Mikey Shorts Preview

Amid stories of sexism in online gaming and a torrent of rudeness in forums the web over, Mikey Shorts is as inspirational a game as you can find. Three years ago over on the forums of our friends at TouchArcade, players were immersed in tooth and nail competition in Rocketcat Games’ Hook Champ, posting about their best scores and times. For two players, however, this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship

Next time you think your last name is bad, put it in perspective.

Going by the handles mikeg123 and qpawn (a name I’m just now realizing might be a parody of the way many say “coupon”), two top Hook Champ-ers (hook champs?) both by the name of Mike bonded not only over their mutual desire for one another’s destruction, but the fact that they loved speedrun action. And as luck would have it, they sort of had the makings of game studio: one knew pixel art, and the other a little bit of programming. One drunken night later*, and Mikeys two had created Beavertap Games.

For their first project, the team is releasing Mikey Shorts. I like to think of it like Hook Champ meets Mr. Potato Head. Using a simple on-screen virtual joystick, players dash left and right across the screen, pressing gloriously squishy-looking red and blue buttons to jump and slide across platforms, under passageways, and to each level’s exit. In place of enemies, you’ll be tasked nabbing statues in each section to open your way through, putting your observation and twitch reflexes.

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And what of the Mr. Potato Head part of the game? That’s where the levels many coins come into play. While earning the coveted three star rating in each stage is tied only to your time and statue count, coins will allow you to select from and purchase hundreds of new heads, outfits, and bodies for Mikey – taking the Rocketcat Games ethic of hats to the next level.

Meanwhile, you’ll be able to get your hands on the first level of Mikey Shorts later this summer, when the game releases for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch at a currently planned price of 0.99c!