Indie games Johann Sebastian Joust, Hokra, BariBariBall, and Super Pole Riders are coming together to form … Sportsfriends! The collection features all four titles and boasts the work of developers Douglas Wilson, Ramiro Corbetta, Noah Sasso, and Bennett Foddy.
What makes Sportsfriends such a unique and compelling package is its emphasis on getting together with other folks and just having fun playing games. Each title delivers something remotely different from the other games in the set, but they're all inviting titles meant to be played for pure entertainment for both the players and any spectators.
Joust is a physical graphics-free game that utilizes PlayStation Move. Hokra (which we previewed) is a minimalist sports title that's drawn comparisons to hockey. BariBariBall mixes Smash Bros.-like fighting gameplay with sports elements. And last but certainly not least, Super Pole Riders is a physics-based game in the same vein as QWOP.
It's evident that Sportsfriends has a ton of heart behind it. Not only does it intend for individuals to get together and enjoy each other's company while playing a handful of games, but it also offers experimentation that's most certainly welcome in this industry. Most importantly, the collection gets back to the basics of video games: having a good time.
Wilson, Corbetta, Sasso, and Bennett have launched a Kickstarter campaign for Sportsfriends, so if you've played any of these games or dig their premises, you can contribute to the $150,000 goal. A pledge of $15 will snag you a copy of the collection, while $30 will get you access to prerelease alphas. As per usual, the bigger the pledge, the bigger the reward.
Sportsfriends is scheduled to launch on the PlayStation Network, Windows, Linux, and Mac sometime in fall 2013. Definitely watch out for this one.
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