| Techno Kitten Adventure | |
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Techno Kitten Adventure |
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| Publisher(s) | Elite Gudz, 21st Street Games |
| Producer(s) | Brian Ferrara |
| Platform(s) | Xbox Live Indie Games As of June 7: iOS, Windows Phone 7 |
| Release date(s) | September 6, 2010 [1] |
| Genre(s) | Indie game Side-scrolling video game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Techno Kitten Adventure is a Side-scrolling video game developed by creative design studio Elite Gudz and 21st Street Games for the iOS App Store, Xbox Live Indie Games market, Android Market and Windows Phone market. In the game, players control a flying kitten that must avoid obstacles and distractions timed to techno music. The game was first released on Xbox Live Indie Games on September 6, 2010 by Nick Kinkade (xMonox). The game was originally developed using Microsoft XNA and is currently available on XBLIG, iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Facebook.
Contents |
In the game, players navigate a kitten powered by jetpack with a single-button control.[2] In the original Xbox Live Indie Games version the controls were limited to one button which players held to make the cat ascend, and released to make him descend.[3] The object of the game is to accumulate a high score by avoiding black boxes and parameters on the top and bottom of the screen. The black lines change color in time with the intensity of the music, turning into rainbow patterned lines. The other objects on the screen, including party yachts, unicorns, stars and hands, are intended to distract the player from their main objective of avoiding lines; flying through these objects will not affect the players high score. When the player does hit a black or rainbow line, the kitten character explodes in a spray of sparkles and emits a signature "Meow" sound effect.[4]
Because of its distinctive techno music soundtrack, Techno Kitten Adventure draws on elements of rave, techno and electronic dance music culture.[5] The game's main song is by Frisco, titled "Sea of Love (Hixxy Remix)".[6]
On August 12, 2011, a free update was released for the Xbox Indie Games version of the game, which included a brand new level called the Meat Pack. While maintaining the same one-button control, this level introduced the distraction of a pulsating screen, a complete horrizontal inversion of all assets, and a rainbow-colored equalizer that blocks 1/3 of the viewing area. Testers of the meat pack have called it the most difficult level of Techno Kitten Adventure so far. The update was free for XBLIG users.
On May 5, 2011, Elite Gudz announced that a new version of the game would be released on June 7 for Xbox Live Indie Games, iOS, and Windows Phone 7, with an Android release sometime during Q2/Q3 2011.[7] According to preview screenshots, the black and rainbow lines have been replaced with rotating and pulsating stars, adding more distraction for the player, possibly increasing the difficulty of the game.[8] The new version will have upgraded graphics and additional playable cat characters.[9]
Screenshots released prior to the game's June 7 launch date include a new version of the original scene, a Heaven level with chubby pink cupid cat, and a Center of the Earth level featuring a cat with bat wings.[10] Gameplay on iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPad is split between pressing the screen to rise (releasing to descend) and a "gyro" mode, where tilting the device toward or away from the user descends and ascends the "kitteh", respectively. The Android release remains forthcoming.
On 23 August 2011, Techno Kitten Adventure for Facebook was released. The Games.com blog gave the game a positive review, saying " If you were a fan of Robot Unicorn Attack when it hit Facebook recently, then we'd say Techno Kitten Adventure is right up your alley."[11]
On December 8th of 2011, 21st Street games released Kitteh Parteh on the iOS App Store. [12] Kitteh Parteh is a companion app to Techno Kitten Adventure, which has new content from Techno Kitten for fans, including a full length comic, a jukebox that plays music featured in the game and Techno Kitten Adventure backgrounds.
Since its initial release, Techno Kitten Adventure has been one of the top downloaded and top rated games on the Xbox Live Indie Games market.[13] On May 14, after posting a Techno Kitten Adventure promotional video on their blog, G4TV tweeted that "Techno Kitten Adventure will be the next runaway hit. Mark our words.".[14] Techno Kitten Adventure was also featured on G4TV's "Attack of the Show." In the segment, a Techno Kitten statue is presented by Kevin Pereira, and soon accidentally broken by Candace Bailey.[15]
Although the game was created and developed in America, due to the international accessibility of Xbox Live Indie Games, Techno Kitten Adventure is covered by gaming outlets in Germany [16] and the UK.
In February 2011, the Twitter account @ICanHasTechno was created. The account interacts with fans and tweets in catspeak, similar to the grammatical patterns and purposeful misspellings originally developed on 4Chan and popularized by images found on I Can Has Cheezburger.[17] The account was later used to leak images of the redesigned game, art pieces based on the game, and other information before it was officially announced to the media.[18]
Techno Kitten and his Kitten Dancers made an appearance on Good Day LA on June 7, 2011.[19] A special Techno Kitten level was created using Techno Kitten's body and Good Day LA host Steve Edwards' head. In the next segment, weather and lifestyle anchor Jillian Reynolds could be heard off camera saying "Bring back the techno kittens!" [20]
Techno Kitten and his Kitten Dancers also made an appearance outside of E3 expo on June 7, 2011. Techno Kitten and 10 kitten dancers hosted a dance party outside the Los Angeles Convention Center. Passers by received Techno Kitten stickers and an opportunity to try out the game on iPad. While watching the Kitten Dancers outside E3, a cameraman was quoted as saying "Techno Kitten Adventure is now my most wanted game." [21]
A con-exclusive Techno Kitten Adventure comic book was given away to select fans at the San Diego Comic Con. Their presence was noted by G4's Attack of the Show, as they displayed one of the "rocket cats" that were sold at the convention.[22]