Raskulls

Last updated
Raskulls
Raskulls cover.png
Developer(s) Halfbrick Studios
Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios
Designer(s) Daniel Vogt
Artist(s) Matthew Knights
Platform(s) Xbox 360
ReleaseDecember 29, 2010
Genre(s) Platform game, Action
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Raskulls is an action platform game video game developed by Halfbrick Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade. It was released on December 29, 2010. In Raskulls, players must navigate through platform-based levels filled with blocks of varying shape and size. The characters must use their brick-breaking wands to create the fastest route to the end of the level.

Contents

Raskulls received generally favorable reviews from critics. Reviewers praised the comic character design, humorous dialogue and emotions, and overall gameplay. Many reviewers praised the number of game modes and the multiplayer component as well, however some reviewers felt the game would not keep its novelty as it aged. Initial sales were high, with over 19,000 units sold during the month of its release. Year-end 2011 sales were in excess of 101,000 units.

Gameplay

Raskulls is a racing platform game which features competitive gameplay for up to four players. Raskulls gameplay.png
Raskulls is a racing platform game which features competitive gameplay for up to four players.

Raskulls is an action platform game where players must move through platform-based levels filled with blocks of different shapes and sizes. [1] The objective is to complete the level in the shortest time possible. [1] The Raskulls possess block-breaking wands, and the key to gaining an advantage is by using the character's wand against the blocks to create the most efficient path through the level. [1] [2] When blocks are destroyed, remaining blocks fall and like-colored blocks combine in large blocks. [3] When four or more gray block come into contact with each other, all touching gray blocks explode. [3]

The single player campaign, known as Mega Quest, takes places over three game worlds. Players navigate from stage to stage using an overworld layout, similar to Super Mario World . Once a level is selected, the game switches to a side-scrolling, platforming game. [4] The game consists of ten game types which include Ammo Scrooge and Bomb Disposal. [4] Both offensive and defensive items can be acquired during gameplay to traverse through levels and defeat opponents. One such item, known as Boosties, can be collected within each level which fill the character's Frenzy bar. When Frenzy is activated, the Raskull is powered with super speed while the Frenzy energy depletes. [1] Multiplayer is either online via Xbox Live or up to four players locally via splitscreen. [1] In addition to attempting to get the best time in a match, players can also use wands and powerups to throw other players off course or into environment hazards. [4] Players can also level up their characters after multiplayer matches. [5]

Synopsis

The game is set in the fictional world of the title characters, the Raskulls. An evil race of intergalactic buccaneers known as the Pirats have crashed-landed on the Raskulls' world in their search for the cheese planet. As the Pirats seek a source of fuel for their ship, their leader, Captain J. Turncoat, learns of the Shiny Stone, an object with incredible power. The Pirats fail in an attempt to steal the stone, and the Raskull King devises a plan to catch their enemies. A tournament is created in which the winner will receive the Shiny Stone as a surprise. [6] The original plan goes awry: a Raskull named Dragon sends a royal decree to Knight, who winds up getting beaten up by the Pirat henchmen. As per the contingency plan, Dragon emerges the victor of the tournament, but as he claims his prize the second place competitor, revealing himself as Captain Turncoat, punches Dragon in the face and makes off with the Shiny Stone. [7]

The Raskull king sends the Raskull known as Ninja to recover a previously unknown second Shiny Stone from an ancient tomb, under the condition that the latter does not take anything else. Along the way, Ninja encounters Wizard, who opens the door to the temple for him in exchange for a beverage called Jungle Juice; a mummy Raskull who assists in navigating the tombs; the Pirat henchmen Scurv and Barney, who are also searching for the second Shiny Stone; and the Temple Guardian, who attempts to incinerate Ninja with a laser that is reflected back by a mirror that Mummy finds. Stealing the second Shiny Stone from under Captain Turncoat's nose, Ninja is successful in his mission, and the king himself then sets out to recover the first Shiny Stone from the Pirats. [7]

