Having been told by Shoot Many Robots developer Demiurge Studios that the game, originally designed for console, was too complex to be controlled via a touchscreen, Owlchemy Labs came up with an interesting proposal for an Android version.
The developer perhaps best known for Snuggle Truck decided not to simply port Shoot Many Robots over to mobile.
Rather, as described by Owlchemy Labs founder Alex Schwartz (pictured) during the studio's talk at Unite 2013 in Vancouver, the developer moved to in his words "clone" it.
The clone soars
Both Schwartz and CTO Devin Reimer clarified that cloning in this sense meant that, beyond the original game's art assets, everything else for Shoot Many Robots mobile was stripped out.
Reimer and Schwartz on stage at Unite 2013
Instead of replicating the game in its entirety on smartphones, Owlchemy instead looked to take the spirit of the game a side-scrolling action platformer and recreate it in an entirely new release specifically designed for touchscreens.
The end result was a game that, while different in terms of design and structure to Demiurge's original, still felt like Shoot Many Robots.
Shoot Many Robots in its original console/PC form
Owlchemy Labs' mobile 'clone'
The entire process was, of course, made much easier by using Unity Schwartz and Reimer dedicating much of their talk to how they used the game engine to develop Shoot Many Robots for Android step by step.
But, crucially, it would appear Shoot Many Robot's legacy may be the noble admission that games aren't universally transferable.
A title specifically designed for one platform can't necessarily be dropped straight onto another but it is possible to recapture the spirit behind it in a completely new, yet complimentary release.
News
With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.
Related Articles
Top Stories
News
5 hours, 47 minutes ago
Cécile Russeil takes the helm at Ubisoft as EVP of comms, DEI, HR, and legal
Feature
7 hours, 4 minutes ago
"Gaming in MENA is just starting. Investment will bring more attention to the region and create more opportunities"
Feature
Apr 24th, 2024
48 top mobile games in soft launch: Squad Busters, CSR 3, Plants vs. Zombies 3, LEGO Hill Climb Adventures, and more
Events
App Promotion Summit London | Europe | Apr 25th |
Esports Future Summit | Middle East | Apr 27th |
Dubai GameExpo Summit 2024 | Middle East | May 1st |
The MENA Games Industry Awards 2024 | Middle East | May 2nd |
GameDev Atlantic 2024 | May 4th | |
Mobidictum Meetup Berlin May 2024 | Europe | May 7th |
Mobidictum Meetup Tallinn May 2024 | Europe | May 21st |
Israel Mobile Summit 2024 | Middle East | Jun 6th |
Popular Stories
News
Apr 23rd, 2024
Supercell’s Squad Busters soft launches today with over 100,000 Google Play downloads
Feature
Apr 24th, 2024