ColecoVision Squares! (>4K version)

[+5-11under]

Hello all,

 

Here's my latest version of Squares! (the full version, not the 4K version!).

 

Instructions:

 

At the start, press fire1 to start the normal version, or "1" to start the kids version. As the white square, your job is to avoid the other squares that are bouncing around. You lose a life everytime you fail in this quest. If you lose a life, your square disappears, but will eventually appear near the top-left corner of the screen. Pressing fire1 will make your square appear pretty much instantly. As you progress through the game, the squares become larger, and some of them get faster. At some point, extra squares are added. There are also items to catch, starting with the banana, some other fruit, then other icons. Catching them will either add extra lives, or invisibility and hyperspace tokens, which can be used by pressing the 1st or 2nd fire buttons, respectively (the token bank quantities are labelled "I" and "H" respectively). The game is over when all of your lives have been spent. The kids version is much easier than the regular version. A good joystick is highly recommended.

 

It's still a work in progress, and there are a few known bugs and opportunities for improvements:

 

Pressing fire to get the next square to appear will most likely also make you invisible.

The "I" and "H" and "LIF" text needs to convey information better.

The copyright and instructions need to be worked on.

It's been a couple of months since I tried it on a real ColecoVision - does it still work, and is the difficulty level/progression still decent?

The kids version is too easy(?), especially with the invisibility.

The two player head-to-head option needs to be added (this is the big one!).

Add visual time indicator for invisibility time left (clock within the square?).

Maybe I need to redo the opening screen, with more of a "squares" theme.

 

Feel free to add to the list of bugs/opportunities, or make suggestions/comments.

 

Thanks and enjoy,

5-11under

 

edit: added picture

Edited November 15, 2006 by 5-11under

[vdub_bobby]

Very nice!

 

Strangely fun and addicting for a game where you control a bouncing square.

 

I think the kids level is not too easy but there are too many objects. Nice title screen and game over screen also.

[+5-11under]

Very nice!

 

Strangely fun and addicting for a game where you control a bouncing square.

 

I think the kids level is not too easy but there are too many objects. Nice title screen and game over screen also.

 

Thanks for the feedback! As far as the "for a game where you control a bouncing square" you mention, that's why it's called "Squares!" instead of "Squares", or "Squares?". It makes the title more exciting, just like most of the Odyssey^2 games.

 

Thanks,

5-11under

[+5-11under]

One thing I forgot to mention...

 

The sounds still need to be worked on. At this point, there's only one or two different sounds in the game. Eventually, there will be a variety of sound effects used.

 

Thanks,

5-11under

[Murph74]

Was playing hte 4k version just before i saw this-- great stuff! Still haven't broke 3k, but I like it. Thanks for your efforts!

[+5-11under]

Thanks for the kind words. I'd suggest not playing the 4K version anymore, because I think the full version has a much better difficulty curve to it.

 

Do you think the game is too fast? Are you using a computer keyboard to play?

 

Thanks,

5-11under

 

 

Was playing hte 4k version just before i saw this-- great stuff! Still haven't broke 3k, but I like it. Thanks for your efforts!

[ScottHuggins]

I don't think it's too fast at all. I have broken 7k a couple times. A little tip: you don't have to always keep moving. If you go hide out in a corner, sometimes it takes 6-10 seconds before a square comes along and forces you to move. Also, I don't get "lured" (or forced) to go grab the fruit and other power-ups everytime I see one - that will certainly cost you lives. I only grab them if they appear right next to my square.

 

Harvey- I think you probably recognize this. But you should consider combining twoletters into one character for some of the text on the right. It's waaayyy too crowded and cluttered looking. For example, look at PLAY1 in the screen schots. You could spell it all out PLAYER 1 by combining two (half size) characters into one. Just a suggestion. Also, as you said, more sounds will help the gameplay experience. I wonder if you could detect that a square is "close" and maybe play a panic sound? That would make the gameplay seem more tense. Sorta like a "near miss".

 

Keep up the good work. The game is extremely simple, but very fun IMO.

[+5-11under]

Hello all,

 

There's a few "cheats" available in the game (at this point, anyway):

 

Before pressing "1" or Fire1:

- Press "2" for 900 lives.

- Press "0" for one extra life (keep pressing for more).

 

While playing regular version (not kids version):

- Press "2" for one extra life (keep pressing for more).

- Press "5" to increase speed of one of the sprites.

- Press "6" to add an extra "enemy".

- Press "7" to add the final extra "enemy".

 

Have fun,

5-11under

[+5-11under]

Hi Scott,

 

Good tip. Myself, I usually hang out near one of the sides (the left side for me). I'll definitely be working on the text at the right, although I'll probably have to create some sort of symbol for the "I" and the "H".

 

Thanks for the feedback!

5-11under

 

 

I don't think it's too fast at all. I have broken 7k a couple times. A little tip: you don't have to always keep moving. If you go hide out in a corner, sometimes it takes 6-10 seconds before a square comes along and forces you to move. Also, I don't get "lured" (or forced) to go grab the fruit and other power-ups everytime I see one - that will certainly cost you lives. I only grab them if they appear right next to my square.

 

Harvey- I think you probably recognize this. But you should consider combining twoletters into one character for some of the text on the right. It's waaayyy too crowded and cluttered looking. For example, look at PLAY1 in the screen schots. You could spell it all out PLAYER 1 by combining two (half size) characters into one. Just a suggestion. Also, as you said, more sounds will help the gameplay experience. I wonder if you could detect that a square is "close" and maybe play a panic sound? That would make the gameplay seem more tense. Sorta like a "near miss".

 

Keep up the good work. The game is extremely simple, but very fun IMO.