Donut County
| Donut County | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Ben Esposito |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, OS X, iOS |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Donut County is an indie video game developed by Ben Esposito. In the game, the player moves a hole to swallow objects, which makes the hole increase in size. The concept originated in a game jam that used video game pitches from parody Twitter account Peter Molydeux. It later expanded to be the inverse of Katamari Damacy. Other inspirations for the game included Hopi figurines—a theme Esposito later relinquished—and locations from Bruce Springsteen songs. Donut County is expected for release on Microsoft Windows, OS X, and iOS in 2016.
Gameplay
In Donut County, the players control a hole. As players move the hole to swallow objects, the hole increases in size.[1]
Development
You play a hole, you must move around an environment making certain elements fall into correct targets at the right time.
Indie game developer Ben Esposito worked on Donut County in his free time while developing The Unfinished Swan.[1] The core game concept was prompted by a game jam based on video game pitches from a Peter Molyneux parody Twitter account, Peter Molydeux. Esposito made a game called The Pits from a pitch wherein the player moves a hole around an environment. The game grew to work as a "reverse Katamari": instead of a ball that expands upon touching items, as in Katamari Damacy, the Donut County hole expands upon swallowing items.[2] Esposito described the game as a "whimsical physics toy".[2]
Donut County was originally called Kachina,[2] based on the Native American "spirit beings that personify nature".[1] Esposito was inspired by the design of Hopi doll sculptures. Following a blog post that expressed criticism of his treatment of Hopi culture, and his subsequent effort to make an "authentic game" that incorporated the culture, he decided to change the title and abandon the theme.[3] Donut County also took inspiration from indie game Windosill's art style,[2] Los Angeles's high density of doughnut shops, and locations from Bruce Springsteen songs, such as Asbury Park and the New Jersey Turnpike.[2]
A demo of the game was featured at IndieCade in October 2012. Its goal was to knock the sun out of the sky by regurgitating objects once swallowed by the hole. Polygon's Michael McWherter noted that while some of its levels felt aimless or more like an "experiment" or "interactive toy", others "showed puzzle-like potential", including a level where chickens needed to cross a road.[1] Rock, Paper, Shotgun reported that a presentation of the game at the GDC 2013 Experimental Gameplay Workshop made the audience "cheer and applaud in delight".[3] The game was expected to show at the Austin, Texas, Fantastic Arcade event in September 2014.[2] In March 2015, Esposito presented on the game's development at the 2015 GDC.[3]
Donut County is planned for release on Microsoft Windows, OS X, and iOS.[1]
Reception
The game was a 2015 Independent Games Festival finalist in the Excellence in Visual Art category, and an honorable mention in the Seumas McNally Grand Prize category.[4]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 McWhertor, Michael (October 8, 2012). "IndieCade selection Kachina has shades of Katamari Damacy and one intriguing hole". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on March 8, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 McWhertor, Michael (August 11, 2014). "Donut County is like a reverse Katamari inspired by Bruce Springsteen and fake Peter Molyneux". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on March 8, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
- 1 2 3 Walker, John (March 4, 2015). "Hopi-less: How Kachina Became Donut County". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on March 8, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
- ↑ Makuch, Eddie (January 7, 2015). "2015 Independent Games Festival Finalists Revealed". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 8, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2015.