We're all eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Ouya and the one question we need to have answered is whether or not the platform will be able to acquire enough interesting games to be worthwhile. One of the ways the company is generating interest and content is with a 10-day developer competition. Keeping in mind that the entire programming process occurred in a little more than a week (and in some cases, less than that) and all the titles are unfinished, here's a look at some of the games that may end up on the console.
Avner
[EMBED_YT]https://youtu.be/n5I5aLyTESc
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This might just be one of the most visually-polished games to come out so far. A side-scrolling platformer that centers on solving puzzles and collecting items. Pretty standard fare, but it sure looks nice. Given the rapid pace of development, that should be considered an accomplishment in itself.
Color Thief
[EMBED_YT]https://youtu.be/JQTOxIg2DvM
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The visuals here are very obviously incomplete, but the concept seems pretty cool. A chameleon mimics the colors and (presumably) patterns of its environment to solve puzzles and escape detection. To be perfectly honest, if this game were finished it would be the first one I'd try on Ouya.
Pipnis
[EMBED_YT]https://youtu.be/vu6-tvEC0i4
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Points for creativity have to go to this one. In Pipnis game, two players use one controller (yes, you read that right), to navigate a pair of ships through mazes. The game has a very three-legged-race feel. Not only is the co-op concept intriguing, but making the experience equally as entertainingly awkward physically as it is virtually just sounds awesome. Please let this one become real.
Super Dungeon Bros.
[EMBED_YT]https://youtu.be/a5o0fZ-NvMo
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While the trailer is mildly obnoxious, this one also remembers what mobile gaming forgot: that consoles are meant to be social. While we've all been focusing on whether major titles on Android will end up on Ouya, we've almost all collectively forgotten about the fact that a console can do so much more than a phone can. This four-player dungeon crawler shows a lot of potential for co-operative play. Granted, we now know that controllers cost $50 each, so actually utilizing four would cost $250 (or roughly the cost of a PS3), but with the promise of a bunch of free content and the potential ability to use controllers with your tablet/phone as well, it might not be impossible to convince people to shell out the extra cash. In that case, games like this one would come in handy.
Duplicity
[EMBED_YT]https://youtu.be/Rc7KP62aZn4
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Or as I like to call it, "Oh My God, Mega Tetris Street Fighter Brawl Smash Showdown." Seriously, much love to the developers, but this thing needs a better name. Watch the video. Do you know what it is? It's battle Tetris. The game board is sideways and two players are working their way towards each other. Their pieces fit into the other person's game board. Each line one player completes backs their opponent further into a corner. I've seen a ton of mind-bending Tetris variants, but this one takes the cake. And I love my Tetris variants.
And 17 More Finalists
Out of 166 game prototypes, 22 titles ended up on the finalists list. This is by no means a comprehensive overview of what these devs have to offer. There's also a Minecraft-ian T-Rex that shoots mouth lasers, a Starfox-esque arena shooter, and a game that looks like what Doodle Jump would be if you added jet packs and awesome.
There's no guarantee that all or even any of these titles will come to Ouya, but $45,000 in prizes are going out to at least some of these developers. We're looking forward to March (and then June) to see how well the ecosystem evolves, but for right now, we'd love to play these titles. Take a look around the source link to see the rest of the finalists. The winners will be announced February 18th.
Source: Kill Screen Daily