The Zenny Pincher: D.N.A.

If the indie-pendant and Flash game design scene maintains its current velocity, the big-budget dev/publisher model might be staring headlong down the barrel of obsolescence in the not-too-distant future. Meanwhile, the average Ramen-during-the-week-and -pizza-on-a-payday gamer who finds him/herself perpetually tapped for funds will endlessly reap the benefit of this modest entity. In addition to that, a boutique studio being free and clear of any corporate pecking orders means that many of these small projects are usually big on risky ideas.

In a seemingly measured response to this, many larger publishers have been taking strides towards making what is a typically pricey hobby more accessible to a casual audience and in the process, fomenting a similar push for gaming concepts that shouldn’t be ignored by the core. All of this is happening right in front of you, with a cornucopia of innovative and creative concepts not more than a few steps – or keystrokes – away from your address bar. In short, it’s a path worth trodding upon with no undue cost or inconvenience to you, Johnny Thumbtwitcher. There’s no punishment for jumping feet first into this fountain.

So today, our inaugural Zenny Pincher Spotlight shines towards newly-anointed fan-fave 5th Cell’s bacterially themed, puzzley-tasting chain-o-rama, D.N.A. It’s technically a trial download but at a bulk span of 60 minutes, finishing the main quest shouldn’t be too much of a jog.

I know, I know. I could have started with something a bit more obscure and, well, “free” in the technical definition. But this a baby blog, and we measure progress in baby steps. If it pleases the reader, he may be treated to an after-dinner nosh of Death Worm, which is a Game Maker effort that righteously kicks a Sally Struthers-portion of ass.

Edit: Obviously, the main quest can’t be finished. We make regular practice of pulling claims, fresh from the anus. Apologies.

“Have you ever quacked with the devil in the pale moonlight?”

Out of the many mental tracks that The Dark Knight invites its audience to ruminate upon, only one had managed to ensnare my curiosity for close to the entire length of the movie:

Batpod:

Possible Prototype:

Waynetech puts the Strong Hand on Disney? Okay, then.

With My Jelly Joints

It’s this thing called Sumotori.

Some might call it a broken game but take a second to consider the physics involved in the activity you have just witnessed. Warped-ass controls? Sure, that’s apparent enough. But the way that the cages interact with each other is simply superlative, and that takes a fair amount of work. This is what must happen now: a major publisher should pick up Sumotori and repackage it for domestic distribution as the keystone entry in a new “Hobolympics” franchise.

It’ll be bigger than AIDS. Just watch.