Limited-edition physical games publisher Super Rare Games has announced its new indie publishing label Super Rare Originals -- and it's also revealed its first five game releases.
Super Rare Games is a physical games publisher with a twist -- all of its releases are limited to a set amount of copies. It launched quite a few interesting games in 2021, and its past releases include popular indies like World of Goo which was a digital launch title for the Nintendo Switch back in 2017. Of course, it also shows smaller indies some love like the delightfully charming RPG The Adventure Pals.
Physical game releases aren't the company's only project, though. More recently, it's launched a demo disc/game bundle hybrid called the Super Rare Mixtape which sold out in short order. Now, this company has announced its latest venture: Super Rare Originals, a new publisher for indie games.
Super Rare Games Aims to Publish Indies With Super Rare Originals
Super Rare Originals is a new indie game publisher that aims to help quality indie games get a little time in the limelight.
There's one particular curiosity about this label -- will games published through this company get an associated physical release through Super Rare Games? I had a chat with Ryan Brown from the company on the subject.
"Super Rare Originals is a digital publishing label for all console platforms + PC, but of course, we're incredibly passionate about physical games and preservation," Ryan told me. "So while there's nothing to announce right now, the chances of us leaving games digital-only forever is basically 0%"
Ryan also went into a bit more detail about the company. He says the publishing agreements are fairly straightforward compared to what you would see at a larger publisher. The entire mission of Originals is to give indie devs the opportunity to succeed, with a focus on games that the company is passionate about.
"We don't have one strict guideline of what a deal looks like, it really just depends on what a developer needs - if we pitch for a game, it's because we genuinely love it and want to play it ourselves, we just wanna work on cool stuff," " Ryan Brown explained. "It's George, myself, and Jason they're usually pitching to, and we're motivated by fulfillment in working on cool stuff."
"We want our Originals to do well to help us fund making more Originals and make the developers successful," he continued. "We have no investors or big senior multi-millionaire owners telling us what to do, and our [motivator] isn't to become rich. It's really quite freeing what that allows us to do, as it means we can basically say to a dev 'what in an ideal world would a publisher do for you' and we can offer exactly that. We're trying to help change the power dynamic of devs and publishers. They're *our* boss, it's their game, and we're honoured to be involved."
It's an admirable mission, and Super Rare Originals is loaded for bear. This new publisher has also announced the first five games that it's going to be publishing -- and it looks like some of them have a good shot of launching in 2022.
First 5 Super Rare Originals Games Announced
Aside from its reveal as a new indie publisher, the first five Super Rare Originals games have been announced: Grapple Dog, Post Void, The Gecko Gods, Lone Ruin, and Completely Stretchy.
Grapple Dog
Grapple Dog is a colorful action platformer that looks like it has a lot to offer fans of the genre. If you love stuff like Sonic the Hedgehog, you're going to want to check this out.
As you might expect from the name, Grapple Dog features a dog named Pablo as the main character. Unsurprisingly, he also has a grappling hook. It can be used to grab onto objects in the game world, either to bring your pupper closer or to swing in an arc to cover some distance. This game also features several platforming mainstays such as wall-jumping, disappearing platforms, and spike hazards.
When is the Grapple Dog Release Date?
The Grapple Dog release date has not yet been announced. For now, you can learn more about the game on its Super Rare Originals page and wishlist Grapple Dog on Steam.
Post Void
Post Void looks perfect for fans of first-person shooters. It's a visually-striking title that perfectly captures the feel of early first-person shooters with a lot of style.
Of course, this game has some substance, too. The gameplay seen in the announcement trailer above is
When is the Post Void Release Date?
The Post Void release date has not yet been announced. Check out the game's page on the publisher's website to learn more.
The Gecko Gods
The Gecko Gods is a super-chill 3D puzzle platformer where you play as -- surprise, surprise -- a gecko. You'll be exploring a lovely island filled with mystery and a fair amount of puzzles and obstacles to overcome.
Interestingly, The Gecko Gods actually makes good use of its character. Just like a real Gecko, you're able to cling to surfaces and climb vertically. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the actual gameplay, especially when it comes to the physics objects in the world.
When is The Gecko Gods Release Date?
The Gecko Gods release date will be sometime in 2022. Make sure to wishlist The Gecko Gods on Steam, and check out its Super Rare Originals page to learn more.
Lone Ruin
Lone Ruin is a twin-stick shooter which tasks you with diving into dangerous ruins in search of ancient power that was once used by mages to transform themselves. Unfortunately, this ruin also happens to be jam-packed with monsters.
Throughout the game, you'll have to zip around blasting enemies to bits with your magic. You'll also be able to select from a bunch of different spells and optimize them with equippable gems.
When is the Lone Ruin Release Date?
The Lone Ruin release date has not yet been announced. For now, you can learn more about the game on its page on the publisher's website.
Completely Stretchy and Uncomfortably Sticky
The final game of the Super Rare Originals launch lineup is Completely Stretchy and Uncomfortably Sticky, a surreal first-person experience where you use your noodly arms to explore a pastel world filled with weird geometry and even weirder characters.
Residents of The Grombi Isles all have something to say as they go about their daily lives. There's a fair amount to explore here and there's usually something interesting just around the corner. You'll uncover more about the world as you learn its story, and you can choose to take your time or take advantage of the fast-paced movement to zip around at high speed.
When is the Completely Stretchy Release Date?
The Completely Stretchy release date has not yet been announced, but you can learn more about the game on its Super Rare Originals page. You can also add Completely Stretchy to your wishlist on Steam.
And that's that! Each of the first five Super Rare Originals games brings something special to the table, but today's press release notes that this isn't everything the company has in the works -- several more games are in the works behind the scenes.
Giving indie developers more options for picking a publisher is always a good thing, especially when it's a grassroots effort built by people who are passionate about gaming. You can learn more about this new initiative by checking out the Super Rare Originals website.
What do you think about Super Rare Originals? What's your favorite game in the initial launch lineup? Let us know in the comments below!
