My name is Brad and I’ve been an Ouya supporter for about a year and half. If you’re familiar with our website, you already know that I’m the “Ouya guy” when it comes to game reviews, as I’ve handled every single one of them. Sure, it’s not the most popular home console, or the most powerful, but I’ve spent a lot of time with it, gotten to know some of the developers, and I can confidently say that there’s a lot of great games that deserve the largest market possible.
The ID@Xbox division has been hard at work bringing an insane amount of new indies to the Xbox One, which is awesome. And when I say “hard at work”, I mean hard at work. The other day, for instance, they released 124 (!) brand new trailers for upcoming games, and I couldn’t help but notice that a few Ouya names were among them.
As of today, current Ouya titles like Toto Temple Deluxe, Magnetic By Nature, Reagan Gorbachev, Read Only Memories, Elliot Quest, Soccertron, Mousecraft, Whispering Willows, Battle High 2 A+, and So Many Me are set to release on the Xbox One at some point. Many of you also know that I’m a HUGE fan of Duck Game, and a few days ago I received a reply on Twitter from developer Landon Podbielski stating that the game is “likely gonna come to Xbox“, which made my day.
So of course this got me thinking about what other Ouya games I’d like to see make their way to my console of choice. I’m sure there’s more, but without further ado, here’s my wishlist.
Amazing Frog?
Amazing Frog? is a sandbox game where you control a flatulent amphibian and do whatever the hell you want around the town of Swindon. You can drive cars, shoot guns, and even travel to the moon, but I’ve always loved the fact that I could make my own adventure–and do so with friends, if I felt so inclined.
This game was made for the Ouya, but the team at Fayju have since created a new Amazing Frog experience on PC, thanks to Steam’s Early Access. Featuring a new world to explore and more ways to interact with it (riding pigs and being chased by sharks is something I need in my life), the newer PC version would make an ideal candidate for the Xbox Game Preview program that was announced at E3.
You can check out my review of Amazing Frog?: The Swindon Space Program right here.
Meltdown
This isometric co-op shoot ’em up is, and always will be, the best online experience I’ve ever had on the Ouya. Meltdown is already affordable at $7, and I never once had issues finding other people to play with at any hour of the day thanks to its cross-platform support between Ouya, PC, and mobile devices. There’s different skill trees to level up, weapons and armor to purchase, and the grind never feels like one if you find a steady group of people to play alongside. I’ve already invested plenty of time in to Meltdown on Ouya, and this is the kind of game I could sink 100 more with my Xbox Live friends.
I reviewed Meltdown, which can be found right here.
TowerFall
TowerFall is the game that put the Ouya on the map, but Matt Thorson has since ported his 2D arena combat game to PC and PS4.. but not Xbox One. Thorson just released a new Dark World expansion, adding even more ways for friends to feather each other with arrows. It’s an amazing experience that I’d love to relive again on the Xbox, and the new expansion makes this the perfect time.
I reviewed the PS4 version of TowerFall: Ascension right here.
Super PIXALO
Philip Royer’s precision platformer tells the tale of a lowly pixel from a 1960’s rock & roll themed arcade cabinet, and almost cost me an Ouya controller. It’s challenging in a good way, and although some folks didn’t get in to the “icy” feeling of the platforming, I adapted to Super PIXALO quickly and enjoyed the game tremendously. It also has a pretty rad chiptunes soundtrack, which I’m a sucker for.
Everything from Orange Pixel
Orange Pixel is one of my favorite indie developers, and I wouldn’t even know they existed if it weren’t for the Ouya. They specialize in 2D retro games, as seen in Gunslugs, Meganoid, and Groundskeeper 2, but their Gauntlet-like Heroes of Loot would feel right at home on the Xbox One. Their games are fast, fun, and comedic, and have this quality about them, so I always know I’m getting a good bang for my buck. Their upcoming turn-based RPG Space Grunts also looks pretty damn good, but I’ve already talked with Pascal about bringing his games to Xbox and he doesn’t seem all that interested in the console market right now. Doh!
The only Orange Pixel game I’ve reviewed so far has been Gunslugs 2, which released earlier this year in January. That review can be found right here.
Catlateral Damage
Chris Chung’s first-person asshole cat simulator recently came out of beta, and if you’ve ever wondered why your cat does the things they do, this is how you’ll find out. Jump on shelves, push down books, knock over television sets, and live out your feline fantasy. No, not that kind. Pervert.
I did an early beta write-up for the Ouya version of Catlateral Damage right here!
DubWars
I’m not a big dubstep guy, but when you combine the ADHD-infused music genre with a solid twin-stick shmup, it’s hard to say no to DubWars. Unlike other shooters in the genre, you don’t have control of your weapon fire. Rather, your weapon changes along with the beat of the music while you move about the screen and aim the continually changing blasts from the front of your ship.
Unfortunately, each DubWars update seems to add and remove tracks, which is extremely disappointing. There’s currently tracks from Celldweller, Varian, and more, but I try not to get used to them being there every time I load up the game. Still, when DubWars is a finished product, I’d definitely like to play more of it on my Xbox.
I played quite a bit of the DubWars beta and gave my impression right here.
Hero of Many
Hero of Many is an artsy adventure-type game, but that’s probably not the most accurate description. You navigate your little egg around while recruiting other white tadpole creatures that defend you as you make your way to the exit. There’s a ton of stages, lots of exploration, and a really cool story that’s told without using any words at all. If you’re a fan of games like Journey or Badland, this one could be right up your alley.
I reviewed Hero of Many earlier this year, which can be found right here.
—
My Ouya collection is pretty hefty, and there are other games I enjoyed, like Hard Lander, LAZA KNITEZ!!!, Ninja Hero Cats, Knightmare Tower, Fist Puncher, Echoes+, and Potato-man Seeks the Troof, but these are the ones that I think would fit right in on the Xbox; and do so by offering something different.
I’m assuming most of you aren’t familiar with the Ouya’s library, but if you find any of these trailers interesting I definitely recommend tracking down the developers on Twitter and letting them know.
Bradley Keene is the Executive Editor here at What’s Your Tag?, generally handling reviews, public relations, and our social media communications on Facebook and Twitter. He’s no stranger to sinking an absurd amount of time in to an MMO, but also has a deep seeded love for quirky indie games, pro wrestling, horror films, and his hometown of Baltimore, MD. Get in touch with him by e-mail at the address above, or follow him on Twitter.
What's Your Tag? 