Kickback Slug Cosmic Courier Nintendo Switch Ten Minute Taster "Slipping and sliding through a worm hole!" 🐛 @KitsInTimespace #IndieGame #GameDev

 

In Kickback Slug Cosmic Courier Rich is Slippy the Slug and must fly across levels filled with increasingly difficult obstacles by using only the kickback from weapons. Rich will Collect parcels, deliver the goods, and defeat bosses on the way and try to be the best Cosmic Courier and win the space race of postal work.

Dreamworks All-Star Racing Nintendo Switch Review 6/10 "As someone who grew up playing Mario Kart, I was excited to try this game" 🐼 @BamtangGames #IndieGame #GameDev

I recently had the chance to play Dreamworks All-Star Racing, a new racing game that has hit the shelves. As someone who grew up playing Mario Kart, I was excited to try this game. I was also thrilled to be able to race as some of my favourite DreamWorks characters, such as Shrek and Hiccup.

Dreamworks All-Star Racing is a sequel to the 2011 title DreamWorks Super Star Kartz, and
features many of the same characters along with some new ones from the Trolls franchise.

The gameplay involves collecting keynotes that give you bonus items to use against other players, as well as collecting items from boxes. There are also various challenges you can complete to upgrade your vehicle and unlock new characters. One of my favourite features are the secret paths on each map that lead to a rainbow road, where you can come across high notes and other collectables.

Party Animals Ten Minute Taster Gameplay Video (No Commentary) 🦖🐶 @party_animals #IndieGame #GameDev

Fight your friends as puppies, kittens and other fuzzy creatures in PARTY ANIMALS! Paw it out with your friends remotely, or huddle together for chaotic fun on the same screen. Interact with the world under our realistic physics engine. Did I mention PUPPIES?

Bandai Namco Amusement Europe Launches More Stores in the UK! 😎 @BandaiNamcoEU

Brighton, Ealing and Sheffield Launching in December 2023 and more launches are planned in the new year!

Following the successful launch of the first ever Bandai Namco Cross Store outside of Japan and Victoria Place recent brand store opening, a continued expansion of Bandai Namco brand stores will launch nationally in December 2023 which will include popular collectable Gashapon, Ichibankuji, Sun-Star stationery, arcade experiences and more!

The GAMEBOOK | Nintendo Gameboy Unofficial Companion Book "The Best Gameboy Book Ever?" 📕 @NintyMedia @PMurphy1978 #Retrogaming #GameBoy

Rich gets to grips with the GAMEBOOK from Ninty Media. This Kickstarted funded Gameboy book is a beautifully made book and Rich shows you a sneak peek of the one he was sent by the lovely folks at Ninty Media.

Zealsound Microphone Stand With Flexible Gooseneck Arm | Unboxing Video 🎙️

Rich unboxes and mounts his Blue Snowball mic onto the Zealsound Flexible Microphone Stand that he picked up from Amazon as it had the cool space saving Goose Neck feature. 

Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/49K3SNI

Rollercoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe Ninetndo Switch Ten Minute Taster "No Commentary" 🎢 @atari

Rich take a no commentary look at Rollercoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe on Nintendo Switch and builds an Atari VCS diner!

In Rollercoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe you will find 80 new rides and attractions, including some new seasonally-themed rides, bringing the total number to a whopping 200! The new, modernized interface looks amazing and makes it easier to build your park using terrain from four environments, including alpine mountains, desert canyons, jungle tropics and even a lunar moonscape.

RCT Adventures Deluxe is an all-ages treat for players who love theme park simulations and fans who like to build coasters. The intuitive coaster builder lets you create wild, death-defying coasters that twist and turn, swoop and swirl. 

Three in-depth game modes mean countless hours of gameplay, including Adventure Mode, Scenarios Mode, and the open Sandbox Mode.

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

🕹️ GAME LINK:🕹️ https://atari.com/products/rollercoaster-tycoon-adventures-deluxe#play-now

Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Will Soon Welcome 12 New Games in First Official Content Update 🕹️ #Atari #Retrogaming @DigitalEclipse @UberStrategist

Atari and Digital Eclipse Introduce New Experiences to the Award-Winning Interactive Anthology Just In Time for the Holidays

Let the celebrations resume! Today, iconic video game publisher Atari and developer Digital Eclipse reveal a free content update for the interactive anthology experience Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration.

