I loved way more than three games. Out of the ~30 I played, I think I absolutely adore closer to 10 of them. So I’ve decided to share them in clumps around a theme. First I’d like to draw attention to entries by developers who I’ve followed for a while: people who’ve made amazing games in the past and who are just really consistent.

Tangram Games (Simon Larsen and Lukas Erritsø), the team that brought us the absolutely fabulous Dream Witch Erika, is back again me with a ton of laughs and fun challenges this time around in Trick Parade! They are joined by collaborator Hernan Zhou, who also worked with them on the excellent N.O.D.E. for LD32. Trick Parade feels like a mash-up of WarioWare and Earth Bound, in the sense that it provides a bunch of weird mini-games in a light-hearted (but scary) contemporary JRPG setting. Definitely check it out!

Alvivar (Andrés Villalobos) has a captivating and consistent minimalist style that runs through their work. I was really impressed by Drybreed, their entry in the 32nd LD. While their LD33 entry, Primer, doesn’t have the same degree of depth, it does not lack polish. The mood and game feel are interesting and compelling, and I can’t wait to see what comes out of it. Play it if you haven’t!

Deepnight (Sébastien Bénard) has been made a game every LD since LD19. The games follow a tight visual thread, though the themes and gameplay style vary greatly. I was particularly impressed by Chipset-0, which came out of LD30 and just really blew my mind. Deepnight’s current offering is Delicious Cortex, a hilarious ironic and simple yet absorbing mix of RTS and puzzle. The levels remind me a little of the early levels in Starcraft’s story-mode, in which a smaller force must carefully eat away at ( in this case literally) a more powerful foe. Play this game, OK!?

There it is, my Ludum Darlings. Lots of love and keep making amazing things!

Expect part 2 sometime tomorrow!

— Ziggy (the Z in ZNCatLaw)

(check out part 2)