What is the PAX 10?
The Penny Arcade Expo is upon us this weekend. Among the numerous games you can enjoy and jump into at the massive event, there's the PAX 10. Started in 2008, the PAX 10 is a showcase of ten independent games that have been picked by a panel of judges for display at PAX. Year upon year, there has been no shortage of well-received titles that go on to become household names among core gamers. As PAX Prime nears, GamesRadar would like to present a few notable alumni from the annual showcase...
2008
Game: The Maw Developer: Twisted Pixel Studios What We Said: "If you're a fan of well-crafted children's stories and tightly designed gameplay, there's no excuse not to give The Maw a shot." How You Can Play It: Xbox Live Arcade, PC
2008
Game: Audiosurf Developer: Dylan Fitterer What We Said: "(Audiosurf) hinges on the thrill of wondering how its going to treat whatever you next throw at it, and those glorious moments when the entire game seems created specifically for the song youre playing." How You Can Play It: Windows (via Steam)
2008
Game: Schizoid Developer: Torpex Games What We Said: "Its fun, its frantic and, at times, its a little bit too tough, but at 800 points youd be hard pressed to find a better co-op game on Live..." How You Can Play It: Xbox Live Arcade
2009
Game: Closure Developer: Eyebrow Interactive What We Said: "(Closure) is a neatly-constructed package that wonderfully showcases a smart and challenging puzzle game. It's a great way to dive in and invest your time in a unique and soundly designed experience." How You Can Play It: US PlayStation Network Store, coming to Steam in September 2012
2009
Game: Machinarium Developer: Amanita Design What We Said: "Machinariums distinct visual style and seamless animations are etched with a staggering level of detail, and few games come close to possessing the sheer beauty found here." How You Can Play It: Windows, Mac, Linux, iPad, Android, coming to European PlayStation Network Store in September 2012
2009
Game: Fieldrunners Developer: Subatomic Studios What We Said: "Aside from its derivative Tower defense gameplay, Fieldrunners works because it has a strong strategic element." How You Can Play It: iOS, Android, Nintendo DSiWare, PlayStation minis, Mobile, Chrome Web Store, Steam
2010
Game: Bastion Developer: Supergiant Studios What We Said: "Bastion's main strengths are twofold--the combat is satisfying and varied, and the customization options are robust." How You Can Play It: Xbox Live Arcade, Steam, Mac, Chrome (browser-based version), Linux
2010
Game: Super Meat Boy Developer: Team Meat What We Said: "If you love platformers and were dying to play one till your hands hurt, one with personality that comically recognizes its retro influences without cashing in on nostalgia to be fun, thats tough but fair, and that will make you feel like you really earned the Achievement when you finally beat it, get Super Meat Boy. You wont regret it." How You Can Play It: Xbox Live Arcade, PC, Mac, Linux
2011
Game: Fez Developer: Polytron Corporation What We Said: "Its an absolute triumph in creating something new both in terms of its platforming and its puzzle solving; blending together genres in ways weve never seen." How You Can Play It: Xbox Live Arcade
2010
Game: Retro City Rampage Developer: VBlank Entertainment What We Said: "In GamesRadars dark, cynical hearts, we have endless love for all the things we loved in our childhoods. Stuff like Full House, snap bracelets and tonsillitis all are bright spots in our collective memories. As is the NES, no matter if the games were unforgettable classics like Super Mario or garbage like the first TMNT game. Memories like those are stirred by games like Retro City Rampage, the long in development downloadable." How You Can Play It: It's still in development, but is tentatively coming before the end of 2012
Going to PAX Prime 2012?
Here's a list of this year's PAX 10 games you can expect to see on the show floor. It's worth working through the masses to check them out.
Happy PAX!
