ROCKETSROCKETSROCKETS Clears Successful Launch on Steam
It started with just a little rocket cartoon on Twitter.
In early 2014, artist Loren Bednar tweeted an animation of a rocket. This was seen by two of his friends, Andy Moore and Dr. Kimberly Voll, of the Canada-based development team Radial Games. They thought it would be fun to do a flying demo using their pal’s colorful animation. What none of them expected was that showing their demo at GDC 2014 would garner so much attention. It wasn’t even a game at that point, but it seemed like everyone was into it, and they knew they had to get cracking on the coding. By the conclusion of GDC, they had a game, a launch plan, and a very enthusiastic fan base.
Boasting controls which are “easy to learn but hard to master,” ROCKETSROCKETSROCKETS invites players of all skill levels to dogfight in the air. The game was “designed to inspire connection,” and so it’s a local multiplayer game for between one and four players. There are three different modes of play for multiplayer – free-for-all, team-based, or the non-competitive Zen mode. Gamers can explore interesting options like Bubble Mode and Tournament, and peruse the multiple “tunable features” which can make the game fully unique to each player.
The rockets leave artistic and colorful trails as they fly around the screen, turning each match into a distinctive work of art with sparkles and fireworks. Ben Lam crafted the “blood-pumping, one-of-a-kind soundtrack” that will accompany every playthrough. It’s already won several awards, including the Destructoid Editor’s Choice Best of PAX 2014; it was also the main stage feature during the Night Games at Indiecade 2014.
ROCKETSROCKETSROCKETS initially launched on Steam Early Access in May 2014. Now, one year later, the full version is out and available for purchase for Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. It offers full controller support as well as Steam Achievements, Leaderboards, and Trading Cards. The main game is $12.99 USD, or $18.99 for the deluxe edition; the soundtrack may also be purchased separately for $7.99. Interested would-be Mavericks should check out the game’s Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr; there is also a mailing list which can be joined on the website.
