Top Video Game Kickstarter Projects as of 9/23/16

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Let me just start by saying that August was a bust in terms of Kickstarters. There was nothing worth talking about. Luckily, September picked up the pace, and I have a handful of projects that may or may not interest you all in terms of video games. Luckily, the projects range in terms of gameplay from a Apogee-inspired platformer, a Lost Vikings-style puzzle game, and a cool 2D action shooter with developers from the Darksider franchise. Let’s get started with some honorable mentions even if I’m not fully confident in saying “go back this”.

Little Legacy: This is a cute-looking action RPG where you get to go around a massive world in a very Don’t Starve-like isometric view. I think the reason why it’s not getting super funded is because of the negative/mixed reception We Happy Few is getting, where it’s yet another open world with crafting. We already have plenty of good and bad open world crafting games, and they are pretty much focusing on expansive worlds with very little to do. It’s not going to reach its funding goal, and I’m sorry those developers have to deal with not getting funded.

Griff The Winged Lion: On paper, this game looks great. It’s a 3D platformer, obviously inspired by Spyro’s early days and the other platformers of this time. You can even change the graphical setting to PlayStation 1, Nintendo 64, and Dreamcast-style graphics. It’s all very cool, but it seems like that selling point is why it’s not doing well. It also seems like there isn’t much advertising or interactions with the developer. I think they released it too early and maybe should think about restructuring the Kickstarter for a future date.

Hypnospace Outlaw: The creator of the surprise hit, Dropsy, is back on Kickstarter with a game where you police the internet by using a PC from what seems like the late 80s early 90s. It’s not a very clear game. Like, is it an abstract puzzle game? Is it a surreal visual novel-like meta-style game? It’s not clear, because the Kickstarter wants to be abstract and trippy with its page. That’s just me though. It’s a beautiful game, and if you feel like helping out the creator of Dropsy, then go back it, but I don’t know if it will make it.

Kewpie Jazzy: While this one again on paper looks more impressive than most. It’s also a Kickstarter with gameplay that doesn’t look very interesting or unique. Plus, we are also getting Yooka-Laylee in the near future. I think if you are going to be making a 3D platformer, you are going to have to be more original than “we are inspired by the platformers Rare used to make, and we got the amazing Grant Kirkhope to do the music”. I like the idea of different buddies that you can gain throughout the journey, but it looks a tad too early to show off and ask for backing.

Let’s get started.

Rad Rodgers



This is the Apogee-inspired platformer, Rad Rodgers by Interceptor Entertainment. You play as a young boy named with his magical game console Dusty, voiced by Duke Nukem himself, John St. John. The two end up in a magical world where Dusty must use a variety of weapons to shoot down enemies and platform his way to safety. There will be specific areas where Dusty will be the only one to go through them and fix the world around them to keep going. The game looks great and is easily one of the more polished video games on the site. It’s colorful, full of personality, crass in its humor, and looks like a lot of fun. I’m a little concerned about how it’s not getting fully funded, either because the wave of negativity from Inafune’s Mighty No. 9 is still wandering around Kickstarter, or maybe it’s because it seems like a game that is chopped up. It’s not obscure or not known like the failed Red Ash Kickstarter, but you will only get the main world and have to get to the $200K stretch goal to get the second world. Personally, I would take out the mod section and the mobile companion game. I still think it’s a project you should all check out and back, but I won’t be surprised if I will be writing about it again in the future. If you like these types of platforming shooter games from days gone by, then you should definitely back Rad Rogers.

Blubber Busters



Blubber Busters by Thar Be Monsters is a 2D action game where you traverse giant space whales, go inside them, find resources, and take down the disease that is killing off the cleaning companies that are in charge of said space whales. It’s a wacky setting where you must choose from three characters with a mysterious playable 4^th character. As you can tell by watching the trailer, the 2D animation is beautiful. It’s a gorgeous game with some fun fast-paced gameplay. The team is also very talented with everyone, including the composer, Chris Christodoulou, who worked on games like Enter the Gungeon, Risk of Rain, Darksiders II, League of Legends, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Electronic Super Joy. I can’t tell you why this game isn’t getting fully funded in an instant. It’s a fleshed-out Kickstarter with why they need that much to get the game funded. Maybe they don’t have console stretch goals, or maybe it was bad timing, or like I mentioned above, the failure of Mighty No. 9 is putting off some people. It’s a shame with how one or two bad Kickstarters will ruin the trust that these developers need to get their game funded. If you love 2D action games with a cartoony kind of personality to them, then you should definitely help get Blubber Busters funded.

Dawn of the Devs



Now it’s time for the the Lost Vikings-inspired Dawn of the Devs by Underdog Studios to get a spot in this article. You play as parody versions of Hideo Kojima, Tim Schaffer, and Cliffy B. as you are sent on a journey to save the world. Each of the three characters has his or her own special ability. Tim Schaffer can use point-and-click adventure gaming abilities, like picking up items to use later, Cliffy B. can kill enemies, and of course, the Kojima parody can stealth past enemies, and use the box he carries to distract enemies. You will need to use all three of them for puzzle-solving purposes and to save the gaming world! It definitely is a game with a very tongue-in-cheek cartoony personality, and I love it. Yeah, it might be too on-the-nose in terms of its humor and characters, but it gives the game a personality. Plus, it’s not like we haven’t seen parodies of real life people in video games before. Maybe that’s why it’s having a hard time getting funded due to timing or the “on the nose” parodies is too “on the nose”, but I think this game looks fun. It definitely deserves more attention since it also has stretch goals, including more playable parodies of other gaming icons. If you love Lost Viking-style games like The Cave, then you should back this game.

Light Fairytale Episode 1



Finally, we have the first episode of a hopefully multi-episode RPG called Light Fairytale by developer Neko.Works. It’s a 3D-turn-based RPG that takes place in a world where people live in a dying underground world in which a young man meets a mysterious woman and, well, shenanigans arise. It’s an RPG that is definitely close to the older Final Fantasy games, which is the teams’ point, since they wanted to scale everything back and make an RPG that isn’t overly convoluted with story, character drama, and gameplay elements. It looks great with a nice cartoony CGI look with more realistic anime portraits in dialogue boxes. My concerns for this Kickstarter to do well are the same concerns I put above, since they all have the same concerns looming over them. Still, if you love old PS1-style RPGs, then you should check this Kickstarter out.