Coming December 5, 2023, this update rings in the holiday season with the addition of 12 fan-favourite Atari 2600 titles from the console’s heyday.

From officially released titles to player-powered homebrews, to once-lost Atari prototypes, Atari 50 shapes up to be the gift that keeps on giving.

Steamworld Build Xbox Review 8/10 "Over Steamulation?" 🛠️🪨 @SteamWorldGames #iNDIEGAME #GAMEDEV

I have dug. I have heisted. And I have loved both. Three of my favourite games on the PC in the last ten years were made by the Swedish studio, Image & Form. Steamworld Dig 1 & 2, and Steamworld Heist are both beautifully formed and have really well thought through game mechanics. It’s simplistic to say perhaps, but both Dig and Heist just work. There’s little extraneous in there, and these elements are combined with gorgeous visuals and engaging characters to make very appealing games that I’ve returned to many times.

Ghostrunner 2 Rich's Rapid PC Review 8/10 "Top Of The Chops" ⚔️💥@GhostrunnerGame #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich takes a look at the hard hitting challenging Ghostrunner 2 and gives his verdict in this 3 minute video review. Buckle up it's gonna get choppy out there!

Murder is Game Over XSX Review 7.5 / 10 "Pocket-sized Pixel Pondering" 🔪 #IndieGame #GameDev @HitherYonGames @RatalaikaGames

A budget title from Ratalaika, Murder is Game Over is a short and fun narrative horror made in RPG Maker, full of jaunty music and pixel detective action.

As detective Guy and his crime-solving dog Chloe, you’ll roam a mansion and the surrounding grounds in a bid to solve the murder of a world-renowned game designer.

There are eight suspects, and thirty bags of dog treats to find as you try to solve this dastardly crime, as well as a treasure-hunting side quest!

A game that cosily leads you through the mystery as opposed to getting your grey cells pulsating, Murder is Game Over is a fun and light-hearted way to spend an evening, satisfactorily wrapping up its plot in an hour or two, and a big high five for the awesome music, which I would quite happily purchase on vinyl, awesome stuff!

Beyond Sunset Ten Minute Taster PC Gameplay "Where Is The man In The Pink Suit?" ⚔️🌇 @sunset_city_rpg #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich has a go at Beyond Sunset while trying to get to grips with Keyboard Controls and his lack of skill.

Beyond Sunset is a Cyberpunk first-person shooter with a rich story and RPG elements. You are Lucy, an enhanced street samurai searching for lost memories. Fight in large, open, interactive levels overtaken by yakuza, zombies, robots and bosses!

Strike Force Heroes PC Ten Minute Taster "Loads Of Fun To Run N Gun!" 💥 @Sky9Games #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich jumps into the remake of the Flash Game, Strike Force Heroes and has a whale of a time running and gunning through the story mode (mainly running and respawning)

"Strike Force Heroes is an oldschool arena shooter rebuilt with modern mechanics with full co-operative and PvP online multiplayer. It melds over the top action with epic story-telling in this intense remake of the hit Flash game."

Salt & Sacrifice Nintendo Switch Ten Minute Taster "Rubbing Salt Into My Wounds!" ⚔️ @skastudios #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich has a go at Salt & Sacrifice on the Nintendo Switch and gets beat down by this cracking follow up to Salt & Sanctuary.

The Crew Motorfest XSX Review 7.5/10 "Hawaii Five Oh!" 🌴🏎️🌴

The newest entry in The Crew franchise, The Crew Motorfest plonks drivers down in the paradise of Hawaii and lets them loose across the many locations of the island, from volcanos and mountain roads through dense foliage, absurd, spiralling racetracks, suburban areas and more.

After creating your driver and choosing your starting vehicle, you are free to roam around the island as you see fit. You can free roam or enter one of the myriad of ‘playlists’ (races) available, these range from drag races in highly-tuned performance cars to old camper vans, monster trucks, motorcycles and even planes.

