How Annalynn was inspired by the enduring appeal of Namco arcade games
Annalynn is a retro-themed action game made in the style of the classic arcade. The player controls Annalynn on her quest to grab all the coins in each horizontally scrolling level. Opposing her is the Venom Brigade, a group of four snakes with different personalities who duck and ambush their way through the level using caves and ledges, as Annalynn jumps over her enemies and collects Blinding Rubies, stunning them and allowing her to kick them out of the level.
Annalynn has charming music and pixel art graphics, and looks like it came right out of Namco around the time they were making Mappy. As with Donut Dodo, it’s an appealing and enduring action game style. We talked with its creator about the game and its design inspirations.
Who are you, and what is Annalynn?
Hi! I'm Cruise Elroy, a game developer with a particular interest in arcade games from the 1980s. They may have been before my time, but that doesn't mean I love 'em any less. Annalynn is my tribute to some of my favorite games from that era, and even some from after that time! While Annalynn does call back to the difficulty of arcade games from decades ago, it's also a game that I want to be accessible by many without requiring a huge demand for skill. Basically, if you're new to arcade-styled games, start with Annalynn.
Video and computer games today, even indie ones, have different design attributes now than in the classic days of arcades. Maybe it’s just my age showing, but I feel like there’s something about Pac-Man, as an example, that immediately suggests video game in a way that Call of Duty or Minecraft do not. What appealed to you about making a classic arcade-themed game?
'80s arcade games are a genre I absolutely love, since, to me, it marked a
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