Meme Run

Last updated
Meme Run
Meme Run.png
Developer(s) Ninja Pig Studios
Publisher(s) Ninja Pig Studios
Engine Unity
Platform(s) Wii U
ReleaseDecember 18, 2014
Genre(s) Endless runner
Mode(s) Single-player

Meme Run is an endless running video game created by American indie developer Ninja Pig Studios (Jordan Schuetz and his brother) for the Wii U console's eShop service. The game features extensive use of Internet memes; for example, the player character is a stick figure with a trollface for a head, and the levels are made up of Lenny faces. The game was designed to appeal to both hardcore and casual audiences, but has been widely criticized both before and after its release for its perceived low quality.

Contents

The game was removed from the Nintendo eShop on March 3, 2015 by artist Carlos Ramirez due to unlicensed use of the trollface by the developers. [1]

Gameplay

In Meme Run, the player controls a stick figure with a trollface for a head. The character runs through procedurally generated 2D levels, jumping over and sliding under obstacles, until it is trapped between the continually sliding screen and an obstacle or falls into a bottomless pit. The player's total of "swag points" continually increases, and after a run, the player can post their high score to Miiverse. The levels are made up of the repeated "Lenny face" Internet meme, and other memes appear throughout the game, such as a "wombo combo!" scream when the player collects an item—a reference to a Super Smash Bros. Melee match recording on YouTube. [2]

Development and release

Meme Run was developed by Ninja Pig Studios, a small indie outfit consisting of 20 year old developer Jordan Schuetz and his brother. [3] The game contains copious use of memes, described as an "Internet meme-infused infinite runner (Yes, really)" by Joystiq. [4] It was intended to appeal to both hardcore and casual gaming audiences by featuring both simple, intuitive controls and substantial difficulty once the character has run far enough. [3]

The game was widely criticized before its release; in response, Schuetz responded that it was a parody intended to "troll" users and called it "Game of the Year 2014". [5] However, Schuetz's friends in college enjoyed the game, [3] and its description contains the quote "Tyrone rated this game 8/8 which means it's not b8 so come play m8." [6] It was released on December 18, 2014 for the Wii U's eShop online service, [2] their second eShop release after the poorly received puzzle game IQ Test. [7] Schuetz has stated that Ninja Pig's future plans are "a secret". [3]

On January 5, 2015, Meme Run was put on Steam Greenlight in an attempt to release the game on Steam, which never came to fruition due to the shutdown of Steam Greenlight on June 6, 2017. [8] [9]

On January 19, 2015, "Bigley Mode" was added. By pressing B on the main menu, the user would be able to play as a character known as Bigley, an in-joke within the Miiverse community referencing a drawing within that community relating to the Metroid character Ridley and the reasons given for his absence from the video games Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U .[ citation needed ]

On March 3, 2015, 'Meme Run' was pulled from the Wii U eShop with no public announcement. Its Miiverse community page was also taken down. [10] A Reddit post purporting to be the copyright holder of the "trollface" meme claimed he sent a DMCA notice to Nintendo to take down Meme Run. According to Schuetz, Meme Run failed Nintendo's legal tests at least three times. [11]

Reception

Prior to release, Mark Serrels of Kotaku called the game "terrifying" and opined that "just watching this video game being played is a genuine insight into what it is to be insane." [14] The game was hated upon release, Nintendo Life staff writer Lee Meyer gave Meme Run an extremely negative review, calling it possibly "one of the worst releases on any gaming platform this year" and stating that it was certainly not worth its price of US$4.99. Meyer found the copious use of memes to be unpleasant and jarring and also criticized the finicky controls. He suggested that its intention may have been to lampoon the proliferation of banal Internet memes, but felt that it had not succeeded. [2]

Legacy

On July 23, 2020, a sequel was released for Windows, macOS, and PlayStation 4 titled Meme Run 2. [15] It has similar gameplay to the original but with non-copyrighted content.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<i>Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master</i> 1993 video game

Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master, released in Japan as The Super Shinobi II, is a 1993 hack-and-slash platform game developed and published by Sega for the Mega Drive/Genesis. It is the direct sequel to the previous The Revenge of Shinobi. The game was intended to be released in 1992 and to be very different from the final version of the game in terms of levels and storyline. Shinobi III received critical acclaim. It's been ranked among the greatest Mega Drive/Genesis games.

Super Smash Bros. is a crossover platform fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objective which differs from that of traditional fighters, in that the aim is to increase damage counters and knock opponents off the stage instead of depleting life bars.

