Are you a sadist?
Not in the slightest.
Did you really make a game about that *=#+!@ of a level?
Yep.
Why?
Apart from featuring unresponsive controls and a few unfair sections, the original dam level is a cool game experience. In fact, it is a classic NES level that is still remembered by millions of gamers worldwide. Some of us even like it! I made That Dam Level because no other game was inspired by this classic and because I thought that I could improve it. In many ways, I think that the dam levels of yore are more suited to today's tastes for hard games (see Dark Souls or The Binding of Isaac).
A daily challenge.
Yet another 8-bit game?
Chiptunes and pixel art. I do think that the art style need to fits the game rather than the other way around. I think of That Dam Level as an homage to the mid-tier NES games. Not the superstars, like Mario and Castlevania, but the game that you loved even though it won't ever appear on any "best games of all time" list. As such, the game comes with an illustrated manual that details the background of the characters and obtuse gameplay mechanics, a stupid-but-we-need-it-anyway excuse of a plot, and - yes - 8-bit style graphics drawn with a limited color palette.
This is a joke/a ripoff.
With seven levels, a speedrun mode, daily challenges, online leaderboards and a fine-tuned scoring system, That Dam Level is its own thing.
I hate this.
That's alright, mate. Different folks like different stuff. Please be kind enough to hate it on its own merits, though, and not because you dislike something similar or because you heard someone mocking the original level.
You really want to avoid that yellow stuff.
What's the story?
President Thanks was in his office, trying to understand why people were always telling him "Obama, Thanks". All of a sudden, his television started blasting a message from none other than the evilicious Beaver. The rascal rodent threatens to blow up seven dams, and only the cool teen Liz can stop him! She'll be joined in her quest by a French mutant, a rad kunoichi and a turtle in an exosuit. Assembled, the teen, the mutant, the ninja and the turtle form the last hope for humanity : the Big Dam Heroes!
How hard is it?
Very hard, but fair. A perfectly skilled player should be able to finish the game without being hurt once. To put things in perspective, while playtesting, I took relaxing breaks by playing Dark Souls. The game also comes with a "modern game" difficulty setting, that even kids should be able to finish.
Where can I find more of that awesome music?
The music is from Visager. Check out his bandcamp!
Better luck next time!
How much will it cost?
Pricing on Steam is set between the developer and Valve. For reference, the game is sold on itch.io for 3.49USD.
If the game comes to Steam, will it come with Steam Trading Cards?
You bet.
What is your favourite hard game?
That gotta be Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts for the SNES. It's not that hard after the first couple of levels.
