Sound Shapes is the latest game from Jonathan Mak, the developer behind Everyday Shooter, and it has a similar, cool sensibility to it. It's striving to combine music and platforming in some pretty interesting ways, and it's probably the game that I'm currently looking forward to the most out of Sony's pre-E3 NGP lineup.

You control a ball, rolling around a 2D environment. You can extend treads to get a better grip on surfaces, letting you hang and roll on ceilings, walls, and most other surfaces, but you'll move faster if your treads are retracted. This leads to some cases where you need to get up some speed, jump, and then extend your treads in mid-air to stick to a wall. From there you might roll up onto solid ground and keep moving forward. The object is to collect items on your way, and each item makes up a different part of that level's soundtrack. So you're sort of filling in the music as you play. It seems like collecting different parts in different orders or at different times on your way to the goal will lead to a slightly different arrangement of the song. One of the ideas being tossed around is that completing a level perfectly would allow you to export your version of that level's music as an MP3. There will be around 30 levels in the game, though there are plans to add more after release.

The game also has a built-in level editor that lets you create one-screen levels that work on the same basic concept. Here, the music seems to be more important than the level, since you don't have a ton of room to work in. You'll drop drum, synth, and other sounds around the screen to plot out a loop. Then you'll need to put in some surfaces to jump on and cling to in order to make it possible to collect all of those sounds. Created levels can be uploaded, shared, and remixed by other players. The game will automatically maintain attribution for remixes, allowing for remixes of remixes of remixes while still crediting all the right creators along the way.

Visually, it's got a simple style that works for it, though it's also the sort of thing that probably doesn't exactly require the increased horsepower of the NGP to work. But that's the only place you'll be able to play it. This video from the PlayStation Blog has some more details directly from Mak himself.

Sound Shapes is the latest game from Jonathan Mak, the developer behind Everyday Shooter, and it has a similar, cool sensibility to it. It's striving to combine music and platforming in some pretty interesting ways, and it's probably the game that I'm currently looking forward to the most out of Sony's pre-E3 NGP lineup.

You control a ball, rolling around a 2D environment. You can extend treads to get a better grip on surfaces, letting you hang and roll on ceilings, walls, and most other surfaces, but you'll move faster if your treads are retracted. This leads to some cases where you need to get up some speed, jump, and then extend your treads in mid-air to stick to a wall. From there you might roll up onto solid ground and keep moving forward. The object is to collect items on your way, and each item makes up a different part of that level's soundtrack. So you're sort of filling in the music as you play. It seems like collecting different parts in different orders or at different times on your way to the goal will lead to a slightly different arrangement of the song. One of the ideas being tossed around is that completing a level perfectly would allow you to export your version of that level's music as an MP3. There will be around 30 levels in the game, though there are plans to add more after release.

The game also has a built-in level editor that lets you create one-screen levels that work on the same basic concept. Here, the music seems to be more important than the level, since you don't have a ton of room to work in. You'll drop drum, synth, and other sounds around the screen to plot out a loop. Then you'll need to put in some surfaces to jump on and cling to in order to make it possible to collect all of those sounds. Created levels can be uploaded, shared, and remixed by other players. The game will automatically maintain attribution for remixes, allowing for remixes of remixes of remixes while still crediting all the right creators along the way.

Visually, it's got a simple style that works for it, though it's also the sort of thing that probably doesn't exactly require the increased horsepower of the NGP to work. But that's the only place you'll be able to play it. This video from the PlayStation Blog has some more details directly from Mak himself.

Cool

Oh shit, NGP

NGP is rocking a helluva' lineup. Get the price right, Sony, and I'm down.

Not interesting enough for me to buy.. but whatever.

Looks like a Playstation Mini. Couldn't this run on the iPhone? Isn't the NGP like crazy powerful?

The PSP2 has me really interested thus far.  I am really looking to buy one at the first price drop.

