I’m always looking for video games that attempt something unique. There are only so many unimaginative sequels to Call of Duty or Halo that I can take. For inventive games that break out of the tired mold of big console bestsellers, you really have to look to indie developers. They’re not afraid to break from the monotony.

The recently released Kentucky Route Zero is a perfect example of a small game maker stepping out with something different. This episodic game from developer Cardboard Computer describes itself as a “magical realist adventure game in five acts.” The creators claim inspiration from classics like LucasArts’ Monkey Island and the current Walking Dead series from Telltale Games. You can buy Act I of Kentucky Route Zero to play on Mac, Windows, or Linux for $7. There’s also an option to pay $25 upfront for all five acts. You’ll get the remaining installments as they are released “over the next year or so,” according to the website.

Kentucky Route Zero is set along the real roads and byways of the Bluegrass State. The game stars Conway, a deliveryman who must transport antiques along a mysterious stretch of road. You guide Conway through various point-and-click scenes, interacting with people and items you encounter in this dimly lit game. Conway follows your mouse clicks as you navigate around a set. Each click creates a neat little horseshoe-and-stake animation to which the character moves.
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I’ve been enjoying the Top Hat Sasquatch Instagram account way too much lately. Not only have I been posting pictures of my nostalgic junk for the past week, but I’ve been finding all sorts of cool photos by browsing interesting tags. I thought I had seen a lot of cool retro gaming stuff, but today I found something that takes the cake.

72Pins. A site where you can get NES cartridges designed to look like games that never existed for the NES. Modern games like Call of Duty and Skyrim are available, as well as carts based on movies and TV, like Adventure Time and Arrested Development. The art is great and the carts still have whatever random game was used on the inside.

I had seen the Call of Duty cart around the web before, but somehow I’d never heard about 72Pins. I love stuff like this and quickly ordered the Sonic, Adventure Time, and Totoro carts. I can’t wait to see what else they release.

They also offer custom carts, and with Tim’s awesome 8-bit THS mascot, I’m definitely looking into ordering some.

Ever since LEGO announced they had the Marvel license, the whole world has been clamoring for a LEGO Marvel Superheros video game. Luckily for us, it’s coming, and it’s coming relatively soon. Come fall 2013 you’ll be able to waste hours and hours collecting studs as a whole slew of Marvel characters. Yes please.

There’s just something about what Traveller’s Tales has done with these games. Not every one is great, but some are really awesome. I don’t even want to know how many hours I’ve spent playing LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga.

To hold you over, TT has released a trailer on YouTube.
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The Sega Genesis stands as one of the all-time best video game systems. Don’t believe me? IGN ranked it number five in its countdown of the 25 best. PC Mag picked it number four. Only the almighty Nintendo Entertainment System, Sony PlayStation 2, and Atari 2600 outweigh Genesis’ cultural and commercial significance.

Sega Genesis (a.k.a. Sega Mega Drive outside North America) was introduced in 1997 and sold around 40 million units in its lifetime. It even spawned two mildly successful add-ons, Sega CD and 32X, as well as the Sega Nomad handheld player. There was even a Sega Channel offered by some cable TV companies that would download games to your system.

The console is often compared to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System but Nintendo’s 16 bit game was introduced a full two years after the Genesis. Even at the height of the battle between these two legendary systems, Genesis/Mega Drive was able to maintain a lead in most markets.
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I’ve backed a lot of Kickstarters, but surprisingly only one game-related project. That was 16 months ago, and I still don’t have the game on my iPad. I got some sweet stickers and stuff, but I’ve almost completely forgotten about it.

Enter Shaun Inman, Rusty Moyher, and Matt Grimm. They want to make six retro games in six months, and have taken to Kickstarter to make it happen.

I’ve followed Shaun Inman’s career for a while now, and I’m a fan of all his games. Shaun, Rusty, and Matt recently collaborated on the game Super Clew Land in three days for the Ludum Dare Challenge, and after coming in third place they wanted to improve the game. They worked on it for thirty days, and then came up with the idea for Retro Game Crunch.
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