Quote inXile entertainment Acquires Console Rights to Hit Internet Game Line Rider(TM)! Tuesday December 19, 12:00 pm ET Nintendo DS & Nintendo Wii Games Scheduled for Spring 2007
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Dec. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Having already amassed a worldwide cult following on the internet, inXile entertainment announced today that it has acquired the rights to the hugely addictive 'toy' Line Rider(TM) and that the popular game will soon be available for both the Nintendo DS(TM) and Nintendo Wii(TM). Since its first appearance on the Web (www.official-linerider.com) on September 23, 2006, Line Rider has attracted over 15 million viewers to date and has spawned over 11,000 video posts on YouTube.com. Anticipated to ship in Spring 2007, Line Rider for the Nintendo DS(TM) and Nintendo Wii(TM) from inXile entertainment will retain all the fun and thrills of the addictive Web version, but will also include new added features.
Line Rider has received accolades from media worldwide. Time.com commented, "Line Rider is becoming one of the most popular flash games on the web," and The Wall Street Journal called Line Rider "Online gamers' new addiction." The Toronto Star noted that Line Rider was "a deceptively simple online game' and stated that it has become "the latest Internet addiction."
"I have been around the interactive entertainment industry long enough to have seen similar phenomenon like Tetris and Bejeweled become massive international hits, and Line Rider has all the elements to do the same," said Brian Fargo, chief executive officer of inXile entertainment. "Line Rider is like a fully animated Etch-A-Sketch® and will be perfect for the Nintendo DS and Wii."
Fargo continued, "The amazing thing is that it has appeal to almost everyone. I've watched 6 year-olds and adults play Line Rider and both were thoroughly entertained and captivated. Easy to pick up and play, and highly addictive, we are very pleased to be bringing Line Rider to video game players."
Described as a "toy" by its creator Bostjan Cadez, Line Rider allows players to construct their own track filled with as many ramps, hills, and jumps as they can imagine utilizing a pencil tool. Once the player is done creating their course, they can send a virtual sledder down the route until he wipes out. The possibilities in Line Rider are only limited by physics and the player's imagination with an almost endless number of variations and replay.
"Line Rider began its life as a project I did for illustration class," commented Bostjan Cadez, who created Line Rider in his native Slovenia. "As much as people see it as a game I think of it as a toy because there is no score and no one wins or loses while playing Line Rider. I'm looking forward to working with inXile entertainment on the new Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii versions as they will bring added gameplay and features."
About inXile entertainment
Located in Newport Beach, California, inXile entertainment is a game development company that focuses on both licensed and original intellectual properties. Formed in late 2002 by Interplay Entertainment founder Brian Fargo, inXile entertainment develops for personal computers and the major console platforms including the Nintendo Wii(TM), Nintendo DS(TM), PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system PS3 and the Xbox 360(TM) video game system from Microsoft. Their products include The Bard's Tale and a yet to be announced next-gen game shipping in 2007. For additional information on inXile and its products, visit the website at http://www.inxile-entertainment.com.
Etch A Sketch® is registered trademark owned by The Ohio Art Company
Line Rider is a trademark of inXile entertainment, Inc.
Some videos for those of us that have never seen/heard of this before:
Title: RE:Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: JonLeung on December 19, 2006, 05:53:21 AM
I can see many Flash games that are popular on the Internet being a hit on the DS, but the Wii?
After the Wii Opera browser is made available couldn't I just play them on the Internet through my Wii?
Title: RE: Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: Smash_Brother on December 19, 2006, 06:31:05 AM
Cute, but I couldn't possibly see paying for this.
Title: RE:Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 19, 2006, 06:38:29 AM
Quote Originally posted by: JonLeung I can see many Flash games that are popular on the Internet being a hit on the DS, but the Wii?
After the Wii Opera browser is made available couldn't I just play them on the Internet through my Wii?
I was thinking the same exact thing, but the PR does say "Line Rider for the Nintendo DS(TM) and Nintendo Wii(TM) from inXile entertainment will retain all the fun and thrills of the addictive Web version, but will also include new added features." so who knows what could be added. Besides I'm sure this would be a VC release on Wii and probably wouldn't cost more than 500 Points.
As far as a DS version goes, I would like to see a mode with some sort of RT line drawing to help the rider reach a goal, kinda like those Kirby games for DS.
Title: RE:Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: JonLeung on December 19, 2006, 06:42:09 AM
Now that I've actually tried it, I think it's kind of neat, but it seems more suited as a mini-game in another game.
