Review Roundup – Ohno Odyssey
December 4, 2013

In today's collection of reviews we look at the many critiques of Ohno Odyssey. They all have something in common: they're all pretty darn great! 

The game proved to be quite a joy for the team to work on, and we're glad reviewers, fans, and other gamers who stumbled upon it on the Nintendo 3DS eShop are really enjoying it. So with that, let's take a look at the reviews. 

First off we have Nintendo Life's review -- a solid 7 out of 10. Reviewer Lee Meyer wrote how "fans of classic titles like The Incredible Machine will find a lot to love." 

Pure Nintendo Magazine gave Ohno Odyssey a 8.5 out of 10, calling it a "pleasant" experience. 

Over at Nintendo World Report the game received a 7 out of 10 thanks to its "great physics" and "tough puzzles."

CGR Undertow enjoys that "there is no wrong way to approach a puzzle" in his video review. 

At Nintendojo they give out letter grades, and if we were still in grade school we wouldn't mind the grade of B on one of our tests -- and it's certainly welcome for Ohno Odyssey. The reviewer really enjoyed the multiple solutions for levels as well as the "great variety of items."

Digitally Downloaded also moves away from the number system, giving Ohno Odyssey three-and-a-half stars out of five. We're guessing they're Super Mario Bros. star power-ups, so that's a lot of star power. The reviewer calls the game a solid entry in the 3DS library. 

Here are some other scores: 

Clash Entertainment: 81 out of 100.

Super Phillip Central: 7 out of 10.

3DS Pedia: 70 out of 100. 

Ohno Odyssey Photo Contest Winners!
December 3, 2013

Before the recent holiday we held a photo contest asking for either a photograph or a Photoshopped image. Well, you guys did a fine job of sending in entries, and we've collected all of the images and posted them below for your enjoyment. 

A big thanks to everyone who joined in on the fun; you all made the contest and release of Ohno Odyssey something truly special. Now then, on to the images!

To start off we have Spaceship Earth at Disney's Epcot turning into something much, much cooler.  

These skydivers not only have Ohnos for heads, but it seems as though these Ohnos have magically grown limbs!

Dubbed Mariohno by his creator, this fusion of Super Mario and an Ohno is a blast from the past. How cool would it be to have a Nintendo level in Ohno Odyssey? The ball is in your court, Nintendo...

Buzz Lightyear is a good toy. Here he is saving an Ohno and most likely preparing to fly him back into space. Just don't let Buzz know he can't actually fly. 

The Twitter user who sent this in named the Ohno something special: Landohno. While Star Wars fans will understand why he did that, we'll just say we like this photograph thanks to its spacefaring duo. And talk about that moustache...

A big thank you to all who entered! We have notified those who will be getting an Ohno plushie!

Ohno Odyssey Photo Contest!
November 18, 2013

As many of you know, Ohno Odyssey is hitting the Nintendo 3DS eShop on November 21. We've already given out codes early to weekend contest participants -- but we want to give you guys more. 

How much more? Well, starting today we are running a contest through next Monday (Nov. 25) to give away our Ohno plushies. We will also randomly throw in some game codes on certain days. If you want a shot at winning a hand-crafted Ohno and the game, you should read below for details! 

Want to give these plushies a home?

What you have to do is simple: create photos and images. At the bottom of this page you will find a little Ohno to print out or save to your computer. You will use him in one, or both, contest categories. Each participant can submit one entry for each category: Photoshop and real. What we want are photos and images of the Ohno below placed in the most unique, fun situations and places you can think of. You can submit one photo of him and one Photoshop (or whatever your image editing software may be) image. 

Here's an example of a Photoshop image: 

Now here's an example of a simple photograph:

An Ohno made a new friend!

We will choose a winner from each category every day until contest end starting today. To recap, you can submit one entry per category. Your entry will be put into a hat of other entries each day for a chance to win. Prizes will be plushies, though we'll throw in game codes on random days. Use the Ohno below for your images and photos. To submit photos or images you can tweet them to us via Twitter with "#ohnoworld," or post a comment on our Facebook page with the same hashtag phrase. 

Be creative! Good luck!

