It's got action. It's got puzzles. It's got zany... everything. And most importantly (for the competition), it makes extensive use of ball physics. The Tall Stump scored exceptionally high on all of our judges' radars, edging out the other entries in our 4th Casual Gameplay Design Competition for the top spot. Created by three talented individuals who form Team MAW — Adam Wilkinson (Australia), Alex May (US) and Handre DeJager (South Africa), The Tall Stump is an action platformer that feels like an adventure game laced with short puzzles. As you travel through the game you find strange items and learn to use them in even stranger circumstances, all in the name of working your way deeper into the stump.
Use the [A] and [D] keys to move the character left and right while [W] serves as a jump button. To pick up and switch items press the [S] key, and to use whatever is in your hands, just tap the [spacebar]. Or, if you prefer, you can use the arrow keys for movement instead. You begin with empty hands but very quickly get something to start your inventory: a potted cactus. Along the way you'll grab many strange items you'll need to use at the appropriate time in order to open a door or gain access to the next area.
Helping you solve puzzles in The Tall Stump is a handy little item that looks like a bazooka but fires balls that activate switches as they bounce around the stage. Not only is this a clever way to incorporate the competition theme, it also adds another layer of strategy to the genre-bending game. Many times you'll have to bounce a ball through a tiny gap in order to progress. Sometimes you'll have to hop on a moving platform, aim, and fire all within a few seconds time. Thrilling!
The Tall Stump has an in-game save feature that lets you play through in more than one sitting. There is, however, a good reason to do it without leaving your computer: an online high score table. Complete the game as fast as you can without saving/resuming to have a chance to put your name on the board. Collecting all of the hats and coins shaves precious minutes off your score.
Analysis: From top to bottom (and probably left to right as well), The Tall Stump is a superb game. Great music and sound effects and a polished visual style draw you in right from the start, while the game's zany sense of humor keeps you begging for more. It blends puzzle solving and platforming action quite well, giving just enough challenge on each front to keep you driven to beat the game. Add to that loads of fun extras and you have a game that can't be ignored.
A great game on all levels and a fantastic entry from Team MAW!
dancemonkey - This is the game in every competition that I can't wait to play, but I just don't realize it until I play it. The charming artwork and simple story lulled me into thinking it would be a brief and breezy romp, but I was very pleasantly surprised by the challenge of many of the puzzles. I was also impressed by the simplicity and intuitiveness of the control scheme. The ball physics theme implementation wasn't the strongest in the competition. Heck, it wasn't even the second strongest, but it was creative and integral to the gameplay. I would love to see further development of this game and this game world.
Jay - Wow. The Tall Stump excelled in every category we scored on this competition. It might be an easy game to pass off as too frustrating or too difficult by someone giving it only a cursory play test to see if it's something worth diving into. But those that approach it from the perspective of a brilliant puzzle game rather than one that requires split second perfection in hand-eye coordination will be handsomely rewarded. Oh, you'll need good hand-eye coordination to get through it, but if something you're trying seems near impossible, chances are there's an easier solution to the puzzle. It's an exceptional game that is polished, well balanced, loads of fun, and not a bug or glitch to be found, proving that its designers really know their stuff. Congratulations Team MAW on this fine game you've made, and on one well deserving of the grand prize.
Walkthrough Guide
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Phew! No wonder a walkthrough hasn't been posted yet. Well, it took forever, but I did it! Makes you wonder how the guys at Maw got it all programed in time. What a game!
The Tall Stump Walkthrough
Screen One:
Captured in a bubble, you can only watch in horror as an evil magician turns your girlfriend into a pink cube. After he sails off and the bubble pops, hop onto the dresser and pick up the cactus. Run after him, brandishing the cactus if you wish (it will come in handy at some point).
Screen Two:
Put on the newspaper hat. Continue to chase the magician.
Screen Three:
Admire the mushroom houses, practice your jumping, then continue on your way.
Screen Four:
Enter the cave…
Screen Five:
Jump onto the cube with the straw hat (Another hat! Too bad it got stuck when the person was turned into a cube…) then over the ledge and down.
Screen Six:
Jump to the left, off the grey cube, and onto the switch (the round ball). A ledge will emerge from the right wall. Quickly jump back over to it, and use it to jump onto the platform with the coin (it only moves out once, so if you don't get there in time you'll have to reactivate the switch). Pick up you first coin, then move on.
Screen Seven:
Jump straight down, then walk into the wall with a hole in it. Hit the space bar and come out wearing a red cap. Jump back up to the ledge, onto the first and second grey cube, then onto the moving blue platform. As it nears the ceiling, jump to your left, and pick up your second coin. Drop back down onto the platform, then jump up as it nears the ceiling again, this time to your right (this is easier to do if you jump before it reaches the very top).
