Fantastic Arcade :: Top 5

I was going to do a recap of Saturday and Sunday of Fantastic Arcade like I did for Friday but my view hasn't really changed much since I've been camped out in the Highball all weekend. So I thought instead I'd talk about my favorite games at this year's Fantastic Arcade, as I've had some time to play most of them since I've been here.

Here we go:


5. Fotonica

A first-person, vector graphics game with a one-button interface. Push and hold to run. Let go to jump. Don't fall off the platform! Addicting simplicity.

4. Donut County

A game of physics, raccoons, and chickens. You control a hole, which grows larger as things fall into it. Whimsical and beautiful.

3. Banana Chalice

A bananacat longs to find bananas and obtain a chalice. Fly through a wormhole dodging ghosts and weird faces while collecting bananas and shooting them at enemies. Get the chalice! Fun pixel graphics and great sound effects.

2. Gorogoa

Absolutely lovely art that plays out like a picture book. Move moments in time along a four square grid. Move layers of each moment across the grid to change spaces, objects, and more. Very clever puzzle game and gorgeous to look at. (It reminds me a bit of Puzzle Island.)

1. Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime

Save cute little bunnies and froggies from cages while dodging bomb and laser-shooting baddies. Great animation and design with a fun side-scrolling element as you run around frantically inside the sphere ship controlling gun turrets, shield controls, and navigation. Incredibly fun two-player, designed to be a couch co-op. It's definitely been a  hit during the arcade and has been my go-to game while I've been here.

Most of these games will be up during the week, even though the Arcade activities themselves end today. Make sure you stop by the Highball to play some fun indie games. And don't worry about cost; all games are free and open to the public.