Bitmap Brothers style games?

Whitesnake · 26 October 2012, 11:27

There is probably nothing to describe this phenomena that seems to be a sub genre of graphical and sound styling that The Bitmap Brothers were so famous for doing, but I thought it would be interesting to start a thread that has a list of games that use a similar graphical / sound styling for their games.

I suspect The Bitmap Brothers might not have been the first to do it although I could be wrong.

Games like:

James Pond, Ruff n Tumble, Car-Vup to name a few.

Maybe such a topic would make a good feature for Amiga Lore, e.g. how this originated etc.

s2325 · 26 October 2012, 11:34

Alien Bash II: http://hol.abime.net/5406
and maybe also Watchtower: http://hol.abime.net/1675/screenshot

JudasEZT · 26 October 2012, 14:45

I dont get very well why James Pond and Car-Vup could be described as BitmapBrother style..

check it up these two:

Robin Hood: Legend Quest

Deep core

dreamkatcha · 26 October 2012, 16:01

How would you define this phenomena that can't be described? I'm lost.

You mean games where the music and graphics seem to complement each other particularly well?

Whitesnake · 26 October 2012, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudasEZT

I dont get very well why James Pond and Car-Vup could be described as BitmapBrother style..

check it up these two:

Robin Hood: Legend Quest

Deep core

I didn't specifically just mean on a gameplay level, more graphical elements and sound effects.

Cutesy graphics that have a rounded and reflective shine to them is the best way I can describe it.

Lots of bouncing collectables

Virocop and Fire & Brimstone or Globdule to name some more.

JudasEZT · 27 October 2012, 00:11

Is just that its like a too wide specifications.

Anyway, for the colour scheme.. look at Paradroid90 methalic tones.

For the collect'm up question, well, Taito were the king of that. BubbleBobble and specially RainbowIslands has the bigger collect'm up fever I can remember.

alexh · 27 October 2012, 09:43

Fire and Ice
Elf

skan · 27 October 2012, 13:33

As for graphic style, all I can think of is Darkmere, Banshee and BabeAnoid.
As for attitude... no one like the Bros!!!

kamelito · 27 October 2012, 14:19

gfx signature recognizable were the work of Pete Lyon and Mark Jones.
Kamelito

Mrs Beanbag · 02 November 2012, 13:57

I think it's mostly the choice of colours as well as a lot of stonework that does it. Lots of shades of greyish-blue and orange-brown.

Some of The Killing Game Show has a similar vibe to it, especially the pick ups and bullets which are somewhat reminiscent of Xenon II.

Whitesnake · 03 November 2012, 00:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs Beanbag

I think it's mostly the choice of colours as well as a lot of stonework that does it. Lots of shades of greyish-blue and orange-brown.

Some of The Killing Game Show has a similar vibe to it, especially the pick ups and bullets which are somewhat reminiscent of Xenon II.

Yeah, The Killing Game Show definitely has that look to it.

Oldskool Bitz · 03 November 2012, 09:41

Great thread!

Core Design's Wolfchild springs to mind

s2325 · 03 November 2012, 09:45

I always liked two first worlds of Wolfchild but not sure about later levels. They are so generic and similar looking, feels like different game.

Oldskool Bitz · 03 November 2012, 09:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by s2325

I always liked two first worlds of Wolfchild but not sure about later levels. They are so generic and similar looking, feels like different game.

Level 3 and 5 are indeed very different.

Good point...

humble worm · 03 November 2012, 12:21

Good thread!

Dan Malone and Mark Coleman had pretty different styles imho and I dont know what exactly people mean when they talk about 'BB graphical style'. Somebody on the board even claimed that Mark Coleman did not exist and it was all Malone's work, but in my opinion he must be blind (not to mention that its a crazy conspiracy theory

).

Maybe its about quality. Deep Core may seem to have similar style, but When you take a closer look you see the gfx is weak. Decent pixel pusher =/= good artist. I think the both BB graphic designers were talented and skilled at drawing and thats why they distinguish from the mass of craftsmen. Dan Malone is professional artist (diploma etc), I dont know much about Mark Coleman (he's not become so popular

).

Gods, Xenon II and Magic Pockets - similarities are obvious (even some baddies are recycled). Great use of just few colors, great sprite design.

CE, Speedball 2 - greatest isometric gfx ever + the characters' images

amiga_Forever · 21 February 2013, 19:29

Chaos Engine 1 and 2.

lurch · 25 February 2013, 08:24

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qpca8n3Wr0

Blackviper has that kind of feel, mainly around the motorbike animations.

The best game that feels like a bitmap brothers game is Ruff'n'Tumble :-)

Alien bash 2... this is amazing game, overlooked to be honest. I prefer it more than the Chaos engine :-)

lurch · 25 February 2013, 08:27

Gods and magic pockets... graphics recycled anyone? Even the sounds are similar. Gods is the better game though.

Predseda · 25 February 2013, 10:31

Naughty Ones is a lot of bitmapbrotherish to me.

