saturdayxiii
Member
I know a lot of work went into the awards show, and it really was a lot of fun, but this is probably the last we'll talk about Byte Off 19 and I can't help but feel a bit disappointed that only like one 6th of them got recurring attention throughout the judging time, and then into the final awards show.
I know that's the point of a contest, to narrow down the best entries, but the Byte Off 19 line up was pretty amazing if you think about it. 61 games and only a handful were not actually playable, and for the vast majority they still had great and original ideas.
This is a great testament to how solid the NESMaker engine is, and that's why I think it's a mistake to let so many quality titles just fall to the wayside with the closing of Byte Off 19. NESMaker is awesome and I know the team is always hard at work on it, getting us all excited for the new features; but I think its true value is in the games that are made with it.
By that measure NESMaker is already making BANK, but the casual viewer probably wouldn't know it, because it appears like only a few very skilled devs made a few very amazing looking games with a couple shout out gimmicks here and there, rather than the fact that many titles in the contest library were very high quality demos and can only get better if the devs are inspired to continue them.
I loved and am inspired by so many of the titles that came out of Byte Off 19. I hope that the devs continue to work on them, or take their ideas to new projects.
Airboat Apocalypse
-Great combo of race against the clock arcade action and world map exploration in a monster swamp.
Renegades Mountain Showdown
-A very unique and humorous mix of fantasy and everyday life in this solid top down adventure.
Time Survivor
-Deserved award winner with excellent art, and a massive world and original story that will keep you exploring for answers in a "virtual" world.
To The Ends Of The Earth
-Deserved award winner with a very detailed and stylistic high fantasy adventure that will tug at your heart strings.
Fight of the Phoenix
-Exciting, crystal punching action with beautiful artwork.
March of the Minotaurs
-Maze games are always classic and MotM is a solid contender. Dodge the monsters, get the star, it doesn't get old.
Llamagade
-Action platformer demo with the wildest attack move
Shaolin Squirrel
-Tiny character, big moves. I really wish there was more of it.
Hazard: Let Us Out
-What's going on with the machines at work? Dodge and deliver bullets while searching for answers.
Pizza Party!
A proper party game with a solid co-op mechanic that's unique both on and off the NES.
Dimension Shift
-Gorgeous award winner that puts even official NES games to shame.
Flea!
-Probably the longest "Demo" in the collection? Level after level of tough as nails platforming and it never gets old.
Diablobetes
-Classic, addictive, arcade maze action with a great sense of humor.
Nix
-Truly underrated sci-fi, action/adventure with a one of a kind special move system and a vast world to explore.
Dummy Duck 7
-A humorous adventure demo with such strong characters that I keep wanting to call it an RPG.
40 Thieves
-A skillful Arabian arcade platformer that will steal your whole afternoon if you let it.
Miner
-Tiny player makes for a great big platformer.
The Delivery
-Probably the fastest paced game in the collection. Stay in the lines to collect and deliver packages. Simple and addictive.
SpaceVania
-A deceptive title in more than one way. Almost a winner for creepiest monster.
Hey Reset
-Quality all around in this striking minimalist, cartoony, platformer with a great soundtrack.
Nessy The NES Robot
-If your nostalgia strings haven't been pulled yet, Nessy will be the platformer to do it.
Attack of the Gummy Bears
-Hardcore vertical platforming. Very solid game if you have the skills.
Time Chaser
-Another unsung entry with impressive mechanics not seen natively in the NESMaker software.
Doodle Land
-A simple sketchpad theme executed well and taken as far as it can go. A definite fan favorite.
Twilight Of Powers
-Amazing creature designs in this dark and creepy action platformer.
Eternal Prelude
-A challenging dark and sombre fantasy that will draw you to try and try again to coax its secrets from a decrepit castle.
Spacepunk'd
-The funkiest neon sci-fi shooter.
Underground Adventure
-The game that gave us all proper two player capabilities.
Kubo 2
-A pyramid adventure with many secrets and power ups. This simple game will surprise you with its depth.
Silver Island
-Heavy metal monster hunting action with multiple weapons and flip flip flip!
Turtle Rescue: Unhatched
-IMO this was the most polished and complete "demo". Adventure, power ups, puzzles, collectibles, and a boss rush all in a tight narrative about saving turtle eggs from crabs. Buttons that change function depending on what you're interacting with, whoa.
Artix
-Feel almighty as you hunt dragons and monsters with your gargantuan axe.
Happy Scrappy and the Haunted Mansion
-Cute, creepy, and a bit psychedellic. This extensive platformer pushes a few boundaries.
Jane Jones, Poet Detective
-Nesmaker's groundbreaking point and click inspired adventure. By and and for literature lovers!