Screen Eight:
Jump onto the platform (notice how when you walk over the switch the red cube moves up?) and pick up the green thing. Now, how to activate that switch from a distance… Oh, isn't that a gun you just picked up? And hey, it shoots balls! (Note: While holding the spacebar to shoot, pushing the up arrow/W moves the gun up faster and the down arrow/S slowly brings it down. Also, once you've released the spacebar to shoot a ball, as soon you push it again the ball will pop.) Quickly jump directly onto the red cube, then onto the platform and over. Drop back down to screen 7, and make your way back to screen 6.
Screen Six (Take 2):
Use your gun to shoot the switch - the one you activated before by walking over it. This time, a fish hat will fall from the ceiling. Put it on, then reactivate the switch and return to screen 7.
Screen Seven (Take 2):
Jump onto the higher grey cube, then aim the gun up and shoot a ball through the gap in the wall. It'll drop down and activate the switch. Drop through the hole that opens in the floor, before it re-closes, to screen 9.
Screen Nine:
From the right, shoot the wall to the left of the poor hanging green thing to make it drop the third coin, and pick it up. Don't save yet - there's no risk of dying here. Go right, to screen 10.
Screen Ten:
Hop onto the blue moving platform, then onto the ledge at top left. Aim and shoot balls through the hole in the wall to your right until one bounces off a blue square and onto the switch, instead of popping on the wall. Jump down and get your first crystal, then go back to screen 9.
Screen Nine (Take 2):
Jump onto one of the diamond platforms and push the spacebar to drop the diamond into place. Now, go to your left, to screen 11. If you're not too good at jumping accurately, you might want to save first - while holding a coin, push the spacebar while standing in front of the save machine. (Note: if you do use the coins to save, you will not be eligible for one of the last bonus hats and will also waste bonus time points for each coin spent.)
Screen Eleven:
Stand at the very left edge of the red cube in the ground and aim the gun all the way down. It should bounce over the spikes and activate the bottom switch, making the red cube rise up. Jump onto the steps and get the diamond, then jump back down one step. Aim and shoot the gun at the very bottom edge of the leaves at top right. The ball should bounce back and activate the top switch, opening the door. Jump up and get the wizard costume. Jump back down and return to screen 9. Careful - If you hit the ceiling as you jump you will rebound down onto the spikes and die (it helps to drop down onto the little ledge first, and jump from there).
Screen Nine (Take 3):
Jump onto the second diamond platform and deposit the diamond. Drop down through the hole that opens in the floor.
Screen Twelve:
Pick up the fourth coin. Now would be a good time to save. Walk to your right to screen 13.
Screen Thirteen:
Here's where it starts to get tricky. Wait until the first ninja star is either at the top or bottom of the screen, then jump onto the grey cube. Aim the gun at the top left corner and wait, keeping the gun cocked. You'll have to shoot to activate the switch to raise the red platform, then use it to jump straight onto the ledge, avoiding both the second and third ninja stars (Note: it's better to do this pretty fast, or the ninja stars will move closer together, making the jump more difficult. If this does happen, you can either wait for ages till they cycle back, or step out of the room for a second and return. The cycle will have resumed from the beginning. This comes in handy in later rooms as well). A good way to suceed is to shoot when the second one is almost at the top of the room and the third almost at the bottom, then make a run for it. Once you've made it, breathe a sight of relief and head for screen 14.
Screen Fourteen:
Beware dog! Don't worry, its bark is worse than its bite. Walk as close to it as it'll let you, then aim up and shoot the gun at the moving blue platform so that the ball rebounds back into the beehive, stirring up the bees which will chase it away. Once it's run off with its tail between its legs, head on to screen 15.
Screen Fifteen:
Jump onto the grey block, then up to hit the ceiling above the smudge on the wall. A light will come on and a viking helmet will fall from the ceiling (alternatively, just shoot the ceiling). Aim up and shoot the diamond, then jump down and pick up the diamond and helmet, stopping to laugh at the cowering dog. No, unfortunately you can't jump up on the ledge and get the coin yet. Go back through screen 14, keep your fingers crossed that you'll make it through screen 13 alive (you don't actually need to activate the switch this time, though it may help you get onto the red platform), and return to screen 12.
Screen Twelve (Take 2):
Deposit the diamond on the platform. If you're feeling cowardly, save again (any sane person would). Walk left to screen 16.
Screen Sixteen:
Oh no! More shurikens! Again, moving as soon as you enter the room works best. The first shuriken should move up to the top of the screen, and then down, reaching the bottom at the same time as the grey cube. Wait for it to move back up a bit, then jump onto the cube. It should be smooth sailing across. Pick up the fifth coin, then aim all the way up at the apple and shoot it down for when you come back. Move on to screen 17.
Screen Seventeen:
Wow, what a big an- oh no! The door's closed! You're trapped! Before you panic, pick up the sixth coin and the ominously femur-like bone, then go and stand on the ant's head. Aim and shoot the switch five times as it moves around the room, then exit before the door slams back down (once you learn the pattern, this is not all that hard - all are direct shots except for the third, where you have to bounce the ball off the right wall).
