Last week with kicked off our 2020 Big Indie Pitch season with what is always our biggest and most intense competition, our flagship Very Big Indie Pitch at Pocket Gamer Connects London.
For those not in the know, The Big Indie Pitch is a regular event run by the makers of PocketGamer.biz. It gives indie developers the chance to pitch their games to industry experts and journalists in a speed-dating-style format.
Teams get the opportunity to get valuable feedback on their games, as well as win great prizes such as promotional packages and, more importantly, the coveted Big Indie Pitch baseball bat.
This year was sponsored by the likes of Applovin, Kwalee, Rollic, Flowplay, AppOnboard, Plug In Digital and Space Ape Games,The Very Big Indie Pitch saw 28 mobile developers take to the floor to pitch their games to a whopping 8 tables comprised of 16 expert judges.
From cats armed with explosives to stem cell science, and even as far as helping as many cute little creatures known as Zacks as possible, this pitch had some of the highest quality we’ve seen at one of our events. Of course, this meant we were left with some amazing finalists and a record-equaling winner, as Mousetrap Games joined the prestigious club of developers who have won twice with two different games.
So, if you’re interested in learning more about not only the winner but the whole top 5, simply read on below.
First place – Rocat Jumpurr by Mousetrap Games
What happens when you mix cute cats with explosive weaponry? Well, you get Rocat Jumpurr of course. Rocat Jumpurr is a 2D platformer where your goal is to use all your explosive might to take down the many enemies of the cute and cuddly felines, such as mice, cucumbers, and of course the common pigeon.
Designed with simplicity and random fun in mind, players must utilise the bazooka weapon itself to help with movement, as the recoil will send you flying in all sorts of directions. That’s not the only challenge in the gameplay though, as alongside navigating the level via the explosions, the game also utilises a randomly generated roguelike style of level design to keep the game constantly fresh.
Second place – Save the Zacks by Bytesize Technology
In Save The Zacks you must use your finger to carve a route to safety for all the adorable little Zacks. Unfortunately though, as you navigate the puzzles ahead, it may be necessary from time to time to sacrifice one or two of the Zacks for the greater good as you look to save them before the planet is destroyed.
Despite this, Save the Zacks is definitely a relaxing game and one that can be enjoyed by everyone, thanks in part to its soothing sounds, beautiful environments and, of course, its cute characters.
Third place – Forge Quest by Fun Punch Games
Forge Quest takes the deep and immersive RPG genre and squeezes the experience into pocket form whilst also combining it with common mobile gaming mechanics. In Forge Quest, players must carefully merge materials in order to craft new weapons and gear, before suiting up and heading out to take on a range of enemies.
Additionally, players will also be able to create unique and different teams on their adventure. All in all, when combined with the game’s high polish, this never before seen blend of mechanics is something that certainly caught the judges’ attention.
Fourth place – Wreckout by Huey Games
Wreckout is a game that mixes air hockey, Speedball 2, Arkanoid and Rocket League into one glorious retro-inspired multiplayer battler. In the game, players must fling the ball at their opponent’s end section in order to destroy all of their blocks.
Of course, it’s never as simple as that, as players can stop shots mid-flight, utilise the environment, and even ram their opponents. The game may still be in development, but it already looks set to be a perfect couch multiplayer title.
Fifth place – Hexlords: Quantum Warfare by Tantanmen Games
Hexlords is a resource management and tower defense-style title that looks to combine elements from iconic strategy games such as Red Alert and StarCraft, with modern simple and accessible gameplay from the likes of Clash Royale. As such, players will have a lot of flexibility not only in the creations but also in the way they battle, as they craft and create their bases and units, before taking them into an all-out battle for domination.
That’s not all though, as the game also includes a deep and engaging premise – one in which players are thrown into an alternate reality where a United Global Government has broken down into 4 warring factions. Each of which has its own set of unique skills and personalities for the player to choose between.