Bohpoli! - Magical Warps
-Definitely one of the most stand out titles with amazing art and challenging puzzle platform gameplay that breaks all the rules.
Space Raft
-Fuel your van with hamburgers in this detailed post-apocalyptic runner.
Pingback
-You tell me, I don't even remember if the demo I submitted was even finishable.
Jelly Jam'd
-Capture the jelly fish. This stylistic shooter should have got the cutest content award. From pixels to buttons, everything in this demo chirps fun.
Xeno Creeps
-Fantastic and unique arcade action, blast hopping enemy to enemy.
Ski Pirates
-The title still makes me wonder what could have been.
Harry Dwarf
-A bad joke made into a gorgeous and addictive puzzle platformer.
Shadow
-Collect cats in this quality, black and white, classic, platformer.
Adventures of Eldorin
-Traverse the kingdom to find the cure for your beloved.
Closeout
-A great start on an Atari port.
Bogen
-Rock solid, pixel perfect platforming. Made by and for nostalgia.
Soko Banana
-The most polished puzzle demo with amazing art, animation, and box pushing game play that we all want more of it.
HammerSmack!
-The title is also the gameplay, and it smacks so well!
Swamp Donkey
-Cutest main character? An adventure to discover what's going down in your swamp... with rockets!
Office Hero
-Pick-up-and-play stealth game that will keep you entertained for hours finding all the endings.
Grave Adventure
-Purple never looked so good. An edgy platformer with loads of style.
Page Turner
-Explore this classic adventure island to witness the actual creepiest character of all the contest entries.
Pandora's Blocks
-By NESMaker developers, for NESMaker developers.
Project Kunoichi
-More than meets the eye in this action platformer with stealth elements.
Nezumi
-Amazingly detailed, cinematic, samurai fantasy, action platformer.
Momoc
-Well deserved award winner that shocked us all with it's well executed resource management puzzles.
Witch City
-Fight creepy monsters while exploring the city in this fantastic, gritty, action adventure.
Pink Fucking Face
-The only other adventure maze game that I would still be trying to find the exit to if the dev didn't admit that it wasn't complete. Possibly the most expressive main character of the lot.
Dragon Master
-Defeat monster after crazy monster in this kung-fu action demo.
Shokan_Doro
-One of my personal favorite epic samurai adventures.
Windermere
-Classic haunted mansion horror adventure with an in-depth story and creepy vibes all around.
Thank you everyone for your amazing games.
I know that's the point of a contest, to narrow down the best entries, but the Byte Off 19 line up was pretty amazing if you think about it. 61 games and only a handful were not actually playable, and for the vast majority they still had great and original ideas.
This is a great testament to how solid the NESMaker engine is, and that's why I think it's a mistake to let so many quality titles just fall to the wayside with the closing of Byte Off 19. NESMaker is awesome and I know the team is always hard at work on it, getting us all excited for the new features; but I think its true value is in the games that are made with it.
By that measure NESMaker is already making BANK, but the casual viewer probably wouldn't know it, because it appears like only a few very skilled devs made a few very amazing looking games with a couple shout out gimmicks here and there, rather than the fact that many titles in the contest library were very high quality demos and can only get better if the devs are inspired to continue them.
I loved and am inspired by so many of the titles that came out of Byte Off 19. I hope that the devs continue to work on them, or take their ideas to new projects.
Airboat Apocalypse
-Great combo of race against the clock arcade action and world map exploration in a monster swamp.
Renegades Mountain Showdown
-A very unique and humorous mix of fantasy and everyday life in this solid top down adventure.
Time Survivor
-Deserved award winner with excellent art, and a massive world and original story that will keep you exploring for answers in a "virtual" world.
To The Ends Of The Earth
-Deserved award winner with a very detailed and stylistic high fantasy adventure that will tug at your heart strings.
Fight of the Phoenix
-Exciting, crystal punching action with beautiful artwork.
March of the Minotaurs
-Maze games are always classic and MotM is a solid contender. Dodge the monsters, get the star, it doesn't get old.
Llamagade
-Action platformer demo with the wildest attack move
Shaolin Squirrel
-Tiny character, big moves. I really wish there was more of it.
Hazard: Let Us Out
-What's going on with the machines at work? Dodge and deliver bullets while searching for answers.
Pizza Party!
A proper party game with a solid co-op mechanic that's unique both on and off the NES.
Dimension Shift
-Gorgeous award winner that puts even official NES games to shame.
Flea!
-Probably the longest "Demo" in the collection? Level after level of tough as nails platforming and it never gets old.
Diablobetes
-Classic, addictive, arcade maze action with a great sense of humor.
