Michael Koloch

This Week in Videogames - TWIV Covering the important things happening in the world of videogames. News, reviews, and insights without ads or filler content.

Hello. About a year and a half ago, some guy called Ralph asked me if I wanted to make a new videogame website.

We're launching it today. Maybe you can even visit it if people stop hammering the server for a second.

Header text: "HEY YOU! YES YOU! TAKE THIS SHIT OUT OF LINKS!" This is followed by a couple example urls, with a red square highlighting the sections with source identifiers. The rest of the text is as follows: Source identifiers are used to track your activity on a site. Where you came from, what device you use, and even who you talk to. Whether it's written clearly in the url or tied to a random string of characters, it's assigned to your activity. When you send a link containing a source identifier to somebody and they click it, it signals to the website that you two are connected. And that data goes right back to the website operators, and thus their advertisers. Whenever you select "share" or "copy link" on a social app or website, it creates a link like this. If you give even the smallest shit about online privacy, it's important to remove them. Everything after the "?" symbol can be removed without issue, especially sections starting with "si=" or "utm_source="

I saw an infographic a couple years ago about how to remove source identifiers from links and why it's important, but I can't find it again and too many people I know are sending me links with them so here's an infographic straight from the oven

This is quite a big deal here in Germany. Congrats!

This is important to sign and share. I archive Dutch language educational games (yeah very niche, that's why they require archiving) and I have to deal with lost media a lot. Don't let games disappear, please.

stopkillinggames.com

Over the past month, my main Bluesky feed has had a lot of «From Videos» TikTok-style engagement bait style bullshit videos like «im crying so butiful» and «WHAT?!?!» and «he doesn’t know what’s about to happen.. watch!»

Found the switch — no thanks.

Big Hops - a fresh and froggy action-platformer A new kind of 3D platformer about tongue swinging, froggy parkour, and building your own path forward with veggies.

Now that everyone is getting a Switch 2, imagine playing a new 3D platformer with fresh ideas and consistently modern design sensibility... Sounds really nice, huh?

I know just the frog for you:
www.kickstarter.com/projects/chr...

It feels to me like the assumption with these arguments is that we have too little games. It is the opposite. We are drowning in content. We don't need more, bigger, longer.

Why would I as a user/consumer/player want to engage with something the creator didn't want to engage with?

what a ride :D ich hoffe ich kann sie heute noch abholen 🤞

Now that Americans are bored at work again...

⚠️Some BIG HOPS news⚠️

🐸Launching on Nintendo Switch 1 & 2 this year
❤️We announced yesterday with OTK showcase
🎮Our free demo is up now on Steam
🙏BIG HOPS is live on Kickstarter
www.kickstarter.com/projects/chr...

I'm so happy for the team and this game to hit 1.0 🥹

Go check out Oddsparks on PC, PS5 and Xbox!

I'm well aware that a big part of the appeal is nostalgia, but it absolutely NAILS IT!

Right down to the perfect visual effect when the camera dips under water. The exaggerated lens flares. The post processing. The jingles. Everything is spot on.

But it feels kinda fresh and modern underneath

It is "just" the demo/proof of concept for the real game, but I dig the vibe of this world so so much.

I hope the full game goes into a similar direction!

The Big Catch: Tacklebox on Steam Crack open the Tacklebox to show off your platforming prowess and fishing skills in this free prologue to The Big Catch.

The real gem, that I absolutely fell in love with is The Big Catch: Tacklebox.

It has it all: The music, the visuals, the challenge, the animations, the move set

store.steampowered.com/app/2985610/...

I think it is one of the easiest to pick up and have fun with, but the move set feels promising for much more depth

Big Hops Demo on Steam Tongue-swing, free climb, and build your own path forward in a new kind of 3D platformer! Plant veggie bounce pads, tightropes, hookshots, and much more. Find a way home through huge Desert, Ocean, an...

It makes me very happy that there is a bunch of great looking indie 3D platformers popping up lately.

I'm a bit picky when it comes to controls and move sets, so I rarely like how they feel, but Big Hops is definitely one to keep an eye on.

store.steampowered.com/app/3735820/...

Photo of a box of the 3DS game Fantasy Life

I see lots of hype for that new Fantasy Life game. Maybe it's time to check this one out!

Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure on Steam Oddsparks is a blend of automation and real-time strategy for both the die-hard fans of the automation genre and the automation-curious. Explore a strange fantasy world, uncover the mysteries of the p...

Omg everyone! Our game, Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure is having its full release a week from now! (27.5.2025)
I'm so so so proud of this one. Hope you all enjoy it!

store.steampowered.com/app/1817800/...

Support trans rights with this bundle of more than 400 indie TTRPGs for $5 It’s a massive collection of role-playing games, but we pulled out a few highlights for you

Support trans rights with this bundle of more than 400 indie TTRPGs for $5

YouTube video by LastofAvari Sphongos /// Pico-8 Adventures

Sphongos /// Pico-8 Adventures ::: A #Pico8 #exploration #adventure #indiegame by @michaelkoloch.bsky.social #indiedev ::: Explore the alien world in your fungi research expedition, upgrade your equipment and unveil all the secrets of this far away planet.
» www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkpO... «

There are few things that make me happier than the stuff I make having a positive impact on someone.
Thanks for playing ❤️

can't stop thinking about this

YouTube video by AchieGameDev Atmoshperic Incremental Mushroom farming | SHPNGOS | FULL PLAYTHROUGH | PICO-8 Game

🍄 Grab yourself a drink, boot up the game and get lost in the weird muhroom-y land, researching the funga around you. 🍄

SPHONGOS by @michaelkoloch.bsky.social is one of the best incremental games I have played on the #pico8 system.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOaA...

#indiegame #RetroGaming

You found skulls 😨 I never put any in!?

juicy!

:D awesome. I promise I will try to have more proper endings for my games from now on, because I get that feedback a lot. I'm still glad you had a nice time :)

Been playing this the last few nights and it's a nice little gem of a wander & mine. Good style, a great example of a "simple" #pico8 game that isn't simple :) If you're looking for something to balance out whatever fast-paced action game you're digging, this will do the trick.

I also use ArkOS and like it a lot. I power it down properly every time with R3 + Power. Battery seems fine that way. I improved the d-pad with some tape and shoulder buttons with foam. I'm super happy with it. Especially for Pico-8 games!

These are amazing! So expressive!

This is a great read! Grab it!

It's a great book, it made me see the games "industry" in a very different way