During his journey he encounters opposition from some territorial Raskulls. The king is forced to complete each of the challenges given to progress. Also, Scurv and Barney try to drive him to insanity by hiding under a block and an antique vase, respectively. He eventually arrives at the Pirats' downed ship, which landed near an active volcano called Mount Madness, and recovers the first Shiny Stone only to find out that Captain Turncoat has stolen the second from his castle. [7] The two run into each other on their journey back to their homes. During an initially awkward conversation, the king suggests a game of rock paper scissors to see who gets both Shiny Stones, but is forced to battle the Pirat captain as he pilots his choice, which turns out to be "ship with lots of cannons". When the machine is defeated, Turncoat pulls the second Stone from King. This enrages the latter enough to engage in fisticuffs with the former, only to have both Shiny Stones escape their grasp and fall into a pool of lava. The lava erupts, sending the king, the captain and the Pirat's ship flying upward. [7] The captain kicks the king back to the ground and boards his ship as it reaches orbit. As the ship continues to gain momentum the crew discovers that the molten lava is actually cheese, indicating the Raskulls' planet was the cheese planet they were searching for. King falls back to the ground in front of his subjects, who sat watching the battle. [7] However, just after King comments on the battle being a "'cheesy ending'", Dragon reappears and throws a brick into King's face, knocking him out.

Development and marketing

Developers designed various expressions to depict emotions on the Raskulls. Raskulls concept.png
Developers designed various expressions to depict emotions on the Raskulls.

Raskulls was announced for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade on March 27, 2009 at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California. [8] Two promo images accompanied the press release and featured King and Dragon, two of the main characters. [9] Following the initial reveal, character profiles were distributed among the gaming media to demonstrate the game's art style and humor. [10] A teaser trailer was also released on May 13, 2009 which took a satirical view on traditional game trailers featuring "epic" music and bold statements, whereas the Raskulls teaser shows an abrupt change in tone as King is shown flexing his muscles in front of a mirror accompanied by elevator music. [11] On June 12, 2009, Halfbrick released the first official trailer for Raskulls.[ citation needed ] The trailer shows various levels, characters and gameplay modes, including snippets of multiplayer.[ citation needed ] The game was originally slated for a Q3 2009 release, however this was later pushed back. [1] In mid-2009 Halfbrick held a contest in which community members could design their own Raskull based on a template given by Halfbrick. The winning entry was a police-themed Raskull which was added to the game. [12]

In February 2010, Halfbrick posted a poll in order to choose the official cover for the game. [13] The winning box art was announced on March 2, 2010. [14] On May 21, 2010, a Raskulls tournament took place at the Mana Bar in Brisbane, Australia. [15] It was next shown at Penny Arcade Expo East in Boston, Massachusetts in April 2010, where it was again made playable to conference attendees. [16] A second tournament at the Mana Bar was scheduled for December 23, 2010, where winners received a free copy of the game upon its release. [17] Raskulls was slated for release on December 29, 2010. [18] The game was also featured in Microsoft's Games for the Holidays promotion. As part of the promotion, additional content was made available if players also purchased A World of Keflings or ilomilo . [19] Players could also use the mascot from Destructoid , a video game blog, which can be unlocked during the game's Mega Quest campaign. [20] Raskulls was released for the Xbox 360 on December 29, 2010. [18] On January 26, 2011, Halfbrick released a downloadable content pack entitled Raskulls Reinforcements 1. It contains four new playable characters; three Raskulls, Viking, Spaceman and Kitten, and one Pirat, Barney. [21]

Reception

Pre-release

In a preview of the game, CinemaBlend described Raskulls as " Mario Kart + Castle Crashers + Bomberman ". [35] It also drew comparisons to Mr. Driller . [36] It was praised by various members of the video game media. David Hinkle of Joystiq felt that the blending of genres in Raskulls could be a "dangerously fun combination". [36] Destructoid's James Stephanie Sterling also praised the game in previews, stating that it may be one of the "hottest XBLA titles this year." [37]

Post-release

Raskulls received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [22] It received an Editor's Choice award from Peter Eykemans of TeamXbox who praised the re-playability factor of the game. [38]

Tom McShea of GameSpot praised the game's humor. He stated "the comedic timing is done exceptionally well" and added Raskulls is "a game overflowing with quirky touches." [29]

Mixed views were given in regards to gameplay. Many reviewers felt that the overall gameplay mechanics were solid, however some reviewers felt that it was at times repetitious. Joystiq reviewer Garrett Martin felt the game had solid mechanics and well designed levels. [32] Dakota Grabowski of GameZone praised the game's puzzle mechanics. [31] Grabowski stated that the "best portions of Raskulls are when the game slows down and asks players to solve puzzles." [31] Grabowski did however feel that the game may not be able to hold a player's interest long-term. [31]

Initial sales were high, with over 19,000 units sold during the month of its release. [39] Year-end 2011 sales were in excess of 101,000 units. [40]

Related Research Articles

<i>Hydrophobia</i> (video game) Action adventure video game with dynamic water

Hydrophobia is an action adventure video game developed and published by Dark Energy Digital for Microsoft Windows, the PlayStation 3 and by Microsoft Studios for Xbox Live Arcade. The game was released for Xbox Live Arcade on September 29, 2010, as part of Xbox Live's Games Feast promotion, marking the first of three episodes. The PC version was released in 2011.