 

Big John Games Presents at IGDA Twin Cities
October 11, 2013

On Wednesday night our team was invited to an International Game Developers Association (IGDA) event to talk about our Leap Motion game, Catch up Calu!, Ohno Odyssey, and how our first game sold in Japan is doing. 

Upcoming Nintendo 3DS eShop game Ohno Odyssey was touched on briefly -- specifically the gameplay and how we tried to incorporate more character into the game by giving our little green aliens an eclectic mix of emotions, a voice, and prominence in the story.

"We really put time into generating a look and feel in character for the Ohnos," Big John Games president Ken Patterson said, also showing off some 3D printing toys and Ohno plushies the company has been working on as contest rewards for fans.

The audience of nearly 50 people also got to see a video of Ohno in action. You can also see video of Ohno if you visit our YouTube page!

This Ohno does not like smashing into crates.

Patterson also gave a little insight into the company's history, and how Coaster Creator 3D made its way into the Japanese video game market. One of the big success stories about being in Japan is that Coaster has sold quite well, making it an exciting time for Big John Games.

"I let them know that Coaster in Japan made over 15 million Yen (about $152,000)," Patterson said, adding that it's making a profit for the company.

This isn't the fist time Big John Games has been asked to speak at an IGDA event, and last time the team presented it was focused on Coaster, so it was nice to give a little update on the title.

Patterson also announced how after just over three years the company generated $1 million in sales, and is on track to make that same amount in 18 months.

He also commented that as an organization bringing developers, designers, and students together, IGDA is important.

"IGDA is really important," Patterson said. "It's a great place for professionals, enthusiasts, and students to network, learn about the business, share projects, and share knowledge. The guys are really committed and you feel comfortable speaking there. It fills a really important need for people who are interested not just in games, but in the industry."

Ohnos Invade the Office
September 26, 2013

If you follow us on social media or visit our site from time to time, you've probably noticed our new game, Ohno Odyssey, by now.

It was just a suggestion, but one thing the team thought about was the possibility of making some real Ohnos instead of just virtual ones. What started out as a possible marketing and public relations idea (sending out Ohnos to video game journalists would certainly garner some attention), has evolved into a stitching fest and multiple green spheres hanging out in the office. 

Thankfully the clumsiness of the Ohnos hasn't set the office into disarray. Instead, they've offered up members of the team (a big thanks to digital artist Andrew Larson and programmer Ryan Appel for putting in the time to create the Ohnos) a chance to get their stitching on.

There have been some bumps along the way. If you look at our first Ohno below you'll notice something: he's a bit top-heavy. His slightly-too-large antenna made him the lucky recipient of the nickname, "Frankenohno."

After the initial design hiccups the Ohnos have looked more like, well, Ohnos.

We don't have a concrete plan for the Ohnos just yet (frankly, we're having too much fun with them around the office), but we can say this: fans of the little green aliens will have a chance to win one.

Stay tuned to our blog and social media to learn how to get your hands on one -- and be prepared for what could be a creative contest! 

As with every game we develop, we're quite proud of Ohno Odyssey. Having played it repeatedly during playtesting, the team is quite confident players will get a kick out of the action-puzzle game we've created.

On a side note, Big John Games president Ken Patterson was able to get 3D printings of two Ohnos. They turned out superbly, and you can check out the tiny one below.

Review Roundup - Smash Bowling 3D
August 20, 2013

Our goal for Smash Bowling 3D was to make an accurate representation of bowling that does three things: is fun, is easy to control, and feels like, well, bowling.

Now that the reviews are in, it looks as though we accomplished our goals. As a new game in our sports line, it's nice to see we started out on a high note. Read below to see what the gaming press is saying about Smash Bowling 3D.

Gamingtruth.com says "Smash Bowling 3D offers up some traditional bowling fun," and "if you are looking for a good game to play while traveling, then here's your choice."

Bit Size Reviews gave us 8 out of 10 (we'd love to link to the review, but the blog is currently down), citing the tight controls, fun unlockables, career tracking, and short learning curve as highlights of the game.

Family Friendly Gaming decided an 89 out of 100 was Smash Bowling's fate because of many things, but really praised "one of the best practice modes" ever seen in a bowling game.

Digitally Downloaded loves our control schemes.

And finally, First Comics News says this is a "solid" starting point for a bowling game.

Enjoy our new game, and thanks for playing!