Yakumo9275 · 25 February 2013, 14:50

Elf feels like a bitmap bros game to me.

gimbal · 25 February 2013, 23:06

I absolutely adore the audio-visual style of the bitmaps. Alas i am sad it is quite unique, i would like to see more. Some games have a similar vibe, but not nearly close enough.

Wish they had made more games to be honest

Dastardly · 26 February 2013, 18:35

Couldn't agree more!

Qube · 26 February 2013, 21:12

Just spotted this, Ray Norrish version of X2 Intro in 68kb - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTGG6B3Rgsk

Interesting times..

:-)

s2325 · 03 March 2013, 15:05

I think Robotz may look like early Bitmap Brothers game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywLWnmV0NVE

Dastardly · 05 May 2013, 13:06

It has got a look of the first Speedball about it.

Punisher · 11 May 2013, 20:11

This arcade by Ecogames from Spain. Starts looking like an Alien Breed rip-off and continues looking like a Chaos Engine clone.
http://youtu.be/WEvuTLyytas

gimbal · 12 May 2013, 21:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Punisher

This arcade by Ecogames from Spain. Starts looking like an Alien Breed rip-off and continues looking like a Chaos Engine clone.
http://youtu.be/WEvuTLyytas

Wow, that's like Alien Breed crossed with Gauntlet, on steroids. The video alone drives me nuts.

pintcat · 13 May 2013, 17:20

Maybe Final Odyssey... The visual style always reminded me of Chaos Engine, but being puzzle/exploration oriented, the game play feels more like in Gods than in any of these rough action shooters (although it has some action too

).

s2325 · 13 May 2013, 17:31

unfinished Space Marines for GameBoy Advance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfYf694ywP8

Dastardly · 19 May 2013, 21:42

Yeah. It's a lot more cartoony than Chaos Engine, but it definitely looks influenced by it.

s2325 · 19 May 2013, 21:53

Indigo in Magic Pockets style http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3fizAksmp0

gimbal · Yesterday, 11:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by s2325

Indigo in Magic Pockets style http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3fizAksmp0

The first thing that popped into my head when I saw that was Doodlebug to be honest.

26 October 2012, 11:27	#1
Whitesnake Martin Shaw Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 319	Bitmap Brothers style games? There is probably nothing to describe this phenomena that seems to be a sub genre of graphical and sound styling that The Bitmap Brothers were so famous for doing, but I thought it would be interesting to start a thread that has a list of games that use a similar graphical / sound styling for their games. I suspect The Bitmap Brothers might not have been the first to do it although I could be wrong. Games like: James Pond, Ruff n Tumble, Car-Vup to name a few. Maybe such a topic would make a good feature for Amiga Lore, e.g. how this originated etc. __________________ Hi, I'm Martin Shaw. This is Run The Gauntlet. If you want to see Action Sports.... This is the place to be! EFNet #Amiga

26 October 2012, 14:45	#3
JudasEZT Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: mercury Posts: 471	I dont get very well why James Pond and Car-Vup could be described as BitmapBrother style.. check it up these two: Robin Hood: Legend Quest Deep core __________________ insert disk 2,. mwahahahah

26 October 2012, 16:01	#4
dreamkatcha My elbow tastes of icky Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 357	How would you define this phenomena that can't be described? I'm lost. You mean games where the music and graphics seem to complement each other particularly well? __________________ Get in touch with your inner tadpole

27 October 2012, 00:11	#6
JudasEZT Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: mercury Posts: 471	Is just that its like a too wide specifications. Anyway, for the colour scheme.. look at Paradroid90 methalic tones. For the collect'm up question, well, Taito were the king of that. BubbleBobble and specially RainbowIslands has the bigger collect'm up fever I can remember. __________________ insert disk 2,. mwahahahah

27 October 2012, 09:43	#7
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 10,516	Fire and Ice Elf __________________ Thalion Webshrine

26 October 2012, 11:34	#2
s2325 Zone Friend Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gargore Age: 32 Posts: 11,272	Alien Bash II: http://hol.abime.net/5406 and maybe also Watchtower: http://hol.abime.net/1675/screenshot

27 October 2012, 13:33	#8
skan emul-hat0r Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: FREEÛL!!! Age: 37 Posts: 148	As for graphic style, all I can think of is Darkmere, Banshee and BabeAnoid. As for attitude... no one like the Bros!!!

27 October 2012, 14:19	#9
kamelito Zone Friend Join Date: May 2006 Location: France Posts: 384	gfx signature recognizable were the work of Pete Lyon and Mark Jones. Kamelito

02 November 2012, 13:57	#10
Mrs Beanbag Glastonbridge Software Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Edinburgh/Scotland Posts: 345	I think it's mostly the choice of colours as well as a lot of stonework that does it. Lots of shades of greyish-blue and orange-brown. Some of The Killing Game Show has a similar vibe to it, especially the pick ups and bullets which are somewhat reminiscent of Xenon II.

03 November 2012, 09:41	#12
Oldskool Bitz Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: The Netherlands Age: 31 Posts: 31	Great thread! Core Design's Wolfchild springs to mind

03 November 2012, 09:45	#13
s2325 Zone Friend Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gargore Age: 32 Posts: 11,272	I always liked two first worlds of Wolfchild but not sure about later levels. They are so generic and similar looking, feels like different game.