<i>Pac-Man Championship Edition</i> 2007 video game

Pac-Man Championship Edition is a 2007 maze video game developed and published by Namco Bandai Games for the Xbox 360. It has since appeared on several other platforms, including iOS, Android, and the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable as a PSP mini title available on the PlayStation Store. It is an HD reimagining of the original Pac-Man arcade game; players navigate Pac-Man through an enclosed maze, eating pellets and avoiding four ghosts that pursue him. Clearing an entire side of the maze of dots will cause a fruit item to appear, and eating it will cause a new maze to appear on the opposite side.

<i>Splosion Man</i> 2009 video game

'Splosion Man is a 2.5D action platform video game developed by Twisted Pixel Games for the Xbox 360, available through the Xbox Live Arcade digital download service. It was released on July 22, 2009, as part of the Xbox Live Summer of Arcade. Players control 'Splosion Man, an escaped science experiment with the ability to explode himself repeatedly, as he works his way through obstacles and traps trying to exit the fictional laboratory known as Big Science.

<i>Destructoid</i> Video game news website

Destructoid is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017, and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022.

<i>Chime</i> (video game) 2010 video game

Chime is a 2010 music and puzzle video game developed by Zoë Mode, released initially on the Xbox Live Arcade service, and later for Windows. An extended version of the game, called Chime Super Deluxe, was released on the PlayStation Network in March 2011. Chime is the first title released by the non-profit video game publisher OneBigGame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mana Bar</span> Australian video game themed bar

Mana Bar was the first Australian cocktail bar and video gaming lounge located in Brisbane, Australia within its biggest night-life and entertainment district, Fortitude Valley. The bar held its opening event on 20 March 2010. The bar allowed visitors to play current generation gaming consoles free of charge while enjoying video game themed drinks.

<i>Rushn Attack: Ex-Patriot</i> 2011 video game

Rush'n Attack: Ex-Patriot is a platform game, a sequel to the 1985 game Rush'n Attack. It was developed by Vatra Games and published by Konami. The game follows Sergeant Sid Morrow, an American special agent sent with his team to recover a prisoner from a secret Russian military base.

<i>Kinect Sports</i> 2010 video game

Kinect Sports is a sports video game developed by Rare and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. The game utilizes the Kinect motion-sensing peripheral and was released in North America on 4 November 2010 as a launch title for Kinect, then, a few days later, in Europe and Australia.

<i>ilomilo</i> 2010 video game

ilomilo is a puzzle video game developed by Southend Interactive and Microsoft Game Studios. It was released on Windows Phone 7 on November 8, 2010 for AT&T customers. On November 26, 2010, a "secret" website was made available where players could get a code to download a trial and purchase the game early, while the game was officially released on Xbox Live Arcade on January 5, 2011. A DLC, titled ilomilo: Autumn Tale, was released for Xbox 360 only on March 9, 2011. On May 23, 2017, the game became available on Xbox One through its backwards compatibility program. There is also port for Windows 8 that adds 2 new sets of puzzles, 6 new pieces of music, and new story snippets. These new sets of levels are called "berry story" and "playroom escapade," and never became available on the 360 version.

<i>Infinity Blade</i> 2010 video game

Infinity Blade was an action role-playing game developed by Chair Entertainment and Epic Games and released through the Apple App Store on December 9, 2010. It was the first iOS video game to run on the Unreal Engine. In the game, the unnamed player character fights a series of one-on-one battles in a derelict castle to face the immortal God King. When in battle, players swipe the screen to attack and parry, and tap the screen to dodge and block enemy attacks. Upon defeat, the player restarts the game as the character's descendant with the same items and experience level.

<i>Fruit Ninja</i> 2010 video game

Fruit Ninja is a video game developed by Halfbrick originally released on August 12, 2010. In the game, the player must slice fruit that is thrown into the air by swiping the device's touch screen with their finger(s) or the player's arms and hands, and must not slice bombs. It features multiple gameplay modes, leaderboards and multiplayer.

<i>Your Shape: Fitness Evolved</i> 2010 video game

Your Shape: Fitness Evolved is a fitness game developed and published by Ubisoft. The game was released in November 2010 as a launch title for Kinect, a motion tracking sensor accessory for the Xbox 360. It was later ported to Japan for release on December 9, 2010. It is a sequel to Your Shape, making it the second game in the franchise.

