Hello! I can’t describe what this feels like: Joe Danger is released exclusively to PlayStation 3 today. This is both the most exciting and nerve wracking day of my life.
Two years ago, three friends and I decided to make a game together. Hello Games formed and sat around playing with a box of toys. One stunt cycle in particular. Firing it out windows and imagining a game featuring that hapless rider.
The truth is, back then we didn’t really know what we were doing. We didn’t know if we could make the game we wanted with just four people. We had worked on some big titles before, games like Burnout and Black, and those were huge teams of hundreds. All of us had been dreaming of making our own games, probably since we could play them. In the end it was just something we had to do.
Last Friday night we all sat up waiting for our first review. It turned out to be a 9.5 on IGN, their highest ever rated PSN game. Then we got a 9 in GameInformer, their Game of the Month (the first ever for PSN). Amazing! Check out some more awesome reviews here and here.
We’ve literally poured everything we have into Joe Danger. It’s been an incredibly difficult two years, but to see people enjoying what we’ve done is the most rewarding feeling in the world. It’s why we’re so excited for the release. This is the game we’ve always wanted to make, for each of us it’s every game we’ve loved crammed into one innovative and tight package. I thought I’d let the others members of Hello Games describe what they love about the game.
Grant: “I’m the sole Artist and I designed most of the levels for Joe Danger. Christmas ‘92 I got Sonic, and played it straight ‘til Christmas ‘93. I wanted to create levels with that crazy feeling of speed, those sudden leaps of faith and the fluid feeling when you are in the zone. You might be on a Bike, but for me Joe is a platformer at heart. Just one at 200mph.”
David: “I’m the Gameplay guy on Joe Danger. Before I had my C64 and California Games, I was Pinball obsessed. I’ll basically do anything for a multiplier. Tony Hawks Pro Skater and Jet Set Radio were huge for me at Uni when I was learning to skate. It’s all about that extreme tension when you’ve built up some huge score Combo, and just one mistake will wipe it all out in an instant. Joe Danger is fast and frantic, but really it’s all about highscores for me.”
Ryan: “I’m the main technical dude at Hello Games. I’m that guy who loves nothing but racing games, speed-runs, time attacks. Excitebike, Trackmania, Crazy Taxi and Burnout have been big games to me and I guess that’s rubbed off. Joe Danger is never anything but fast, whether you’re trying to grab every coin in Coin Dash, or neck and neck racing for the finish line. It’s all about Boost. Stunts feeds your boost, allowing for even bigger air and crazier Stunts. Boost is that glue between racing, comboing and platforming.”
Once again, Joe Danger is on the PlayStation Store in America later today and we really hope you enjoy it! Spread the word.
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