Dusting off my rusty programming and non-existent art skills, I co-opted my kids to start making animated gifs of stick deaths and created a prototype game bent on seeing how many of our most ridiculous ideas could be worked into it. So, I had a prototype as you can see, but had a long way to go to turn it into something that could be useful for a real game design.

Working at a publisher and developer like TikGames has its advantages. First, there are a bunch of talented people around to help hone ideas into something that works. I enlisted the help of Adrian Ludley, our Creative Director, who gave the game its look. He drew this for us to get the art team started:

Key to the fun factor of the game was how to get levels built and put into the game engine without having to write a bunch of custom tools. Custom tools are nice, but require significant dedicated engineering resources. We opted to use a modified version of “Tile Studio.” Straight-forward as this tool is, it covered our needs and learning to use it didn’t require too much time up front. It served us well. Its output looks like this… not super WYSIWYG, but really easy to use and quick when corrections need to be made.

The 30 deadly levels came about thanks to this tool and the help of colleagues like Allen Widner and Bob Goad. I enlisted my family to help not just with the concept, but also with more of the game. All those voices of stick men yelling “help” or “thank you” or “Aaaaaahhhh” are just recordings of my wife, my kids and me that were sped up using “Audacity.”

Nothing gets fun by itself. In the end, you have to play your game. When you’re done playing your game, you tweak it, tune it, polish it, and then do the whole process over and over and over. This is where game developers find out just how much they actually LOVE games.

Tuning can’t happen properly without a very important set of people… friends, family and random strangers who you can con into playing your game. These people are needed because by the time a game is getting ready to be tuned, every member of the team has played it for literally thousands of hours. If we tune the game to our own skill level, no player on earth, no matter how talented they may be, can hope to play the game and have fun. Now that the tuning is done, I hope everyone whose so inclined will laugh, swear and scream their way through this irreverent homage to the art of stick man murder.

Hello all! I’m here to talk about our newest title for the PlayStation Network, Ricochet HD! Fans of brick-breaking games will not be disappointed when they experience the intense action of Ricochet HD, combining equal parts skill and strategy into a galactic adventure. Ricochet HD is available for download now in North America with a limited-time price of $7.99.

With the most comprehensive feature set of any game in the genre, Ricochet HD allows players to dominate 15 planets, strategically controlling a futuristic ship to launch balls and obliterate everything in sight. Collect an arsenal of power-ups to increase your firepower and maximize destruction. Customize your balls and control dozens of ships, each with its own special weapon set.

Whether you’re looking to traverse the galaxy alone or with a friend, Ricochet HD will complement your mood with four exciting game modes: Solo, Head-to-Head, Co-Op and Tail Gunner. With all four modes to choose from, along with 150 multi-staged unlocking levels to play, you’ll blast through hours of non-stop action. If you’re looking for even more exciting gameplay, collect rings in the bonus mini game to improve your rank.

We hope you enjoy Ricochet HD, and we’re thrilled to bring you guys another awesome TikGames title for the PSN. Check out our PSN TikGames/Creat Studios publisher page to learn about all of our games, and join us on Twitter and Facebook to hear all future TikGames news first.

If you like the sound of side-scrolling aerial combat, get ready to join the elite SkyFighter airborne squadron! Prepare to defend your country against the hostile enemy fleet. Battle in any conditions—rain or shine, day or night—while mastering your flying skills in a variety of aircrafts.

SkyFighter’s fast-paced missions will enlist you to bomb the enemy’s equipment and fortifications, shoot down their fighters with your machine guns, and destroy their hostile bombers with your missiles. The action isn’t all dogfights, either. Stealth Missions require you to take cover in clouds, avoid search lights and dodge floating air mines.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “This game sounds awesome, but what about local multiplayer?!” Ask and you shall receive! Recruit a partner for 2-player Wing Mode to complete missions and shoot down enemies together. Or, if you’re the competitive type, challenge up to 7 other players in Dogfight Mode and determine who really rules the skies.

SkyFighter also supports full 1080p, custom music, and SIXAXIS controls. The coolest feature, in my opinion, is the ability to shake your controller to extinguish the flames when your plane is on fire! Oh, and did I mention how awesome the visuals are? We’re quite proud!

Everyone at TikGames and Creat Studios are incredibly excited to continue supporting the PlayStation Network with the release of our 11th title. We’re always listening, and we absolutely love chatting with our fans. Please check us out on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to hear about our current projects and to talk to the team. Let us know what you think of SkyFighter!

Surely you already know about Smash Cars, our tricked-out RC car racing game, right? Right? With real-time physics simulation and vehicle customization, players twist and turn, grind and gear up, perform aerial tricks and stunts while racking up points, bump into obstacles, blah blah blah. Our new DLC tosses in some great new features to enhance that fast-paced experience.