If it was made into a full game, why not just make a Kirby: Canvas Curse sequel? Canvas Curse is different in many ways, but it already has the "draw a track" thing down.
Title: RE: Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: Spak-Spang on December 19, 2006, 07:40:29 AM
I would love to play this game for DS with the stylus. I think you could do much more incredible things with the Stylus helping you create the line to run on. Already it is a very fun game. If they can get a nice trick system running, and then also a main game with an objective it would be a very nice purchase.
Title: RE: Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: TrueNerd on December 19, 2006, 07:46:54 AM
Yeah, I too was gonna make a sarcastic, "Kirby Canvas Curse has already been out for a year and a half," joke as well.
It's a nice diversion considering it's a free download, but why on earth would I pay money for this? If they want my money, they'll have to make it an actual game.
Title: RE: Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: Pale on December 19, 2006, 08:00:05 AM
Will I fall through the lines on the DS version too?
Title: RE:Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: mmeyer on December 19, 2006, 08:37:14 AM
Quote Originally posted by: Pale Will I fall through the lines on the DS version too?
You understand that the direction of line drawing actually has an effect on whether it acts as a floor or ceiling, right?
That way, by drawing using the appropriate winding, you can allow the rider to directionally pass through certain lines.
Sorry, if you already knew this - I couldn't tell if you didn't understand or were trying to be funny.
Title: RE:Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 19, 2006, 09:08:30 AM
Quote Originally posted by: mmeyer
Quote Originally posted by: Pale Will I fall through the lines on the DS version too?
You understand that the direction of line drawing actually has an effect on whether it acts as a floor or ceiling, right?
That way, by drawing using the appropriate winding, you can allow the rider to directionally pass through certain lines.
Sorry, if you already knew this - I couldn't tell if you didn't understand or were trying to be funny.
huh? I just played the game before posting this thread and I have no idea what you are talking about.
According to the game there are three types of lines you can draw. 1. Regular lines that the rider slides along 2. Acceeration lines that speed the rider up 3. Scenery lines that do not affect the rider (they are for creating an enviroment/atmosphere/background)
so this 'appropriate winding' and 'directional pass though' does not make sense to me, would you care to explain further?
Title: RE: Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: Pale on December 19, 2006, 09:21:20 AM
I too am confused. As far as I know my guy just falls through lines sometimes. Lines that I draw no differently than other lines.
Title: RE:Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: JonLeung on December 19, 2006, 09:24:41 AM
I made a straight, diagonally downward acceleration line. Shortly after the end of it, I made a regular line perpendicular to it. It didn't seem to act like a wall like I'd hoped.
I put a few more regular lines parallell to the "wall". While the rider did come off his sled, the lines clearly aren't rigid, impenetrable walls.
I kept drawing loop-the-loops because of the Canvas Curse influence. But it doesn't work that way.
Title: RE: Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: Pale on December 19, 2006, 09:24:54 AM
I played more and I understand now. The direction you draw the line affects the floor ceiling thing. That's pretty damn unintuitive. I'm surprised more people don't think it's broke...
The first thing i did with it was make something like this...
\ / \ /
The problem is, because i drew them as most people would.. left to right, then right to left, then left to right, then right to left, the guy fell through the second line.
Title: RE: Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on December 19, 2006, 09:43:58 AM
I'd like this on my DS if they can fix the bugs. I made a fairly involved track, saved it, loaded it, and it behaved differently. The rider crashed on my first loop for some reason, even though he could make it all the way through before. Also, if I used the flag button to test a part of a track over and over again until I perfected it, it again behaved differently if I played it from the beginning. Still, it's a beta.
The only reason to get it on Wii instead of DS (and I'd hope it would be a download in the Wii Shop) would be to make it easier to share your creations. That would be pretty cool, so it might be worth giving up the stylus.
Title: RE: Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 19, 2006, 10:50:49 AM
But what if you D/L it for Wii(through the Wii Shop) but play it using the DS as the controller, then you could still use the WC24 to share all your stuff.
Title: RE: Line Rider coming to Wii & DS (internet flash based game)
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on December 19, 2006, 11:01:56 AM
Well, sure, I'd like that, but I don't see it happening.
By the way, it looks like my problem was related to acceleration lines. If I don't use them, I can get the same results every time. That's too bad, because you can do some really goofy stuff with them. I had one I named "I Think I Can" that had a mountain in it that the rider needed five tries to get over, and after loading it he got over it on the first try.