<i>Swarm</i> (2011 video game) 2011 video game

Swarm is an action-platform video game developed by Hothead Games and published by Ignition Entertainment for PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network and for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade. The setting revolves around a flock of 50 blue bipedal creatures, dubbed swarmites, and their quest to collect DNA in order to save their race. The player controls the swarmites as a collective, but each swarmite has individual intelligence meaning interaction between the player and the swarm is always dynamic.

<i>Shoot Many Robots</i> 2012 video game

Shoot Many Robots is a video game developed by Demiurge Studios and published by Ubisoft for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and Microsoft Windows via Steam. It is the first original release from the developer which previously did support work on games such as Rock Band, BioShock, and Mass Effect. Shoot Many Robots was released in March 2012 for XBLA and PSN, and a month later for Steam. The Xbox 360 version received mixed reviews–a Metacritic score of 67–while other versions received too little attention to result in a meaningful rating.

<i>Toy Soldiers: Cold War</i> 2011 video game

Toy Soldiers: Cold War is an action strategy video game, developed by Signal Studios. It is the sequel to Toy Soldiers. Toy Soldiers: Cold War features 1980s-era military technology, and is based around the idea of military aggression escalating between the USA and the USSR. Toy Soldiers: Cold War features a blend of third-person action and strategy, similar to the original Toy Soldiers, but with added features and gameplay mechanics.

<i>Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team</i> 2011 video game

Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team is a top-down shooter game with twin-stick control, set in the Warhammer 40,000 future fantasy universe. Players play as Space Marines attempting to halt an Ork invasion spaceship, facing orks and, later, Tyranids. Four Space Marine classes are playable Sternguard Veteran, Techmarine, Vanguard Veteran and Librarian. The first two focusing on Shooting the later two on melee. The game supports single player and same screen multiplayer modes.

<i>NFL Blitz</i> (2012 video game) 2012 video game

NFL Blitz is a downloadable video game by EA Sports featuring the teams of the National Football League. It is a reboot of the NFL Blitz series, the first Blitz game officially sponsored by the NFL after a number of releases in the Blitz series which did not bear the NFL's official license. It was released in North American territories in January 2012 on both PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade. Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was selected to be the virtual cover athlete of the game. Play by play commentary was provided by Tim Kitzrow and color commentary by Brian Haley.

<i>Puss in Boots</i> (video game) 2011 video game

Puss in Boots is an action game based on the film of the same name. It was developed by Blitz Games Studios, and released by THQ for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and Nintendo DS. It features support for Kinect and PlayStation Move on the respective platforms.

<i>Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z</i> 2014 video game

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is an action adventure hack and slash game, and a spin-off of the Ninja Gaiden franchise. It was published by Tecmo Koei and developed by Spark Unlimited. Comcept's Keiji Inafune conceptualized the game, providing character designs and creating the character of Yaiba. The game was released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows worldwide in March 2014.

