Zoonami announces Funkydilla
Frequency meets Tetris? Or not. It's difficult to say. UK dev Zoonami is certainly trying something different though, and heads out to E3 next month looking for potential publishing and licensing partners.
UK developer Zoonami has revealed its debut project, and it's not the Cube-only title the studio was rumoured to be working on - instead it's a multi-platform rhythm-action title called Funkydilla, which sounds a bit like a cross between Frequency and Tetris. The UK developer (founded by Martin Hollis, whose credits include N64 titles GoldenEye and Perfect Dark) will be taking the game out to E3 next month with a view to getting support from a publisher and potential licensing partner.
Funkydilla sounds like it will take a similar approach to Frequency and Amplitude, with players building up tunes by cobbling various lyrical and musical sequences together. However where the Harmonix-developed rhythm-action titles mentioned above both relied on well-timed button combinations to keep the action going, Funkydilla will have players trying to clear the screen without letting it spill over - rather like block-building puzzlers of the Tetris variety.
Zoonami says that the game has been developed for "all game platforms", which presumably means PS2, Xbox, Cube and PC, and that the final game will support both co-operative and head-to-head two-player support. In announcing the game, Martin Hollis pointed explained the developer's desire to find a suitable licensing partner.
"Pick a popular artist like Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, or Beyonce and their loyal fan base will be all over it," he noted. "Go in other directions, like Usher, Evanescence, or Moby and you have a completely different game, ready for the next party, high school event or casual get together."
It certainly sounds like a good idea - from both marketing and games-playing perspectives - and in the absence of a revamped Frequency/Amplitude announcement, it's one of the more intriguing rhythm-action titles currently in development. We'll be keeping an eye out for it.