Belgian Game Spotlight - Rolling Hamster
Welcome to a new Belgian Game Spotlight! Last month, we made you squint your eyes to find objects in Hidden Through Time but rest easy: for our February spotlight, you'll only need a single button as we race cute little rodents in Rolling Hamster.
Rolling Hamster was first created during an internal game jam: a couple of starting gamedev wanted to see if they could work together. 48 hours later they had a prototype ready to be presented during Brotaru, a local gathering of developers in Brussels. People seemed to have a lot of fun playing their little project and this motivated them to release a full game on Steam.
The team found out they had chemistry and thus Flip It was born, a brand new Belgian Game Studio!
Before we continue, perhaps it's wise to first check out the trailer, to get a better idea of what kind of game we're dealing with:
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As the subtitle might have given away already, you can control the entire game using only a single button. The hamster will pick the ideal path to the goal and rotate their little vehicle as needed, you just have to accelerate or slow down, to avoid driving off the map.
You can play the game against the AI, but the most fun can be had when up to three other local players join in. With the one-button concept, you can even play it shoulder to shoulder on the same computer screen.
Rolling Hamster has a very cute and soft aesthetic, with pastel colours and chubby, loveable hamsters rolling on the roads. How did they get in the hamster balls? Why are they racing? Is someone betting money on the outcome? Instead of asking these silly questions, it's better to focus on the fast and furious rodent racing.
Speaking of "roads", the game currently has three different biomes: a valley, a canyon and an underwater location where presumable the hamsters get enough air to breathe (let's hope!)
Because of the smart camera that zooms in and out as needed, there is no need for Split-Screen. Just like the ye old top-down racing games we remember from when we were kids (this obviously only applies if you are not a kid when reading this), you get a clean overlook of the track and can see the curves coming a mile away. (in all fairness, the track probably isn't even a mile long)
The four contestants each have their own colour, so it'll be easy to keep track of your own gnawer as well as the competition, in case you're looking to push them off the road and down the canyon.
Sounds like this is right up your alley? Then be sure to wishlist Rolling Hamster on Steam. The game is set to release near the end of March.
Wishlist Rolling Hamster on steam
If the game does well enough, perhaps they'll even consider a console port at some point, so be sure to show your support!
Want to keep up-to-date on the game and the studio? Here are a few places you can follow them:
We hope you've enjoyed this feature article and if you're a Belgian game developer yourself, don't be afraid to reach out and maybe we'll spotlight your game next month!
