Recreation Theory
Cynics would have it that Team Dakotas digital canvas is great for making games, as long as they look and sound and play like Fable. Nonsense. Well, okay, it is great for making those, since the default fantasy skin set is the only one you dont have to shell out extra for, but thats nothing a little ingenuity cant get around. Though there are some great original efforts around (check out zombie-herding strategy-actioner Patient Zero), it should come as no surprise that remakes dominate the community creations. Here are seven examples that showcase the surprising versatility of Project Sparks world-builder.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Title: Skyrim Reborn v.01 Co-Creator: GamerX420
It goes without saying that this remake doesnt match the scale of Bethesdas sandbox sprawl (whoops! - we said it), but this makes a decent fist of capturing the freeform thrill of the real thing. Wielding a sword in your right hand and shooting fireballs from your left, you can explore a village with a functioning water wheel and smashable barrels, while Force Shouting at any bandits who cross your path.
P.T.
Title: R.T. Creator: Spawn N8NE
The beauty of Project Spark is that you can use it to recreate games only available on other platforms. The attention to detail in this remake of Hideo Kojimas much-vaunted first-person horror demo is staggering. Brilliant use of lighting and camera sway help replicate the eerie atmosphere, and it has at least one very decent jump scare. Expertly crafted, it demonstrates Sparks capabilities in the right hands.
Snake
Title: Snake mobile Nokia game Creator: DonSjonnie
This take on the mobile favourite (eat, grow, try not to bump into your own tail) probably isnt the most fun youll have playing a Project Spark creation, but as a lesson in how flexible the design tools are its hard to beat. How did they do that? youll wonder, before remembering that you can dip into Edit mode to see exactly how cleverly assembled this is.
Tetris
Title: Dakotris 4.0 Creator: Rebher
An early Spark creation, this version of Alexei Pajitnovs classic puzzler plays just like the real thing except with different coloured shapes. The crunchy sound effects as you get a line are really rather satisfying, though theyre slightly obscured by the music. Sadly, a brave attempt to recapture the original theme is nails-down-blackboard irritating; happily it can be quickly silenced in Edit mode.
Fable
Title: Oakvale Fable Co-creator: Mr XBob
Its no surprise that Lionheads RPG is one of the most popular inspirations for remakes, and this ambitious recreation of the originals opening where doing good deeds earns you money to buy your sister a present - is one of the best projects weve seen so far. With dialogue, camera cutaways, and expressive character animations, it works as a nostalgic tribute and a fine showcase for Sparks creative toolset.
Pac-Man
Title: Snick-Man Creator: SNICKEN
This popular remake recasts Pac-Man as a mouthless lump of circular rock, gobbling power pills to prey upon similarly rounded pursuers, who go by the names of Stalker, Sneaky, Sniper and Sly. The family stone enthusiastically celebrate spotting and killing their quarry (sample dialogue: Hehehe you dead) and though theyre not as smart as Blinky, Pinky and co. theyll still corner you if youre not careful.
Slender
Title: Slender Creator: B4Z1NG4 x F2D
Explore a forest and collect eight coins: a simple enough task made harder by the terrifying spindly monster patrolling the woods. On PC, its what olden-day mags might call a pant-brownener, and its well worth a look. This adaptation is not quite dark enough (though neatly, your torch switches off when you run) and the spell is broken when you get too close to ol skinny arms and he looks like a childs scribble. But intelligently sparse sound effects mean the sporadic jolts will raise your pulse.
