KUBO

[dale_coop 144]

At first, it was just an activity to keep my 5-year-old son busy, during the holidays, it was raining, he had watched me have fun with NESmaker and was very interested. I taught him how to use the software, he started by modifying some tilesets and designing a screen.
He liked the activity so much that he started again, but this time he had prepared a ton of small drawings and already ideas to make his own game. That's how KUBO was born.

   

KUBO, the story of a cowboy turtle in search of a mysterious crystal hidden in a dangerous world, populated by monsters.
It is a game with only 1 level. You beat the monsters, you find the crystal, you win... it's that simple

A presentation video (in french): https://youtu.be/KGH6_io9a3Y

 

For his birthday, as a surprise, I gave him the NES cartridge of his KUBO game! He was so happy and surprised (it was the first time I flashed a game on a NES cartridge... thanks again Paul, at InfiniteNesLives) 

Here's the rom file:

kubo(NESMaker)_final.zip

[dougeff 14]

Do you know any app that can play NESmaker games on an android device?

[SuperJimtendo 827]

That's awesome.

[Raftronaut 95]

1 hour ago, dale_coop said:

"KUBO, the story of a cowboy turtle in search of a mysterious crystal hidden in a dangerous world, populated by monsters."

 

Ahhh congrats Dale, I am happy you shared this here! 

I love the tag line! Green cart looks great! 

Cheers! 

[dale_coop 144]

Thanks, Raftronaut  No merit here, the synopsis was dictated to me by my son  

[Deadeye 1,556]

I have been interested in trying your son's game out since I saw it in the Homebrew Calendar.  Thank you for posting this. 

Edited November 19, 2019 by Deadeye

[dale_coop 144]

thank you, Deadeye. 

[gauauu 79]

5 hours ago, dougeff said:

Do you know any app that can play NESmaker games on an android device?

NES.EMU by Robert Broglia will play them.  And it has the best control scheme of any Android emus that I've tried. Well worth the money if you have any interest in playing NES on your phone.

[dougeff 14]

Thanks

[dougeff 14]

According to you, on the nesdev forum... "The recent release of it on google play doesn't have support for these mappers".

and the source code doesn't seem to have support.

 

[gauauu 79]

Hahah, I dunno. It didn't seem to support it in an earlier release but I played Kubo and Wumpus in it today.

[Orab Games 97]

18 hours ago, dougeff said:

Do you know any app that can play NESmaker games on an android device?

Have you tried Retroarch with the latest Mesen core? I think that will play UNROM512 (which NESMaker uses) and even GTROM! I know I have tested a GTROM game on my Android phone and that works.

[dougeff 14]

NES.EMU does work. The one on the Google Play store. Thanks again.

I didn't try retroarch.

Edited November 20, 2019 by dougeff

[Fleck586 263]

That is so cool.  Dad of the Year right there!

[RH 4,040]

2 minutes ago, Fleck586 said:

That is so cool.  Dad of the Year right there!

Agreed, now see if you can drum up enough business to make 50 copies, and "all proceeds go to your sons college fund".  I don't buy many homebrews, but this is the type of Dad behavior I approve and, frankly, seeing a CIB copy of KUBO on my shelf might inspire me to do this same with my 2 little ones.

[spacepup 2,043]

For all of the...I'll say 'judgment' and criticism that NESMaker gets - it is really cool to see something like this that may not have been possible or feasible without it.  If something like NESMaker allows people to share the love for NES and game development with their children, in a cool bonding experience like this, then I am all for it!

I loved the video and I think it is super cool that you and your son were able to do this together!

[dale_coop 144]

Thanks you for the kind words.
I'll write more topics about the other ones... because, after KUBO (2018), my son made KUBO 2 (early 2019 for the Byte-Off NESmaker competition) and now he's making KUBO 3, that is really fun (he has now some experience... and has a ton of ideas). I hope I can post those in the next days.

Edited November 20, 2019 by dale_coop

[RH 4,040]

Even if he doesn't get into gaming, that type of excitement can lead him into college wanting to become an engineer.  It did me.  I started at 16 in 1997 with QBasic and even though my days are now filled with fighting fires and creating new functionality in a corporate website, it's a good career, has it's fun moments and is a field that tends to pay well once you get your degree.

Plus, if he has all of that experience by the time he's 18, he'll probably be able to sleep through many of his classes.  I mean, Finite States of Automata might be a little tough, but everything else might be a breeze.

[Fleck586 263]

21 minutes ago, dale_coop said:

Thanks you for the kind words.
I'll write more topics about the other ones... because, after KUBO (2018), my son made KUBO 2 (early 2019 for the Byte-Off NESmaker competition) and now he's making KUBO 3, that is really fun (he has now some experience... and has a ton of ideas). I hope I can post those in the next days.

Depending on ROM size, would all three fit on a cart?  Make a KUBO Trilogy and release it for his college fund.  Even a few hundred dollars, if invested correctly and left alone, would be several thousand later and would help with college for sure. I'd support it 100%

[Orab Games 97]

3 hours ago, Fleck586 said:

Depending on ROM size, would all three fit on a cart?  Make a KUBO Trilogy and release it for his college fund.  Even a few hundred dollars, if invested correctly and left alone, would be several thousand later and would help with college for sure. I'd support it 100%

It could be done, but there would have to be a programming overhaul on the backside or make a new NESMaker project and jam all three games from scratch into it. I think this would be a cool idea though if the OP and his son have the time to do it.

[dale_coop 144]

Good idea... I’ll check into that when KUBO 3 will be finished.