The new Smash Cars: Virus Run features an all-new online racing mode for up to six players to battle to the finish line. But this time, one randomly selected player quickly becomes the group’s foe! The “infected” car rushes the racetrack with the ability to contaminate other players. When the infected player hits an opponent’s car, the victim joins the effort. And, just to make things even more interesting, we tossed in a new Skate Park at the center of the island, complete with half-pipes and springboards to perfect your trick and stunt skills during the Virus Run mode.

Adding to the tears of joy (or fear) we know you’re all shedding, TikGames-Creat Studios is thrilled to show how we’ve been listening to all of you that have sent countless emails, blog responses, bulletin-board posts and screams from rooftops. We’re including the feature that has been, by far, the most requested for Smash Cars: local two-player split screen! Gamers can now race their mini-cars past angry beach-goers and over boardwalks while playing against friends and family, and show just much better they are than everyone else. The Add-On will be available for download on June 8th in North America for $2.99.

On a serious note, we know that a few of you original Smash Cars owners had some trouble with our online multiplayer mode. We really want to thank all of you for the feedback (some folks were incredibly generous with their time!) and to let you know we indeed have been listening. Available June 8th in North America, a free patch will be available for automatic download for all Smash Cars owners on to improve your online multiplayer experience.

We say this every time, but it will never, ever get old: Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your support and feedback. We can’t do what we love without you. And one more thing… be sure to join our Facebook page and follow @CreatStudios on Twitter for updates live from E3, including our just-announced PSN-exclusive title TerRover!

This time around, I’m happy to let you know how we’ve been listening to you all. We’ve enjoyed the great reaction to Wakeboarding HD, but we understand how some folks like to try before they buy. Sometimes, you want to taste the new flavor of ice cream before you make the purchase, and the same goes for many video games. We’ve read all your emails, and lots of your comments online, and we’ve responded…

TikGames/Creat Studios is proud to offer a free-to-play demo version of Wakeboarding HD in North America and Europe on Thursday, April 29th. Now, you can discover what all the fuss is about by making high-flying jumps, performing insane tricks, and dodging pesky Great White Sharks before purchasing the full game.

We’re confident that after playing the demo, you’ll be craving more. Just like the server behind the ice cream counter, we are more than happy to offer a sample of the latest Tik/Creat flavor. And please stay tuned, as there’s always plenty of new flavors, er… I mean new games to come!

As always, thanks again for everyone’s support. We love making games, and you are the reason why we can do it. Please keep the comments and suggestions coming. As I stated above, we are always reading and listening!

In exchange for food money, how about a new announcement? TikGames/Creat Studios is proud to deliver another Add-On Pack for our hit game, Magic Orbz. Since breaking apart pirates, witches and igloos just wasn’t enough, it’s now time to take our destructive tendencies into the JUNGLE!

On Thursday, April 15th in North America and April 22nd in Europe, you can download the Jungle Pack for Magic Orbz for just $2.99/€2.99. The Jungle Pack is loaded with wild beasts, ancient ruins, dense foliage, harsh weather, and everything else you could want to destroy with your little orb.

For those not in the know, Magic Orbz presents a fresh spin on classic brick-breaking gameplay, enabling players to bust apart bright, colorful 3D environments piece by piece. Using realistic physics and a super-high-tech system of object destruction, Magic Orbz is presented in stunning 1080p with online multiplayer and in-game live voice communications. (Now you’re “in the know!”)

As always, everyone at TikGames/Creat Studios thanks you all for your support and feedback. We all work very hard to bring you great games, and we read everything that comes our way from our fans. We can’t do what we love without you!

TikGames/Creat Studios is proud to announce the grand opening of our new, dedicated PlayStation Network publisher page! (Here is where you imagine thundering applause, blaring trumpets and a cascade of confetti.) After launching our eighth and ninth PSN titles last week, the great, hard-working folks at PlayStation provided us with our own special place where you can always go to get our latest and greatest new games, videos, themes and wallpapers. And if you did miss anything along the way, it will be there too.

Now, I know what you’re thinking as you’re shaking our hands and congratulating us…what’s in it for me? So glad you asked! Actually, we want to congratulate YOU, since we could never have been able to get this far without you. You deserve a little something for helping us make so many games that we had to build a new digital space to put them in.

When the publisher page launches on Thursday, April 1, our first seven titles will be on sale for 50% OFF for two weeks! Never got around to trying Magic Orbz? Grab it for $4.99! Have you wondered what all the fuss was about with Smash Cars? You can’t go wrong at $7.49! Are you curious about all the critical acclaim for Mushroom Wars? It’s a steal at $4.99. Cuboid, Mahjong Tales, Interpol and Digger HD are also available for $4.99 each for the duration of the sale.