<i>Wizorb</i> 2011 video game

Wizorb is a video game created and published by Tribute Games. It was released on the Xbox 360 Xbox Live Marketplace on September 29, 2011. The gameplay is a cross between a Breakout clone and a role-playing video game. Wizorb was ported to Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. It was released for Windows through Steam on March 14, 2012, with added achievements and cloud storage. Upon release, Wizorb saw favorable reviews from critics, with VentureBeat's Jacob Siegal listing it as one of the top 10 independent video games of 2011.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hinkle, David (April 14, 2009). "Joystiq interview: Halfbrick Studios (Part 2)". Engadget (Joystiq). Yahoo. Archived from the original on April 18, 2009. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  2. GamesIndustry International (June 12, 2009). "Raskulls (Preview)". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network . Retrieved December 20, 2010.
  3. 1 2 Sterling, Jim (January 14, 2010). "Exclusive: Raskulls campaign developer walkthrough". Destructoid . Gamurs. Archived from the original on September 15, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 Hudak, Chris (January 4, 2010). "Raskulls Preview". GameRevolution . CraveOnline. Archived from the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  5. Bennett, Hollie (September 7, 2010). "PAX 10: Raskulls interview with Phil Larsen". Destructoid. Gamurs. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  6. Larsen, Phil (March 22, 2010). "Worldwide release of new Raskulls Mega Quest trailer!". Halfbrick Studios . Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Halfbrick Studios (December 29, 2010). Raskulls. Microsoft Game Studios.
  8. Brudvig, Erik (March 27, 2009). "Raskulls Coming to Live Arcade". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  9. Sterling, James Stpehanie (March 27, 2009). "Raskulls announced for XBLA, looks adorable". Destructoid. Gamurs. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  10. Hillier, Brenna (April 28, 2009). "Raskulls: costumed skeletons in puzzling platform fun!". Games On Net. Archived from the original on January 21, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  11. HDGamerz (May 13, 2009). "Raskulls - Debut Teaser (HD)". YouTube . Google . Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  12. Larsen, Phil (January 11, 2010). "Design a Raskull ended with a Police Raid". Halfbrick Studios. Archived from the original on April 4, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  13. "Raskulls box art competition! Vote and comment to win!". Halfbrick Studios. February 17, 2010. Archived from the original on March 9, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  14. Mitchell, Richard (March 3, 2010). "Raskulls box art decided, disappointing". Engadget (Joystiq). Yahoo. Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  15. "Raskulls rocks the Mana Bar". Halfbrick Studios. May 21, 2010. Archived from the original on November 10, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  16. Machinima, Inc. (April 2, 2010). "Inside Gaming Plus: Raskulls Interview with Phil Larsen at PAX East". YouTube. Google. Retrieved December 20, 2010.[ dead YouTube link ]
  17. "Raskulls Christmas Competition". Mana Bar . December 3, 2010. Archived from the original on January 1, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  18. 1 2 Nelson, Randy (December 2, 2010). "A World of Keflings, Raskulls and ilomilo dated for XBLA". Engadget (Joystiq). Yahoo. Archived from the original on December 4, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  19. Orland, Kyle (December 3, 2010). "Microsoft Offers Cross-Game Content For Holiday Promotion Purchasers". Game Developer . Informa . Retrieved December 20, 2010.
  20. Larson, Phil (February 3, 2010). "Mr. Destructoid joins Raskulls!". Halfbrick Studios. Archived from the original on February 6, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  21. "Raskulls Reinforcements 1". Xbox.com. Microsoft . Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  22. 1 2 "Raskulls for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic . Fandom . Retrieved January 8, 2011.
  23. Teti, John (January 3, 2011). "Raskulls". The A.V. Club . G/O Media. Archived from the original on January 6, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  24. Edge staff (January 4, 2011). "Raskulls Review". Edge . Future plc. Archived from the original on January 7, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  25. Reed, Kristan (January 6, 2011). "Raskulls". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  26. Marchiafava, Jeff (January 6, 2011). "Raskulls Review". Game Informer . GameStop . Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  27. Terones, Terry (January 3, 2011). "Raskulls". GamePro . GamePro Media. Archived from the original on January 5, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  28. Reboucas, Eduardo (January 4, 2011). "Raskulls Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on March 17, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  29. 1 2 McShea, Tom (December 30, 2010). "Raskulls Review". GameSpot . Fandom. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  30. "Raskulls". GameTrailers . Viacom. January 20, 2011. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  31. 1 2 3 4 Grabowski, Dakota (December 29, 2010). "Raskulls Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on April 10, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  32. 1 2 Martin, Garrett (December 30, 2010). "Raskulls review: Take my skull for a ride". Engadget (Joystiq). Yahoo. Archived from the original on January 2, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  33. Hayward, Andrew (February 2011). "Raskulls review". Official Xbox Magazine . Future US. p. 78. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  34. Funk, John (January 11, 2011). "Review: Raskulls". The Escapist . Gamurs. Archived from the original on January 12, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  35. Rigney, Ryan (June 12, 2009). "Mario Kart + Castle Crashers + Bomberman = Raskulls". CinemaBlend. Future plc. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
  36. 1 2 Hinkle, David (June 12, 2009). "The Raskulls bust some blocks in latest trailer". Engadget (Joystiq). Yahoo. Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  37. Sterling, James Stephanie (June 12, 2009). "Raskulls finally gets a gameplay video, we jump on its bones". Destructoid. Gamurs. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  38. Eykemans, Peter (January 4, 2011). "Raskulls Review (Xbox 360)". TeamXbox . IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  39. Langley, Ryan (January 28, 2011). "In-Depth: Xbox Live Arcade's 2010 Sales Revealed". Game Developer. Informa. Archived from the original on February 1, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  40. Langley, Ryan (January 20, 2012). "Xbox Live Arcade by the numbers - the 2011 year in review". Game Developer. Informa. Archived from the original on March 25, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2022.