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Your Move: Indie Games

Samuel McConnell
/
KMUW

Most games you’ve probably heard of were created by big, multi-million dollar studios like Nintendo, EA, or Activision. However, some of the most worthwhile games are made by small, independent studios. These indie games are generally cheaper and more innovative.

Orion’s Forge is a game for Android and iPhone that has you building stars – that is, in each stage, you use special towers to affect gravity to collect stardust, which then launches the stars into the heavens. As you play, a beautifully illustrated fable about the star you just created unfolds. It starts out easy, but quickly the puzzles become very challenging.

Major Magnet, for iPhone and iPad, is a platform game in the style of Sonic or Ristar from the Sega Genesis. However, instead of directly controlling your character, you tap on magnets throughout the stages to attract or repel the Major. The gameplay is quick and fun, but has enough depth to keep you playing.

In Third Eye Crime, you play as a master art thief with a special ability: you can read minds. As you try to escape from your heists, you can see exactly where your pursuers think you may be, which can help you escape undetected. The noir-styled graphics fit the game perfectly, as does the jazzy soundtrack. Third Eye Crime will be available for iPad soon.

These games are new takes on old genres that the big developers probably would never take a risk on. Instead, these small developers have delivered polished, fun, unique games.

Samuel McConnell is a games enthusiast who has been playing games in one form or another since 1991. He was born in northern Maine but quickly transplanted to Wichita.