Sounds interesting, looking forward to see more of this.

Everyday Shooter was so damned good. Hopefully this will live up to it.

Oh yeah I was wondering what happened to Jonathan Mak

Looks neat. As does the PSNGPV2.

That game looks pretty cool, I really like seeing the NGP in motion.

That sounds like a pretty neat concept.

how the level editor uses the front and back touchpad is awesome

This actually looks pretty neat.

I want an NGP cuz it looks stupid....same reason I bought a 3DS.

nice unique games like this is what the NGP needs!

Sounds alot like Gish tbh

nice unique games like this is what the NGP needs!

Oh yeah I was wondering what happened to Jonathan Mak

You are so predictable! Why would you want to think Sony's more commercial NGP titles like Uncharted are cool when there's an artistic game with a successful indie developer behind it? 
 
This looks great, but so do the other NGP launch games. A heck of a lot more exciting than the 3DS launch line up was (still doesn't have any exciting games out for it!).

Looks like a Playstation Mini. Couldn't this run on the iPhone? Isn't the NGP like crazy powerful?

What's with all these companies releasing shit? Did they forget E3 is next week?

What's with all these companies releasing shit? Did they forget E3 is next week?

Well that looks pretty interesting. Kind of.
 
@crusader8463 said:

What's with all these companies releasing shit? Did they forget E3 is next week?

In this guy's defense, you wouldn't be able to hear his game on the show-floor.

alright... I've got my killer IP #1. need a couple more before i'm sold on Vita :)

Man, just watching that dude play with the NGP is making me much more excited for it. Looks like a ton of fun.

Makes me think of electroplankton, if electroplankton had game elements.

Christ, I want this game.

It's interesting. Touch-screen looks like it's fun to use. Still have to wait on the price though. If it costs over 450 Australian dollars, I'm not buying it, no sir. Even if it's $399, I'll consider it. But not over 450.

Seems pretty cool.

I just thought of Gish for the controls, but it is so much more! 
 And btw... I love everyday shooter. That game ROCKS!!!! 
  
This is literally the first thing about the NGP that made me want it. 

I was wondering where the heck Mak went.

I really like the compromise between running and climbing - that seems like a really smart way to make a run button but avoid the mentality of "Always be running." Also seems like it plays into the level design in some pretty rad ways, like when you're expected to run along ceilings. It's neat. 
 
Shame I'll never play it since I have absolutely no intention of acquiring a PSVita because it's not a brand I'm investing in and I don't really care to have experiences equivalent to console ones on the go anymore really. 

looks like a new genre. 

Everyday Shooter is still one of my top downloadable games of all time. This looks weird as fuck, but I'm sure Jonathan Mak can make it work.

Shit keep it up Sony. I am not a huge handheld gamer, but what I am seeing is very impressive. 

This does look interesting.

Super meat boy meets Little Big Planet?

NGP is starting to really tempt me, if only Sony could keep up a strong line-up 

Kind of like a musical Gish from what im seeing

Im amazed at how sturdy the NGP looks in his hands. definitly looks like a fragil piece of equipment thought. but the screen seems to be able to take a pounding.

I'll be interested when it comes out on PS3

Thanks for telling me about Sound Shapes.

Hope NGP is no more than $300. I want one so bad!

@spncrrr said:

Looks like a Playstation Mini. Couldn't this run on the iPhone? Isn't the NGP like crazy powerful?

i have a feeling it could be made with that playstation suite thing so it might be on the xperia play too.

The game seems like a fun thing to waste some time, i kind of hope it'll be a half price downloadable over a full price retail game, even with the deep customization. 
 
Also, that guy really shows the NGP's intuitiveness, look at how fast he works the touch screen in conjunction with the D-pad and control sticks when he's making his own level.

I wasn't sure what this game was or how it's suddenly the biggest NGP game among a lot of press, but now I see why.

Kinda reminds me of Gish, but a lot brighter and with music.