The Virtual Console is a defunct line of downloadable retro video games for Nintendo's Wii and Wii U home video game consoles and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. The Virtual Console lineup consisted of titles originally released on past home and handheld consoles and were run in their original forms through software emulation, therefore remaining mostly unaltered, and could be purchased from the Wii Shop Channel or Nintendo eShop for between 500 and 1200 Wii Points, or using real currency, with prices depending on the system, rarity, and/or demand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mii</span> Avatar on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps

A Mii is a customizable avatar used on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps. The name Mii is a portmanteau of "Wii" and "me", referring to them typically being avatars of the players. Miis were first introduced on the Wii console in 2006 and later appeared on the DS, 3DS, the Wii U, the Switch, and various apps for smart devices such as Miitomo. Miis can be created using different body, facial and clothing features, and can then be used as characters within games on the consoles, either as an avatar of a specific player or in some games portrayed as characters with their own personalities. Miis can be shared and transferred between consoles, either manually or automatically with other users over the internet and local wireless communications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trollface</span> Rage comic character

Trollface or Troll Face is a rage comic meme image of a character donning a mischievous smile, used to symbolise internet trolls and trolling. It is one of the oldest and most widely known rage comic faces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wii U</span> Home video game console by Nintendo

The Wii U is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nintendo eShop</span> Online service for Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo eShop is a digital distribution service for the Nintendo Switch, and formerly available via the Nintendo Network for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Launched in June 2011 on the Nintendo 3DS, the Nintendo eShop served as the successor to both the Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop. It is also a multitasking application, which means it is easily accessible even when a game is already running in the background through the system software. The Nintendo eShop features downloadable games, demos, applications, streaming videos, consumer rating feedback, and other information on upcoming game releases. The service was discontinued globally for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS in March 2023, continuing only on the Switch.

<i>Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS</i> and <i>Wii U</i> Pair of 2014 video games

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, both commonly referred to together as Super Smash Bros. 4 or Smash 4, are 2014 crossover platform fighter video games developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U video game consoles. It is the fourth installment in the Super Smash Bros. series, succeeding Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The Nintendo 3DS version was released in Japan on September 13, 2014, and in North America, Europe, and Australia the following month. The Wii U version was released in North America, Europe, and Australia in November 2014 and in Japan the following month.

The Nintendo Network was an online service formerly ran by Nintendo that provided free online functionalities for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U systems and their compatible games. Launched in 2012, it was Nintendo's second online service after Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection; the Nintendo Network was not a component of the Nintendo Switch, which only uses the subscription-based Nintendo Switch Online, although Nintendo Network IDs were able to be linked to the Switch via Nintendo Accounts.

Art Academy is a series of edutainment video games beginning in 2009 with Art Academy. Its most recent release was Disney Art Academy. One of Nintendo's franchises, the series has been released on Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miiverse</span> Social network by Nintendo, 2012–2017

Miiverse is a discontinued social network for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U that was created by Nintendo System Development and Hatena, and powered by the Nintendo Network. Integrated into many games, Miiverse allowed players to interact and share their experiences by way of handwritten messages or drawings, text, screenshots, and sometimes game videos in dedicated communities. It was available via any web browser, and a dedicated app version was originally planned for tablets and smartphones. All users who signed up for a Nintendo Network ID were automatically given a Miiverse profile per account, represented by the Mii avatar connected to said Nintendo Network ID.

<i>Wii Fit U</i> 2013 exergaming video game published by Nintendo

Wii Fit U is an exergaming video game developed by Nintendo for the Wii U console, and is the successor to the Wii games Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus. Wii Fit U utilizes both the Wii Balance Board and the Wii U GamePad in gameplay, and is bundled with the newly introduced Fit Meter, an activity meter accessory. It was released in Japan on October 31, 2013, followed by North America and Europe one day later. It is also the only game on the system to support the balance board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wii U system software</span> Operating system for Nintendos Wii U home video game console

The Wii U operating system, also known internally as Cafe OS, is the official firmware version and system software for the Nintendo's Wii U home video game console. Nintendo maintains the Wii U's systemwide features and applications by offering system software updates via the Internet. Updates are optional to each console owner, but may be required in order to retain interoperability with Nintendo's online services. Each update is cumulative, including all changes from previous updates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal Crossing Plaza</span> Discontinued social networking service

Animal Crossing Plaza was a social networking service developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. It was a spin-off of the Animal Crossing series, associated with Animal Crossing: New Leaf for the Nintendo 3DS. The application allowed players to socialize via Miiverse, Nintendo's now-defunct social networking service; players could share images from their New Leaf save file and interact with others, among other features. It was announced and released on August 7, 2013, in Japan and North America and the following day in Europe. The application is no longer actively supported by Nintendo, and was removed from the Nintendo eShop on December 22, 2014.

