We recently heard about a new homebrew DS game based on a 2D flash game based on what of the most loved games of last year.
The game is "StillAliveDS." And it's loosely based on... "Portal."
You might think that a DS game based on a 2D flash platformer based on a 3D console/PC FPS game based on a thesis project might be a little diluted, but it isn't. "StillAliveDS" improves upon the "Portal: The Flash Version" formula by applying a unique art style, and adding features that take into consideration the unique capabilities of the DS.
Valve should go ahead and hire the developers and give "StillAliveDS" the proper release that it deserves.
The gameplay is mostly modeled after the flash game, however, there is an added element that is incorporated to every level. The overall goal in the flash game, much like the original "Portal," is to get from point A to point B using the Portal Gun to help you maneuver around impassable objects by firing portals that your character can pass through.
However, in the DS version, you have to get from point A to point B, again, using the Portal Gun, but you also have to collect slices of cake along the way. If you don’t collect every piece of cake on the screen then you can't proceed to the next level. This additional puzzle element adds another layer to the game, really forcing you to think about how you are going to navigate through the whole level.
While the game isn't unlike various puzzle games that have been on the market for years, the Portal Gun's capabilities adds another level of challenge to the game.
The game's controls are all touch screen based, which makes it intuitive, and easy to get around. If you want to fire a red portal you hold down on the D-pad and touch the wall you want to shoot, and if you want to fire a blue portal, you hold down the L button. The only other thing you need to worry about is moving around crates, which is as simple as getting close to the box and "picking it up" using your stylus. All the controls are simple, easy, and very familiar if you have played any of the other versions of "Portal."
Amazingly the addicting gameplay isn't the feature that stands out above elements seen in other DS games. It's the Wi-Fi trick. "StillAliveDS" includes a Wi-Fi connection option that allows you to not only download new levels, but play them on-demand online without a direct download storing it to you cart's memory. It really is an outstanding feature that would have been a worthy addition to games like "Picross" and "Professor Layton." These new levels are currently designed using a Java based program on PCs and uploaded to the server which you access using your DS or your PC.
Gamers that have the capability to play homebrew DS games should really keep an eye on this game as it receives updates (and send me tips on how to beat level 17).
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