Contents Contents

WELCOME

One of my favourite things about working on Wireframe each fortnight is seeing how developers can take established genres and turn them into something new and unexpected. In some instances, it might be a case of elevating the Metroidvania with gorgeous artwork and obsessive attention 18 to detail, as did with back in 2015, and are looking to do once again with this year’s eagerly-awaited Ori and the Will of the Wisps.

Or it might be taking the rotating puzzle-piece mechanics of Tetris and marrying them to the free-roaming 2D critters of Lemmings – which solo developer Kevin Andersson has done to endearing effect in TaniNani (see page 24). At the further extreme, there’s a borderline experimental game like SuperMash, which procedurally slams together different genres to make new experiences. Want to combine a 2D shoot-‘em-up 44 30 with a JRPG, or a Metal Gear- Contents 6 style stealth-‘em-up with a platformer? Well, you can in SuperMash. Attract mode Interface Toolbox Rated As Andrew King points out in his review on page 60, these combined genres don’t necessarily result in 06. Will of the Wisps 18. Cancelled games 28. CityCraft 56. MechWarrior 5 gold, but I’m genuinely glad Moon Studios on its magical Titles we’ll never get to play – What video games can tell us Stomping about in giant robots: SuperMash exists. I love a rock- Ori sequel and their untold stories about cities of the past yep, still fun solid sequel as much as anyone, but it’s bold ideas like these that make the games industry so 10. Garden Story 24. TaniNani 30. Make a 3D blaster 58. Sparklite fascinating to explore in 2020. A wholesome, nourishing RPG A solo dev’s Tetris-meets- Use Three.js to make your own A low-calorie Secret of and social sim Lemmings puzzler UFO shooting game Mana, perhaps? Enjoy the new issue, readers.

12.  44.  38.  60.  Ryan Lambie Unpacking Healer class Anew Dev Diary SuperMash Editor Zen and the art of tidying up The restorative power of Telling stories through Can’t stop the hurt inside your house game development sound effects when game genres collide

16. Incoming 50. System Profile: Wii U 40. Source Code 64. Backwards Compatible Rabbits, carpets, and walking A sorely neglected console Code your own brawler in Retro gaming books, and lots 24 war machines and its finest games the Kung-Fu Master mode more dusty old stuff

04 / wfmag.cc wfmag.cc \ 05