There are currently well over 600 vehicles across these styles available, and each completed race will see you earning XP, unlocking extra vehicles and parts to replace and improve your various rides, in terms of both performance and vanity items.

There really is a huge amount of customisation available – as well as other micro-transactions that you can pay for to speed the process along, should you wish to do so …I personally avoid these like the plague, although it didn’t impinge on my enjoyment of the game as I was constantly unlocking and upgrading my garage of cars through normal play.

My Time At Sandrock Rich's Rapid Nintendo Switch Review 🪨⛏️ @MTaSandrock @PatheaGames #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich jumps into My Time At Sandrock on the Nintendo Switch and has a good old dig around the town to get a view on this cool, cozy, farming crafting sim. 

Check Out Rich's Rapid Review Below:

Broforce Forever Nintendo Switch Ten Minute Taster "MR T Says GO Go GO!" 💥 @freelives #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich jumps head first into Broforce Forever on the Nintendo Switch to sample some of that that sweet sweet runnin' n gunnin' pixelated action!

Fun fact - getting this update out the door took longer than the entire rest of the game took to make. When the devs started they thought it would be funny to call it 

"BROFORCE Forever"

, but nobody is laughing now 😁

Video Game Lo-Fi: A Winter’s Tale (Vinyl & Cassette) Review 📀💿 @CuragaRecords @BrittRecluseuk #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl #VGM

Here in Wales, as the weather takes a colder turn, A Winter’s Tale arrived at the perfect time! 14 tracks of low-end, heavy, lo-fi warmth, this is an album that takes a trip-hop look at some of those seminal, snow-laden gaming moments through the years, taking us from Donkey Kong Country, past Mario Kart 64, through Stardew Valley, and the coast of Fable – alongside many others.

The front cover continues the classic lo-fi series approach of an isometric, stylised look at a certain location. Here, we are treated to a be-snowed take on Princess Peach’s castle from Mario 64, the familiar turrets poking out from underneath a blanket of deep, white snow; as light bleeds out from the entrance way, highlighting some scattered instruments outside in the snow; a piano, drums, acoustic guitar, and trumpet.

ZX Dreams The Follow Up To ZX Nightmares Is Coming Soon... SPRING 2024 🕹️ @Wizwords #Retrogaming

You’ve read about the ZX Nightmares – now sit back and re-discover your ZX Dreams, those brilliant gems we played back in the Eighties. 

From glorious 16K wonders such as Deathchase and Jet Pac to extreme-value budget releases like Booty and Rebelstar and the beautiful games of Pete Cooke and Raffaele Cecco, ZX Dreams celebrates all those games we played – and loved.

My Time At Sandrock Nintendo Switch Review 7/10 "Sandrock is a love letter to the life simulator genre" 🪨⛏️ @MTaSandrock #IndieGame #GameDev

My Time At Sandrock is the follow up to My time In Portia from Pathea Games

This review is for the Nintendo Switch version which we received from the developers for review purposes. I found the Switch version to have a few framerate issues but nothing that made the experience unplayable.

My time at Sandrock is a charming and engaging life simulator game that sets you down in the role of an aspiring builder tasked with rebuilding the bustling town of Sandrock. From the moment you step into the world, you're greeted by a vibrant and welcoming community filled with quirky characters, each with their own unique stories and personalities. 

The game's art style is a delightful blend of cartoon style character graphics and watercolour-inspired hues, creating a visually captivating world that's both nostalgic and refreshing.

Hero Survival PS5 Review 7/10 "a fun rogue-like game with great music and weapon/item combinations" 💥 @dev_pigeon #IndieGame #GameDev

As we all know, there are many, many rogue-like games available. The one that I am covering today is Hero Survival on PS5 (it’s also available on all other major platforms).

Hero Survival is a classic survival game featuring enemies such as ghosts, werewolves, and jack-o-lanterns, etc. The objective is to progress through the 10 levels of each stage and then defeat the boss at the end. However, each stage takes roughly 20 minutes or more and surviving for that long is not an easy feat!

