediately obvious, especially if you're one to quit games the split second they get difficult (and this is one unforgiving game), but the acrobatic stunts and the unexpected interactions of simple mechanics really add up to a charming and deeply fun game.

It kind of irks me that, like Cave Story, Spelunky will be getting the special treatment (better graphics, some unspecified extras) for its console debut, but fortunately, Derek Yu is a man with his feet on the ground, and the Windows version will continue to be free. XBLA exposure isn't exactly a bad thing, and it'll put a few dollars in his pocket. Good for him, I say. Plus, the interest may well spawn new variations on the action roguelike.

(Personally, I don't own and have no interest in owning an XBox, but if the improved version of this game hit the Nintendo DS I'd be all over it.)

Seriously, if you haven't tried out this little gem, do so, immediately.

Shakey-Lo on 2/9/2009 at 07:53

Sweet. Spelunky is awesome. The new flash-style aesthetic doesn't really appeal to me, but it's good to see him getting some extra exposure and finanical rewards for the game.

Not only will the PC version remain free but will be going open-source which can only lead to more awesomeness.

Great news.

Renzatic on 2/9/2009 at 23:03

After all this time, almost 6 months of playing Spelunky on and off, I've managed to do the undoable. I finally stole something from those bastard shopkeepers and got away with my life.

This...
This is a red letter day.

Chade on 2/9/2009 at 23:09

I'd like Spelunky a lot more if I could get to the fifth level more then once every 10 000 tries. :(

It's still an awesome game though.

BTW Renz, stealing from the weapons shopkeeper is easy ... nothing stops you from using the items before purchasing them ... ;)

Renzatic on 2/9/2009 at 23:23

Yeah, I know. All you have to do for the weapons shop guys is grab the shotgun and take them out with it. I wanted to do something a bit more challenging, like lifting the climbing gloves from the underground Petzl shop.

I planned. I attempted. I succeeded. I am the greatest person that's ever lived. Shame being the greatest person ever doesn't make me spikeproof, though. About a minute after my moment of glory, I ended up slipping with my new climbing gloves and landed on a set. Oh well. C'est la vie.

Chade on 2/9/2009 at 23:27

So how did you do it? So far I've successfully stolen from other shopkeepers when it's been possible to blow a hole in the floor (from below), but that's it.

EDIT: Yeah, I get that a lot too ... I've done something that makes me feel like the best player in the world, and then ten seconds later ... BAM

Renzatic on 2/9/2009 at 23:47

Pure luck. I managed to jump at just the right time and take off before the shopkeeper could get another shot off. He fell into a pit, I climbed up a cliff, and life was good. At least it was before the spikes anyway.

And hey, random horrible deaths are what makes Spelunky so fun. I think my best moment was when I managed to jump over a boulder trap only to wake up a giant spider, fall into a pit of spikes, and accidentally threw a bomb all at the same time. So I was skewered, crushed, probably poisoned, and blown up all within half a second of each other. Pretty grand way to go.

suliman on 3/9/2009 at 07:18

I just grab the item(jetpack<3<3<3) and sprint the fuck away. Works most of the time.
Still working on that 10 damsels cup. My own personal moment of undying glory was when I completed the 'clear game under 10 minutes' one:D

Stitch on 3/9/2009 at 15:31

Wait, this game is actually a roguelike and not some sidescrolling puzzle jumper straight from the 80's?

That changes everything!

doctorfrog on 3/9/2009 at 18:41

I've had my share of entertaining deaths, but I'm a simple man, and my favorite variant has to be when I end up as the ball in a one-man abominable snowman game of handball. In at least one build of the game, if not the current one, snowmen will repeatedly toss your corpse into a wall until it literally disintegrates into a tomato-red burst of blood.

Makes finding an altar to Kali on the ice levels that much more satisfying. :ebil:

That, and baby's first teleporter accident. Always a classic.

*pliff*

*squish*

FUCK!

Do you want your possessions identified?