03 November 2012, 12:21	#15
humble worm Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: BP/Poland Age: 34 Posts: 742	Good thread! Dan Malone and Mark Coleman had pretty different styles imho and I dont know what exactly people mean when they talk about 'BB graphical style'. Somebody on the board even claimed that Mark Coleman did not exist and it was all Malone's work, but in my opinion he must be blind (not to mention that its a crazy conspiracy theory ). Maybe its about quality. Deep Core may seem to have similar style, but When you take a closer look you see the gfx is weak. Decent pixel pusher =/= good artist. I think the both BB graphic designers were talented and skilled at drawing and thats why they distinguish from the mass of craftsmen. Dan Malone is professional artist (diploma etc), I dont know much about Mark Coleman (he's not become so popular ). Gods, Xenon II and Magic Pockets - similarities are obvious (even some baddies are recycled). Great use of just few colors, great sprite design. CE, Speedball 2 - greatest isometric gfx ever + the characters' images __________________ the last lobster on Titanic

21 February 2013, 19:29	#16
amiga_Forever Registered User Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Australia Perth Posts: 91	Chaos Engine 1 and 2.

25 February 2013, 08:24	#17
lurch Registered User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: New Zealand Posts: 20	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qpca8n3Wr0 Blackviper has that kind of feel, mainly around the motorbike animations. The best game that feels like a bitmap brothers game is Ruff'n'Tumble :-) Alien bash 2... this is amazing game, overlooked to be honest. I prefer it more than the Chaos engine :-)

25 February 2013, 08:27	#18
lurch Registered User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: New Zealand Posts: 20	Gods and magic pockets... graphics recycled anyone? Even the sounds are similar. Gods is the better game though.

25 February 2013, 10:31	#19
Predseda Puttymoon inhabitant Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Prague, CZ Age: 35 Posts: 2,413	Naughty Ones is a lot of bitmapbrotherish to me. __________________ Download Downfall AGA for free for your Amiga!

25 February 2013, 14:50	#20
Yakumo9275 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Lexington VA Posts: 67	Elf feels like a bitmap bros game to me. __________________ --/\-[ Stu ]-/\-- Commodore 128DCR, JiffyDOS, Ultimate 1541 II, uIEC/SD, CBM 1902A Monitor

25 February 2013, 23:06	#21
gimbal cheeky scoundrel Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Spijkenisse/Netherlands Age: 31 Posts: 2,216	I absolutely adore the audio-visual style of the bitmaps. Alas i am sad it is quite unique, i would like to see more. Some games have a similar vibe, but not nearly close enough. Wish they had made more games to be honest __________________ Error: signature could not be parsed.

26 February 2013, 18:35	#22
Dastardly Into the Wonderful Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gods Country Age: 38 Posts: 2,009	Couldn't agree more! __________________ Into the Wonderful - The Bitmap Brothers Social Group Pixel Pusher's H.Q - Everyone welcome, even squares

26 February 2013, 21:12	#23
Qube Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: England Posts: 152	Just spotted this, Ray Norrish version of X2 Intro in 68kb - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTGG6B3Rgsk Interesting times.. :-)

03 March 2013, 15:05	#24
s2325 Zone Friend Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gargore Age: 32 Posts: 11,272	I think Robotz may look like early Bitmap Brothers game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywLWnmV0NVE

05 May 2013, 13:06	#25
Dastardly Into the Wonderful Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gods Country Age: 38 Posts: 2,009	It has got a look of the first Speedball about it. __________________ Into the Wonderful - The Bitmap Brothers Social Group Pixel Pusher's H.Q - Everyone welcome, even squares

11 May 2013, 20:11	#26
Punisher Spanish Amigan Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Asunción/Paraguay Posts: 39	This arcade by Ecogames from Spain. Starts looking like an Alien Breed rip-off and continues looking like a Chaos Engine clone. http://youtu.be/WEvuTLyytas

13 May 2013, 17:20	#28
pintcat Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Berlin/Germany Posts: 146	Maybe Final Odyssey... The visual style always reminded me of Chaos Engine, but being puzzle/exploration oriented, the game play feels more like in Gods than in any of these rough action shooters (although it has some action too ). __________________

13 May 2013, 17:31	#29
s2325 Zone Friend Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gargore Age: 32 Posts: 11,272	unfinished Space Marines for GameBoy Advance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfYf694ywP8

19 May 2013, 21:42	#30
Dastardly Into the Wonderful Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gods Country Age: 38 Posts: 2,009	Bitmap Brothers style games? Yeah. It's a lot more cartoony than Chaos Engine, but it definitely looks influenced by it. __________________ Into the Wonderful - The Bitmap Brothers Social Group Pixel Pusher's H.Q - Everyone welcome, even squares

19 May 2013, 21:53	#31
s2325 Zone Friend Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gargore Age: 32 Posts: 11,272	Indigo in Magic Pockets style http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3fizAksmp0

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