Dust, Kaleidoscope, Max Blastronaut, Hurricane 2X Evolution, Sol Survivor and Rotorscope. One of these games will win its developer $40,000 as the winner of Dream Build Play 2009. Also any of these could get themselves onto Xbox Live Arcade. It’s hard to pick a winner from these to be honest, they all look brilliant but I don’t know how they play. You can see the trailers (in HD) for each by clicking on their names up there and read more about them in this article G4 did earlier this week. This week though we have 14 games including the return of some XNA superstars.

Dark Skies: Constellations
Oesis – 240 Points

A bit of observatory action to kick off with. Either looking around the starry skies or hunting down constellations. As a tool it’s not really much use as the excitement of astronomy comes from the movement of stars over time. As a test of your constellation knowledge it’s overpriced. Really nothing to get excited about.

Crystal Spear Remake
Former – 80 Points

A remake of what I can’t think, as I’ve never heard of a game called Crystal Spear. Anyway it’s some tunnel flying action dodging beams and trying to get to the end as fast as possible, yet it’s single straight line means it’s not fun to play and like so many Japanese XNA games the 8-minute trial limit remains unchallenged. So not worth the points even if it was fun.

Shining Blood
Teasoft – 400 Points

This is a pretty game, all red and black wireframe stuff. The basic aim is to use one of 3 given mechs to shoot down all the enemies in a level, then hop onwards to a new layout and tougher enemies in the next level. It all seems like a good idea and it is really. The problem is that this game has the worst controls I’ve ever seen in a videogame. When I did something it seemed like an accident and beyond that none of the controls are where you’d expect them to be. A good game ruined I think.

Sky Arena
Wangjuntom360 – 80 Points

Again this is a pretty game. The blocky polygons and loud guitars work within the context and feel of the game. What doesn’t work however in the context of a dogfighting game is the extremely close viewpoint. This makes it hard to see any incoming cliffsides or missiles. In these modern times the lack of any missile lock warning is also a cardinal sin.

Fireworks Spectacular
GoVids – 80 Points

Ugh, screensaver. How do I pad this out with enough words so that the entire formatting of this article isn’t screwed up? Well I can easily rant about how the trial version of this doesn’t let you do anything. I could say this makes me unable to judge the game or I could put unfairly assume it’s shit. Guess which option I prefer.

Mini-Golf 360
Jhample – 240 Points

Anyone who spent time on flash games as a student knows of games like this. I certainly spent my fair share of time on them while the teachers weren’t looking. Anyway this is 18 holes of miniature golf lovingly ripped from several other mini golf games which you can find over at this site right here for free and with much better controls.

Halfbrick Rocket Racing
Halfbrick – 240 Points

Halfbrick are an incresingly well known developer. Their upcoming Raskulls for XBLA is getting plenty of attention and we’ve seen them in this space before with the rather poor Echoes a few months ago. Anyway this is a game they mentioned a little while ago which has had me waiting for its arrival. It’s a top down racing game using one of three control styles thankfully, the ever unwieldy tank style using the triggers to fire each of the ship’s rockets individually to turn, the same system but reversed or just the one trigger to accelerate using the left stick to turn. The controls work well and the tracks are nicely laid out to accommodate the system whereby boosting off the walls gives you extra speed. However the only actual racing you’ll be doing will have to be against other people in the same room. Xbox Live multiplayer isn’t present and neither are any AI opponents. If you have friends then get it in, but those omissions from a developer who’s perfectly capable of doing both are inexcusable.

Wizard’s Tower Screensaver
SGDarkSquirrel – 80 Points

Well at least it’s being up-front with its screensaver ambitions there. However just like the fireworks earlier this is keeping anything past the menu strictly under wraps in the trial. For that reason alone I’m going to pad this out by saying it deserves this swift kick up the jacksie.

Avatar Golf
Barker’s Crest – 400 Points

See the developer name there? Barker’s Crest are one of the finest developers working with XNA. Their last creation was the incredible Easy Golf which not only was a brilliant golf game, but put the similar XBLA title Golf: Tee It Up! to shame with its character customisation and course creator. Now they’re back with what is effectively Easy Golf 2 and if you STILL haven’t bought the damn thing let me tell you why you should. This is everything Easy Golf was but with 6 brand new courses and the ability to play with your Avatar, making this the first Indie Game to feature Avatars as a playable character. The courses are brilliantly designed, there’s a fine community built up around the game and if Easy Golf was anything to go by you can expect some DLC for the game as well. Buy this game. Seriously, buy this freaking game. I don’t know how much more persuasive I can be without actually threatening you. BUY! THIS! GAME!

The Answer to Life
Clay Schubiner – 80 Points

Once again Get The Ball is repackaged with another useless little gimmick which once again is unavailable in trial mode. You know looking over this week’s games I was looking forward to the play sessions I’d have expecting there to be some real gems in there. I’m being sorely disappointed right now.

Avatar Drop
Rodyan – 80 Points

Oh boy, no-one tell Rare but someone’s equipped the Avatars with some spectacular ragdoll physics. The idea here is to control your falling Avatar as it breaks and buckles from hitting point scoring rings and balloons blocking your path. It’s weirdly cathartic fun and it gets rather competitive when you get more than one person involved. Fun enough to buy though is something I can’t commit to.

Magical Melody
Nakfiv – 240 Points

Yeah in the alt-text of that image I’ve put the phrase Pedobear Approved and I’m really right. This is a bit of sugary jpop alongside 3 undoubtedly underage girls who you can control using the face buttons tapped in time with the beat. Download it and see what it’s all about for a laugh if nothing else but it’s not worth the money. Just don’t blame me if the authorities want a word.

Flash Cards for Kids
Talryyn – 240 Points

To say this does exactly what it says on the tin would be both lazy and inaccurate, as there are no cards and no tin. If you have kids then you’re probably better off buying a proper set of flash cards, they’ll probably cost less.

Stereo 3D Gallery
Aztec – 80 Points

Another gallery, only instead of some rather decent original artwork we have some extremely poor 3D images which are both dull and don’t really work. All this from the developer of the Amazing Hypnodisc. Which was rubbish as well.

Game of the Week goes to the only worthy game of the week, the sublime Avatar Golf. Go give Barkers Crest your money.

Dream Build Play results will be out before the end of the month but if you want to get started on a game for next year then check out XNA Creator’s Club or Kodu Game Lab. If you’re a developer who wants a bit more exposure for your game then feel free to send us a token, every game we get a token for will get £250 a full NG Review.