Haven't done one of these for a while, so here's a quick round-up of quirky items from the periphery of gaming...
Wondermind
Launched earlier this month, Wondermind is the latest project from the brilliant London studio Preloaded. Having previously worked with Channel 4 and the Science Museum, this lot are experts at applying really compelling game design ideas to educational projects. Wonderland, then, is a fascinating collection of Lewis Carrol-themed mini-games, designed to help us learn about the function and development of the human brain. It's funded by the Wellcome Trust and tied in with Tate Liverpool's Alice in Wonderland exhibition. Although aimed at 8-12 year-olds, the visual style is so beautiful and the ideas so well presented, everyone should check it out.
The Thrill Electric
In case you've missed this, The Thrill Electric is a ten-part online comic book, commissioned by Channel 4 and themed aorund the similarities between our internet age and the Victorian era of the telegraph. Developed by Brighton-based Littleloud (previously responsible for unmissable web games, Sweatshop and The Curfew) and written by Leah Moore and John Reppion with art by Windflower, it follows Emily Bagley, a young woman who breaks with tradition and stifling social conventions to become a telegraph worker. Parts one to six are already online, with the final four parts arriving on a weekly basis. You can also get it on iOS platforms – and if you're interested in the concept of the Victorian Internet, it's well worth a look.
The Show Must Go On
And another fascinating little game designed as a tie-in with an arts collaborator, this time the Royal Opera House. The Show Must Go On is a selection of mini-games, in which you play a stage manager who must assemble all the parts fo the latest production through a series of gaming tasks. Typically for developer Hide&Seek it's wonderfully stylish and filled with neat ideas. The game is available on iOS platforms for 69p and it has a dedicated website right here.
SpecialEffect Loan Library Project from William Donegan on Vimeo.
SpecialEffect app
Based in Charlbury, Oxfordshire, SpecialEffect is a charity that helps disabled gamers by – among other projects – providing (and in some cases building) customised peripherals that allow access to a range of game titles. The team has just released an iPhone app that explains their work, and provides tips for developers looking to make their projects more accessible. Go and download it immediately – they do amazing stuff.