FROM ANTS TO ZOMBIES: SIX DECADES OF VIDEO GAME HORROR Book Review "The Gaming Necronomicon" 🧛‍♂️ @BitmapBooks #Retrogaming

Sam Dyer – the brain behind Bitmap Books – is someone that I imagine laughing wildly in a vast, ever-growing library somewhere, surrounded by mad monks engrossed in ever-more-perfect drafts of upcoming books through which they will eventually devour the gaming world. Each time I read a book by the publisher, it always feel definitive and individually voiced. I’ve commented before on how each release doesn’t feel like a run-through of the topic at hand, moving from genre-to-genre with a  vanilla, ‘one-size-fits-all’ sensibility. From the all-encompassing JRPG book to the laser-focused CRPG tome – and the surprisingly moving release on Gremlin Graphics – these books really do each have their own approach and style. 

From the moment that I caught wind of From Ants to Zombies, the fact that it was covering video game horror – a genre incredibly dear to me – I was desperate to discover what approach this book would take - and as it turns out, it’s possibly the boldest move by Bitmap Books yet, and one that absolutely lives up to the lofty heights that author Alexander Chatziioannou sets out in the first few pages.

Mondealy XSX Review 8/10 "I completely fell under the pastel-coloured, joyous sway that it conjures" 🌻 @ValkyrieInitia1 #IndieGame #GameDev

I’m very much on board with playing a wide variety of genres, and I appreciate that sometimes you need a game like Mondealy to slow you down and allow you to take stock of your life, appreciate what you have, and perhaps take a break from blowing up demons, shooting thousands of bullets at an alien threat, or squeezing your controller in love/respect/frustration because you missed that pixel-perfect 100th jump, and how need to do the last hours’ worth of progress again.

I initially played Mondealy off the back of a pretty full-on game, and switching from that to this mellow, slowly-unfolding world was initially a little jarring, but after a mental reset, I completely fell under the pastel-coloured, joyous sway that it conjures, especially enjoying the soundtrack, courtesy of the below talented composers:

Avatar: The Last Airbender: Quest For Balance Nintendo Switch Review 5/10 💨 @BamtangGames #IndieGames #GameDev

The Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise is now almost two decades old, and Avatar: The Last Airbender - Quest for Balance is the newest video game release and follows the epic adventures of Aang and his friends on their adventure to master all elements -water, fire, air and earth. 

Before we dive into things, I wanted to point out that this content is geared towards younger audiences. The game is designed to be easy to progress through, and the fighting mechanics are very accessible and straightforward, so you might find this slightly less enjoyable if you want to revisit the beloved story in real depth or were perhaps expecting advanced combat mechanics.

F Zero 99 Nintendo Switch Ten Minute Taster "F Zero F*cks Given!" 💥

Rich jumps into the carnage of a 99 player F Zero Rumble and has lots of fun catching sparks and taking the elevated highway!

eShop Link:

F-ZERO 99 | Nintendo Switch download software | Games | Nintendo

Coffee Talk Double Pack Edition lands in Europe from today. ☕ "Let’s talk about it!" @SerenityForge #IndieGame #GameDev

Coffee Talk Episode 1 & 2 Physical Collection lands in Europe from today in collaboration between Serenity Forge & Numskull Games.

Serenity Forge & Numskull Games are thrilled to confirm the European Retail release of Coffee Talk: Double Pack Edition is available now at leading retailers for Nintendo Switch. The PlayStation Editions will arrive slightly later, in early December.

Haunted House Nintendo Switch Ten Minute taster "Don't Let It Grab You By The Ghoulies!" 👻 🏚️ @atari

Rich dares to enter a reimagined version of Haunted House from Atari on the Nintendo Switch and is genuinely surprised and not horrified by the experience.

For The King 2 PC Ten Minute Taster "Spiders and Goblins" 👑 @IronOakGames #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich gets stuck into the second For The King game and begins his adventure in this lovely game from Iron Oak Games. In For The King 2 you will Battle against Fahrul's tyrannical Queen alone or as a party of four players in the sequel to For The King, the massively popular turn-based roguelite tabletop RPG. Will you unravel the once beloved Queen's terrible secret?