Now you can fill in all of your TikGames/Creat Studios gaps in your PSN collection! No longer must your list of PSN titles remain incomplete. And don’t worry… there’s plenty more on the way. TikGames/Creat Studios is devoted to PlayStation Network like nobody else, and we can’t wait to show you what’s just around the corner.

Until then, thank you again from everyone here at TikGames and Creat Studios. We love what we do, and we can’t do it without your support. Please let us know what you think of all the games in our catalog, and what else you would like to see.

What is Hamsterball? Well, imagine if both Marble Madness and Super Monkey Ball were to meet a cute and unsuspecting hamster who’s out for a leisurely roll in his ball. This is the most frenzied race to the finish line he’ll ever run, guaranteed!

Hamsterball offers a ton of great game modes, including 2 player split screen, 7 player sumo and a whole bunch of single player levels. Oh yeah….we’ve got many unlockables, and Trophies too! (We just looooove Trophies.)

No more worries about cleaning the cage or middle-of-the-night escapes, only to find your hamster hiding under your laundry pile. Hamsterball offers all the fun of hamster racing, without the bummer of hearing your mom (GF, SO, BF, wife, roommate, etc.) bark at you to tidy up Mr. Stinky’s cage!

Hamsterball will be available for $9.99 on the PlayStation Store on March 25.

Everyone at TikGames really appreciates your support. Please do let us know what you think of the game after you’ve played it.

Do you like fast-paced arcade games? Do you like wacky, over-the-top tricks and stunts? Do you like crazy, high-speed racing and obstacle courses? Do you like beautiful, serene, tropical settings? Do you like wreaking havoc and chaos in beautiful, serene, tropical settings? (If you answer no to all of these… what are you doing here, anyway?) If so, then Wakeboarding HD is just the game you’ve been waiting for.

And you won’t need to wait much longer. Wakeboarding HD will be available on the PlayStation Network on March 25 in North America for $14.99.

Throw back to the non-stop action from the best of 90s arcades, while embracing the highly realistic killer waves that only the might of the PlayStation 3 can bring you. Wakeboarding HD drops players into 20 top-velocity, water-filled levels to maneuver through tracks, perform high-flying tricks, collect bonuses and avoid dangers from exploding mines to bloodthirsty sharks. (Seriously… sharks!) Show your skills and transform the South Pacific paradise resort into an action-packed extreme playground.

Jump onto docks and over boats, balance on rails and waves, and launch over buildings and landmarks. Flip, grab, roll, and spin as you hurl across the water and through the air. Smash through billboards and boats, splash the skimpily clad tourists. Race against your buddy in any mission with side-by-side split screen action.

Sound cool? Don’t just take our word for it. Check out what the trusty folks from TheSixthAxis.com had to say about Wakeboarding HD. We’re confident that you’ll enjoy the insanity as much as they did.

As always, a big…no, HUGE thank you to all of our fans and customers! We love what we do, and we can’t do it without you all. Please let us know what you think of Wakeboarding HD, and what else you would like to see from TikGames/Creat Studios. Enjoy!

First off, we’re making a change. The coolest brick-breaker on PlayStation Network has a new name, and some great new content to go along with it.

What was once Magic Ball is now MAGIC ORBZ!

So, I know what you’re thinking: “That is the greatest name that I’ve ever heard in the history of gaming, and I wish that I thought of it myself.” No, that’s not it? OK, then it’s, “I am so impressed. Everything really does sound much better if you just add a ‘z’ at the end.” Not that, either? How about, “Well, now that it’s called Magic Orbz, I simply have to play it. How could I possibly pass that up?” See…that IS what you’re thinking. You just don’t know it yet.

But seriously, we like the sound of it, and we like to play it even more. And to make you really love the name, we made a new Add-On Pack so you can stay up super-late trying to beat every new level and lose even more sleep while singing the praises of Magic Orbz.

For those of you not familiar, Magic Orbz presents a fresh spin on classic brick-breaking gameplay, enabling players to bust apart bright, colorful 3D environments, piece by piece. Using realistic physics and a super-high-tech system of object destruction, Magic Orbz is presented in stunning 1080p with Multiplayer Online and in-game live voice communication.

The new Winter Theme Add-On Pack is filled with penguins, igloos, polar bears, and lots and lots of snow and ice, featuring 25 new levels to creatively destroy, and new trophies to discover. The Winter Theme Pack will be available for $2.99 this Thursday, January 14th in North America.

For those that have already enjoyed the wonder of Magic B… err, Magic Orbz, a patch is available to properly rename your favorite PSN game!

As always, everyone at TikGames-Creat Studios thanks you all for your support, your feedback, and your purchase. We all work very hard to bring you great games, and we make sure to read everything that comes our way from our fans. We can’t do what we love without you!