<i>Wii Sports Club</i> 2013 sports video game published by Nintendo

Wii Sports Club is a 2014 sports simulation video game developed by Nintendo and Bandai Namco Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. It is the third entry in the Wii Sports series, following Wii Sports Resort (2009), a part of the larger Wii series. As an enhanced remake of the Wii launch title Wii Sports (2006), it includes five minigames that replicate Tennis, Baseball, Bowling, Golf, and Boxing, and are controlled with motion controls that replicate the sports.

<i>Pushmo World</i> 2014 video game

Pushmo World, known as Pullblox World in Europe and Australia and as Hikuosu World in Japan, is a puzzle game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Wii U video game console. The game is the sequel to Pushmo and Crashmo, and was released worldwide on June 19, 2014. A sequel, Stretchmo for the Nintendo 3DS, was released in 2015.

<i>Freedom Planet</i> 2014 video game

Freedom Planet is a 2014 platform game developed and published by American video game designer Sabrina DiDuro, for her studio GalaxyTrail. The player controls one of three anthropomorphic animal protagonists: the dragon girl Lilac, the wildcat Carol, or the basset hound Milla. Aided by a duck-like alien named Torque, the girls attempt to defeat the evil Lord Brevon, who plans to steal the Kingdom Stone and conquer the galaxy. While the game focuses on fast-paced platforming, its levels are interspersed with slower action scenes.

<i>Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones</i> 2014 video game

Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones is a 2D puzzle platform video game which was developed and published by Curve Digital. The game is a sequel to Stealth Bastard Deluxe, featuring different mechanics which involve puzzle sections. The game was released for the Wii U on October 23, 2014. The PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows versions of the game were also released in April 2015.

<i>Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars</i> 2015 video game

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars is a 2015 puzzle-platform game developed by Nintendo Software Technology and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. It is the sixth game in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series and the 200th video game featuring Mario. The game was released worldwide in March 2015 on the Nintendo eShop for all regions, and received a physical release in Japan. This is the first Nintendo-published title to support a cross-purchase concept; if players buy one version, they receive a free download code for the other version. The 3DS version is also the first Nintendo 3DS title to support Miiverse stamps.

<i>Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games</i> 2016 video game

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is a 2016 crossover sports and party game in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series, released for the Nintendo 3DS in February 2016 in Japan, March 2016 in North America, and in April 2016 for Europe and Australia, and for the Wii U worldwide in June 2016. The game is officially licensed by the International Olympic Committee, as are the other games in the series. It was developed by Sega, with assistance from Arzest and Spike Chunsoft, and published by Nintendo. It is the fifth title in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series. The game is a collection of Olympic sports themed mini-games featuring characters from the Mario series and the Sonic the Hedgehog series.

References

  1. ↑ "r/nintendo - Regarding Meme Run, and why I had it pulled from the eShop". reddit. 4 March 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-03-04. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Meyer, Lee (December 21, 2014). "Meme Run: Review". NintendoLife. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Taylor, Shawn (November 29, 2014). "Meme Run Creator Jordan Schuetz Addresses Haters". Nintendo News. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  4. ↑ "New Nintendo eShop releases: Mega Man Zero, Meme Run | Joystiq". archive.is. 2014-12-29. Archived from the original on 2014-12-29. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
  5. ↑ McMahon, Conor (November 18, 2014). "Wii U eShop Title Meme Run Seals Approval To Release This December". NintendoLife. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  6. ↑ Ronaghan, Neal (December 18, 2014). "This Week in the Nintendo eShop". IGN . Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  7. ↑ Calvert, Darren (September 24, 2014). "Meme Run is Coming to Troll Your Wii U Very Soon". NintendoLife. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Meme Run Hits Steam Greenlight - Hardcore Gamer". Hardcore Gamer. 2015-01-05. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
  9. ↑ "Steam Blog :: Closing Greenlight Today, Steam Direct Launches June 13". 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
  10. ↑ Carlson, Alex (March 3, 2015). "Meme Run Removed From Wii U eShop". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  11. ↑ Koopa, Ludwig. "Meme Run ran away off Wii U". KoopaTV. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  12. ↑ Taylor, Shawn (December 26, 2014). "Meme Run: Review". Nintendo News. Retrieved Jan 25, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Meme Run Review for Wii U". January 2015. Archived from the original on 2017-05-10. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  14. ↑ Serrels, Mark (September 25, 2014). "This Video Game Made Entirely From Memes Will Drive You Insane". Kotaku. Archived from the original on December 30, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Meme Run 2 on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.