PGA TOUR 2k23 PC Ten Minute Taster "Take The Driver Out The Bag" ⛳️ @PGATOUR2K

 

Rich decides to hit the links with more swagger in PGA TOUR 2K23. The game now features playable male and female pros, including Tiger Woods, new licensed courses, more control options, an authentic PGA TOUR MyCAREER, Course Designer, and new MyPLAYER Skills and Archetypes! PGA TOUR 2K23.

The 7th Guest VR Meta Quest 2 Review 9.5/10 "Feeling…looooonely?" 🏚️🩸 @the7thguestvr #IndieGame #GameDev #MetaQuest2 #VRhorror

This is probably one of only a handful of reviews that I’ll ever write with my current mindset, due to my personal history with the game in question. The 7th Guest was - and is - a constant presence in my life.

I initially played the game on the Philips CD-i back in the mid-90s (with a friend called Brett, nonetheless) and I was completely mesmerised by what was - to me at the time- absolutely the future of gaming, in that it felt like a movie that you could control yourself! Between this and Burn Cycle, my young mind was blown wide open, and although I didn’t complete the game at the time, when I managed to get hold of a PC version a while later and play it through - with headphones - The 7th Guest made me feel like no other game had before.

I was completely pulled into its atmosphere and world, full of wonder and terror at what it offered both visually and sonically.

Over the years - thanks to Games Freezer - I’ve been in the position to interview George Sanger (the esoteric and wonderful composer of the music featured in the original game) as well as cover fan versions of The 7th Guest. In fact, I’m currently waiting on the release of an industrial rock vinyl of the soundtrack, as well as (hopefully, eventually) a hinted-at vinyl release of the amazing 7/11 album by Team Fat.

The 7th Guest soundtrack still often haunts the halls of my home, and I firmly believe it to be one of the most evocative and singular soundtracks ever laid down - so, what I’m trying to get at here, is ‘I like The 7th Guest’.

Fusion Retro Book: The Book of the Game of the Film Author – Jerry Ellis "The Review of the Book of the Game of the Film" 🎞️🎮📕 @Retro_Fusion #Retrogaming #Retrogames

This is the second book published by Fusion Retro Books that I have covered this year, and I own several others by them that I’ve picked up over the years and it’s all been very good stuff. This 300-page hardback continues the trend of high quality releases, and celebrates those oh-so-often movie, TV, and product tie-ins that were released so freely across the cluttered 8-bit landscape. Author Jerry Ellis crams as much gold as he can in those 300 pages, covering a huge amount of movie, TV, comic, product and even board-game tie-ins in a style that blends humour, insight, research and approachability.

Cardiff Gaming Market - 22nd October 2023 "Britt's Birthday Bonanza!"🕹️ @ReplayEvents #Retrogamer #Retrogaming

I’ve attended several Replay events over the years, and they have all been well organised, with some great stalls present that always have something that catches my eye. 

There were two things that had my trousers a-twirling this time around, though. Firstly, this was to be the first (as far as I’m aware) games market in my hometown of Cardiff - with the previous closest being in Bristol, several years back.

 I’ve often asked folks over the years about a full-blown convention in Cardiff, but as the majority of the pinball and arcade cabinets for these events are based/stored up north, the logistics seem to be an issue, for now at least.

The second thing that made the day so special, was that the gaming market was due in my hometown...on my 40th Birthday, October 22nd 1983. A date I’m sure resonates with everyone reading this because you’ve got it tattooed on your face because I play such an intrinsic part in each of your lives. Needless to say, I was excited. Especially as this was the first gaming event that we (@kingdomofcarts and I) would be taking our two-year-old son - Brian Blessed* - to.

GuardGrave PC Ten minute Taster "Burger Time Inspired Arcade FUN!" ⚰️🔨 @realMonsterBath #IndieGame #GameDev #Arcade

Rich starts hammering coffin lids in GuardGrave while collecting stars and winged boots. What a classic arcade game this is in the year 2023! 

GuardGrave is an old school styled game in the vein of BurgerTime. Players must close the coffins on each stage before the sun comes up. 7 Worlds, 7 Bosses and 37 Stages of co-op monster bashing mayhem! 7 Worlds of monster bashing action!

