Flip's Twisted World
Encyclopedia
Flip's Twisted World is a platformer video game published by Majesco Entertainment
and developed by Frozen North Productions for the Wii
. The game was announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo on June 2009 and was originally previewed under the name "up&dn" on the Xbox. The game was released on October 19, 2010 to the USA market, but has been delayed in Canada.
to rotate the angle of the world, creating new pathways, turning ceilings and walls into floors, and allowing the player to creatively move around on all available surfaces.
In an interview with gameinterface.net, the game's lead designer Douglas Gregory says he was inspired by many older platformer games and came up with the idea from M.C. Escher's lithograph Relativity
that he wanted the players to solve 3-dimensional problems. He noted that the art team is making the "classic cartoon feel throughout the game" and that composer Tommy Tallarico
worked on platforming music that Gregory says is essential to the platforming genre. Anthony Head
was the lead voice actor for Master Fulcrum.
In September 2010, they previewed the game for local children at nearby St. Cyril's Elementary School.
The game was originally scheduled for release in January 2010, however it took two years to develop the game. Gregory noted that the vast amount of assets consumed the majority of production time.
's Super Mario Galaxy
. However, the article also said that the platforming does not show much promise and controls are lacking, and that the game felt very linear and lacks content. In the end, they referred to the game as a "poor man's Super Mario Galaxy". An article at IGN
noted that the rotating mechanics need more work, but admitted that the controls could become natural if fixed.
Following its release, the game received a final score of 6.0/10 from Nintendo Power
magazine, citing a "lack of polish and poor enemy design".
video game developer
founded in 2006. The studio is based out of Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
, though it began in Waterloo, Ontario
in the University of Waterloo
Accelerator Centre.
Though Flip's Twisted World is only for the Wii, the studio is licensed to develop for all the major gaming consoles, as well as touch devices such as Microsoft Surface
, TouchPCs, and the Apple hardware line.
The company is now closed down.
Majesco Entertainment
Majesco Entertainment is a video game publisher founded in 1986.-History:Majesco first made a name as a reissuer of old titles that had been abandoned by their original publisher. By cutting the prices dramatically and, eventually, arranging the rights to self-manufacture games for both Nintendo...
and developed by Frozen North Productions for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
. The game was announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo on June 2009 and was originally previewed under the name "up&dn" on the Xbox. The game was released on October 19, 2010 to the USA market, but has been delayed in Canada.
Plot
The story of the game, follows the tale of a wizard's apprentice named Flip, who gets sucked into a distorted universe inside of a forbidden magic book. Flip, with the assistance of his cube companion Pivot, has to make his way through multiple worlds inside this universe and defeat a boss in each world to gain a Chapter Stone. Using the power of the Chapter Stones, Flip must defeat the evil, destructive mage Axel to save the universe and return home.Gameplay
Flip's Twisted World is a 3D puzzle platforming game in which the player is able to use the Wii RemoteWii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
to rotate the angle of the world, creating new pathways, turning ceilings and walls into floors, and allowing the player to creatively move around on all available surfaces.
Development
Flip's Twisted World has been in development by Canadian developer Frozen North Productions since their inception in 2006.In an interview with gameinterface.net, the game's lead designer Douglas Gregory says he was inspired by many older platformer games and came up with the idea from M.C. Escher's lithograph Relativity
Relativity (M. C. Escher)
Relativity is a lithograph print by the Dutch artist M. C. Escher, first printed in December 1953.It depicts a world in which the normal laws of gravity do not apply. The architectural structure seems to be the centre of an idyllic community, with most of its inhabitants casually going about their...
that he wanted the players to solve 3-dimensional problems. He noted that the art team is making the "classic cartoon feel throughout the game" and that composer Tommy Tallarico
Tommy Tallarico
Tommy Tallarico is an American video game music composer and musician. He is best known as the co-creator of the concert series Video Games Live...
worked on platforming music that Gregory says is essential to the platforming genre. Anthony Head
Anthony Head
Anthony Stewart Head , usually credited as Anthony Head, is an English actor and musician. He rose to fame in the UK following his role in television advertisements for Nescafé Gold Blend , and is known for his roles as Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and as Uther Pendragon in...
was the lead voice actor for Master Fulcrum.
In September 2010, they previewed the game for local children at nearby St. Cyril's Elementary School.
The game was originally scheduled for release in January 2010, however it took two years to develop the game. Gregory noted that the vast amount of assets consumed the majority of production time.
Reception
The game has received poor reviews from critics, with an average of 49% across 7 reviews on Gamerankings.com . In previews, the game's control scheme was lauded by Joystiq.com as enticing, and they and several other reviewers compared the controls to NintendoNintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy
is a 3D platform game developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was released in most regions in November 2007, and is the third 3D original platformer in the Mario series, after Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. The game follows the protagonist, Mario, on a...
. However, the article also said that the platforming does not show much promise and controls are lacking, and that the game felt very linear and lacks content. In the end, they referred to the game as a "poor man's Super Mario Galaxy". An article at IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
noted that the rotating mechanics need more work, but admitted that the controls could become natural if fixed.
Following its release, the game received a final score of 6.0/10 from Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
magazine, citing a "lack of polish and poor enemy design".
Frozen North Productions
Frozen North Productions is a CanadianCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
video game developer
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
founded in 2006. The studio is based out of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, though it began in Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
in the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
Accelerator Centre.
Though Flip's Twisted World is only for the Wii, the studio is licensed to develop for all the major gaming consoles, as well as touch devices such as Microsoft Surface
Microsoft Surface
Microsoft Surface is a multi-touch product from Microsoft which is developed as a software and hardware combination technology that allows a user, or multiple users, to manipulate digital content by the use of gesture recognition. This could involve the motion of hands or physical objects. It was...
, TouchPCs, and the Apple hardware line.
The company is now closed down.