Nix
-Truly underrated sci-fi, action/adventure with a one of a kind special move system and a vast world to explore.
Dummy Duck 7
-A humorous adventure demo with such strong characters that I keep wanting to call it an RPG.
40 Thieves
-A skillful Arabian arcade platformer that will steal your whole afternoon if you let it.
Miner
-Tiny player makes for a great big platformer.
The Delivery
-Probably the fastest paced game in the collection. Stay in the lines to collect and deliver packages. Simple and addictive.
SpaceVania
-A deceptive title in more than one way. Almost a winner for creepiest monster.
Hey Reset
-Quality all around in this striking minimalist, cartoony, platformer with a great soundtrack.
Nessy The NES Robot
-If your nostalgia strings haven't been pulled yet, Nessy will be the platformer to do it.
Attack of the Gummy Bears
-Hardcore vertical platforming. Very solid game if you have the skills.
Time Chaser
-Another unsung entry with impressive mechanics not seen natively in the NESMaker software.
Doodle Land
-A simple sketchpad theme executed well and taken as far as it can go. A definite fan favorite.
Twilight Of Powers
-Amazing creature designs in this dark and creepy action platformer.
Eternal Prelude
-A challenging dark and sombre fantasy that will draw you to try and try again to coax its secrets from a decrepit castle.
Spacepunk'd
-The funkiest neon sci-fi shooter.
Underground Adventure
-The game that gave us all proper two player capabilities.
Kubo 2
-A pyramid adventure with many secrets and power ups. This simple game will surprise you with its depth.
Silver Island
-Heavy metal monster hunting action with multiple weapons and flip flip flip!
Turtle Rescue: Unhatched
-IMO this was the most polished and complete "demo". Adventure, power ups, puzzles, collectibles, and a boss rush all in a tight narrative about saving turtle eggs from crabs. Buttons that change function depending on what you're interacting with, whoa.
Artix
-Feel almighty as you hunt dragons and monsters with your gargantuan axe.
Happy Scrappy and the Haunted Mansion
-Cute, creepy, and a bit psychedellic. This extensive platformer pushes a few boundaries.
Jane Jones, Poet Detective
-Nesmaker's groundbreaking point and click inspired adventure. By and and for literature lovers!
Bohpoli! - Magical Warps
-Definitely one of the most stand out titles with amazing art and challenging puzzle platform gameplay that breaks all the rules.
Space Raft
-Fuel your van with hamburgers in this detailed post-apocalyptic runner.
Pingback
-You tell me, I don't even remember if the demo I submitted was even finishable.
Jelly Jam'd
-Capture the jelly fish. This stylistic shooter should have got the cutest content award. From pixels to buttons, everything in this demo chirps fun.
Xeno Creeps
-Fantastic and unique arcade action, blast hopping enemy to enemy.
Ski Pirates
-The title still makes me wonder what could have been.
Harry Dwarf
-A bad joke made into a gorgeous and addictive puzzle platformer.
Shadow
-Collect cats in this quality, black and white, classic, platformer.
Adventures of Eldorin
-Traverse the kingdom to find the cure for your beloved.
Closeout
-A great start on an Atari port.
Bogen
-Rock solid, pixel perfect platforming. Made by and for nostalgia.
Soko Banana
-The most polished puzzle demo with amazing art, animation, and box pushing game play that we all want more of it.
HammerSmack!
-The title is also the gameplay, and it smacks so well!
Swamp Donkey
-Cutest main character? An adventure to discover what's going down in your swamp... with rockets!
Office Hero
-Pick-up-and-play stealth game that will keep you entertained for hours finding all the endings.
Grave Adventure
-Purple never looked so good. An edgy platformer with loads of style.
Page Turner
-Explore this classic adventure island to witness the actual creepiest character of all the contest entries.
Pandora's Blocks
-By NESMaker developers, for NESMaker developers.
Project Kunoichi
-More than meets the eye in this action platformer with stealth elements.
Nezumi
-Amazingly detailed, cinematic, samurai fantasy, action platformer.
Momoc
-Well deserved award winner that shocked us all with it's well executed resource management puzzles.
Witch City
-Fight creepy monsters while exploring the city in this fantastic, gritty, action adventure.
Pink Fucking Face
-The only other adventure maze game that I would still be trying to find the exit to if the dev didn't admit that it wasn't complete. Possibly the most expressive main character of the lot.
Dragon Master
-Defeat monster after crazy monster in this kung-fu action demo.
Shokan_Doro
-One of my personal favorite epic samurai adventures.
Windermere
-Classic haunted mansion horror adventure with an in-depth story and creepy vibes all around.
Thank you everyone for your amazing games.