• 1 or 2 player co-op madness!
• 3 gameplay modes to choose from!
• 12 unique enemy types!
• Simplistic Pick up and play arcade action!
• Another outstanding soundtrack by the master of retro audio, Gryzor87!!
• Farting Viking Zombies!

Help a couple of old fellers take on the evil Muppitmouth and save the world of grave digging from evil!

🔨 GAME LINK:  ⚰️

GuardGrave by Chris O @ Monster Bath Games Inc. (itch.io) 

UBISOFT AND SAFE IN OUR WORLD PARTNER TO CREATE THE GOOD GAME PLAYBOOK 📙 @SafeInOurWorld #GamersUnite

Ubisoft has joined forces with videogame mental health charity, Safe In Our World to promote positive in-game interactions. Together, they aim to address disruptive in-game behaviour and provide tools to help players navigate it.

Drawing on Safe In Our World's in-depth understanding of mental health in the gaming community and Ubisoft’s long-term commitment to create positive gaming experiences, they co-developed the “Good Game Playbook”, a guide designed to equip players to identify, counter, and shield themselves from in-game toxicity. 

Puppet Combo's Stealth Slasher Horror 'Christmas Massacre' is Coming to PlayStation 4 and 5 on November 17th 🔪🎄 @PuppetCombo #IndieGame #GameDev

Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat and Larry's got a big problem - his Christmas tree is telling him to KILL!

Christmas Massacre is an over-the-top Slasher horror simulator with fast-paced stealth gameplay inspired by Hotline Miami and Manhunt.

Lead Larry through his murder rampage to satisfy the Christmas Tree’s bloodlust in this reverse horror thrill ride.

Release Date: November 17th, 9am EST
Price: $11.99

PUPPET COMBO WEBSITE

Ghostrunner 2 PC Review 8/10 "Ah, endorphins" 🏍️ @GhostrunnerGame #IndieGame #GameDev

One hit means death. I can’t help but respect the purity of Ghostrunner 2, which follows in the muffled ninjacyborg footsteps of its excellent predecessor.

Just as before you’re Jack, a true glass cannon protagonist whose speed, agility, and ever-growing suite of techno-ninjutsu abilities is matched only by his constant fragility.

In Ghostrunner 2 you will enter a combat arena and die instantly. At the tap of a bottom (and with no loading) you’re back to try again. This time you might die after a few seconds. Rinse and repeat twenty times and suddenly you have a plan:

Wallrun, slowmo dodge, kill, grapple, deflect, kill, boost pad, shuriken toss, mid-air grapple, kill, slide, vault, slice your cyberkatana through a cyberfreak’s body as the two cyberhalves spiral through the air in front of you. Ah, endorphins. There you are…

Lord Of The Rings Return To Moria PC Ten Minute Taster "Lets 'mine' Rock! 🪨@ReturnToMoria #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich heads into the Mines and attempts to gather resources and dig his way out of Lord Of The Rings Return To Moria.

🕹️ GAME LINK:🕹️

https://www.returntomoria.com

Papertris Nintendo Switch Ten Minute Taster Gameplay "Paper Fun For Everyone!" 📜 @_Paper_Games_ #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich dives into the paper world of Papertris and gets his head around this take on Tetris that is heaps of fun to play! Papertris is a fast and exciting arcade puzzle game that combines classic gameplay with fresh new features.

Anthology of Fear Xbox Series X Review 4/10 “Five Minutes on YouTube” 🏥 @AnthologyofFear #IndieGame #GameDev

Walking down corridors and having something shout “boo!” is great, but they do wear thin after a while, and as much as I love horror, I definitely need a break from the horror walking simulator genre. Well, after playing Layers of the Fear a couple of months ago, I booted up Anthology of Fear put on my walking shoes and headed down the creepy corridors.

