Publisher cdv is diving into handheld gaming with a physics-based puzzle game called I E> Geeks. Its gameplay is very reminiscent of the classic The Incredible Machine (and Midway's just-announced Mechanic Master) as players build contraptions in order to complete objectives. Designer Marc Ecko is on board, providing character designs and back story.
Puzzle fans, listen up: I Heart Geeks is just weeks away from its North American release. The Nintendo DS title is a story-driven puzzler that involves the creation of Rube Goldberg-like machines. It also makes use of real physics to make these machines work. For instance, trajectory, mass, force, and surface friction all come into play when building these devices. In total, there are over 100 such brainteasers to keep even the brightest of science minds alert.
WP reports:
''Ah, to be a geek. Geekiness used to be verboten and undesirable. Sure, being smart was useful, but being a geek meant constant comparisons to Steve Urkel and always being the butt of sophomoric humor. My, how times have changed. Thanks to the success of Google, being a geek is now chic, and game developers have picked up on the trend with brain teasers like Brain Age, Capcom Puzzle World, Puzzle Quest and Tetris DS. Building on the theme, CDV is ready to kick things up a notch with its upcoming I Heart Geeks, which just might be a contender for best puzzle game of the year.
As the protagonist, you play a geek on a quest to outsmart the bullies by using your brains rather than your brawn. Along the way, you'll get lessons from other geeks, as they explain how different puzzle pieces work. You see, unlike a traditional puzzle game where you focus on matching up blocks, I Heart Geeks has you building basic machines. Engineer the machine correctly, and you move on to the next level. Fail to get everything working as it should, and you have to start from scratch.''
At a recent CDV press event in San Francisco, GameShark was able to preview three out of the spotlight games for the DS and one for the Wii.
That's the only thing I hate about gaming, that its so geek infested.