CHECKPOINT’S SEGA PARTNERSHIP SET TO REVOLUTIONISE TEACHING 🧑‍🏫 @CheckpointMZine

 

Teaching goes super-Sonic, as study shows use of gaming culture helps 90% of primary students learn more A new study by Brunel University reveals that video games are making a huge difference in the classroom for teachers and students alike. More than 90% of students who attended lessons where video games formed a key part of the experience, said that video game content helped them to enjoy subjects more and learn more effectively. The principles behind these teaching methods have arrived in classrooms courtesy of Checkpoint, a video-game inspired education platform that, according to this new study, is responsible for genuine and marked improvements. Both in the way pupils are engaging with the teachers — and their implementation of the National Curriculum. Partnering with SEGA for this study, Checkpoint designs, writes and curates teaching materials that tap into gaming culture. From Sonic the Hedgehog to Planet Zoo, Checkpoint is helping teachers educate their students through the lens of gaming. These learning materials were welcomed by any school who used them. “We wanted to see whether our approach actually had the benefits we intended,” said Checkpoint’s founder and editor-in-chief Tamer Asfahani. “So we approached the educational experts at Brunel University London to design an independent study to evaluate the extent to which key stage 2 children engaged with our learning materials.” Brunel’s Professor Kate Hoskins led a team of experts from the university’s Department of Education, who worked with five teachers at four London schools to trial learning materials for a science lesson that’s part of the National Curriculum. The aim of the lesson was for the students – aged 7 to 11 – to learn how animals are classified into different species and groups based on various characteristics, and to practise doing this themselves. Instead of categorising normal animals, the students were tasked with organising Sonic and his fellow SEGA characters into the correct groups. Interviews and questionnaires found that the lesson was “overwhelmingly positive”, with teachers praising the engagement of children who they knew struggled in a more traditional learning environment. “The link to children’s game culture enabled participation across otherwise marginalised groups,” said Professor Hoskins. “Including minority ethnic, SEND” — those with special educational needs and disabilities — “and low socioeconomic status children.” Checkpoint were thrilled with the findings and are continuing to develop their gaming-inspired learning modules, which are completely free of charge, on their website and are looking forward to working with more schools and improving childrens’ education with the vehicle of video games. For more on Brunel’s research, check out quotes from teachers, Tamer Asfahani, and Professor Hoskin’s, below. Research Data and Developments in a Modern Classroom One of the teachers pointed out how when they started talking about the character, the students were immediately engaged. “They loved the fact that it’s something that’s in everyday life. Especially the boys — they realise, okay, yes, that’s different,” the teacher said, adding that the learning materials were something that he and his colleagues can use as a basis, and adapt to the needs of various classrooms. The students were similarly enthusiastic. And when the researchers analysed which of the National Curriculum’s key skills were hit by the lesson, all the desired ones were being gained; with listening, creativity and problem-solving scoring particularly well. “The students’ responses suggest that incorporating gaming culture elements in the classroom can lead to a more enriching learning experience for students across the socioeconomic and cultural spectrum, transforming the way they engage with and understand scientific concepts,” Professor Hoskins said. “Teachers can potentially foster a deeper connection between students and the subject matter when bringing the excitement and challenges of video games into the learning process, ultimately promoting a lasting interest in science education.” Checkpoint’s Asfahani welcomed the findings. “Thanks to this study, we have data confirming that teachers and researchers should work together to create innovative instructional strategies that harness the power of gaming culture and facilitate deeper learning for students, in key stage 2 science lessons and beyond,” he said. “This collaborative effort will not only contribute to the ongoing development of effective teaching practices, but also inspire a new generation of students to become passionate, lifelong learners in the field of science and other subjects; with the potential to be especially positive for less confident learners.” The research was made possible by the Brunel Innovation Voucher Scheme, designed to promote collaborative innovation between the university and UK-based small businesses, social enterprises and third-sector organisations. Key Links The report – ‘Leveraging students’ game culture in education: Validating the benefits of utilising videogames to inform pedagogy’, by Professor Kate Hoskins, Professor Mike Watts and Dr Asma Lebbakhar from Brunel University London, and by Tamer Asfahani and Chris Winson-Longley of Checkpoint – is available at https://checkpointmagazine.com/videogames-can-help-children-learn-more-effectively/ Further information about the Brunel Innovation Voucher Scheme is available at https://www.brunel.ac.uk/business/Help-for-SMEs/Innovation-Voucher-Scheme