Screen Sixteen (Take 2):
Jump back across the gap, deftly avoiding the shurikens (Note: this time it helps to wait a bit before jumping - let the left shuriken go up and down three times, then jump immediately after it meets with the grey cube, as you did on the way in). Stop to pick up the apple mask, then head back through screens 12 and 13 (stop whining, you should be a pro by now - but if you're really not sure you can make it in one go, stop at 12 and save again first), then 14 and all the way back to 15 with the dog.
Screen Fifteen (Take 2):
Deposit the bone in the dog bowl (nice doggie!) then jump onto its head to get to the ledge. Pick up the seventh coin, then it's on to new challenges!
Screen Eighteen:
Drop right down and go into the part of the wall to the left that's camouflaged. Pick up the Sherlock Holmes hat. You know the drill by now: grey cube, blue moving platform, then shoot the ball from the platform through the gap in the wall to activate the switch. A sure bet is to aim all the way up and shoot through the top gap (from below) as soon as you're close enough to clear the edge. Bullseye! Quickly drop down and go through the newly-opened door before it slams shut again. Jump onto the ledge, onto the blue platform, then onto the ledge near the ceiling. It's just a short hop to the left to screen 19.
Screen Nineteen:
Is that - could it be… Elvis? Never mind him for now. Focus on those two transporters that take you between the first and second floors. Walk into the bottom one and quickly get out to the left at the second floor so you don't go bouncing back and forth annoyingly, but stay as close the edge of the transporter as you can without getting beamed back. Aim at the hanging vine, and release the ball. Don't bother waiting to see if you've hit the switch - head right back into the transporter, and pop out on the first floor, again staying just outside its perimeter. Aim up and quickly shoot the switch. Just as quickly, hop back in the transporter. Exit to the left and jump up to activate the switch in its third and last position. You did it! Now, about that cactus… use the spacebar to drop it in the crack between the other potted plants on the upper floor to release Elvis from his glass cryo tube. Go back down and put on the Elvis Hair. Head back up and save if you wish (recommended) before moving on to screen 20.
Screen Twenty:
Right. As soon as you enter the room, walk to the very edge of the ledge, shoot the switch, jump directly onto the second platform and on to the opposite ledge. Keep right on going ‘till you reach the far left (Note: if you fall straight down without hitting any shurikens here, you'll end up back at the dog, alive and well). Phew! You're safe! Now, if you're suicidal, jump back to the right ledge and pick up the ninja costume, then come back across a third time and onwards.
Screen Twenty-one:
Bounce off the cute kitty's head until you go high enough to jump onto the grey cube. Aim roughly at the centre of the wall with the blades, and shoot as they are retracted so the ball rebounds off and activates the switch. Move through the door and pick up the eighth coin, then jump onto the toothy blue platform. When it reaches the ceiling, jump to you right.
Screen Twenty-two:
Carefully jump over the blades and on.
Screen Twenty-three:
Don't bother saving yet; just keep going.
Screen Twenty-four:
Stand just to the left of the hanging vine, aim the gun up and try to shoot the ball directly under the right edge of the cube, so it bounces up between the wall and the cube. If done correctly, the ball should bounce up to the switch. Go through the door and do the same for the second switch. Pick up the diamond. Shoot the left side of the pink cube so that the ball rebounds onto the blue one. Go through the secret door.
Screen Twenty-five:
In the boudoir, put on the brown wig and shoot the girl-cube. She jiggles like jelly! Go back through screen 24 to screen 23, and either head back the way you came over the blades to screen 22 or, just after the save machine, jump up to the stairs with the clock, over the unhappy green cube, onto the grey cube and down to the diamond platform.
Screen Twenty-two (Take 2):
Place the diamond on the platform. Jump back over the blades, up the steps at screen 23 (now you can save), and back to the upper floor of screen 22. Jump onto the now mobile grey cube and let it carry you across the gap.
Screen Twenty-six:
Jump down onto the red cube. Aim the gun all the way down and shoot the top of the small moving cubes. The ball should bounce off and activate the switch. Rise up and jump to the left ledge. You probably don't need to bother saving here. Jump onto the blue platform and, when it reaches the ceiling, up and right.
Screen Twenty-seven:
Jump onto the blue toothy platform, and onto the ledge over the big blue rat. Keep going straight.
Screen Twenty-Eight:
Jump over the sliding blades. Bounce on the kitty's head and, once you go high enough, jump to the left.
Screen Twenty-Nine:
Stand on the red cube and shoot at the left wall to the side of the switch, timing it so the ball rebounds off the right wall when the blades aren't visible to activate the switch. Wait till you rise up, then jump off onto the right platform. Pick up the ill-fated green cube (once a mommy-bird, it seems). Return through screen 28 to screen 27.
Screen Twenty-seven (Take 2):
Face the blue rat and use the spacebar to feed it the green cube (and observe a moment's silence for the cube's selfless sacrifice). Follow the rat across the first floor of screen 28 (pick up the ninth coin) and on to screen 30.
Screen Thirty:
Pick up the diamond. Standing at the entrance of the room, in front of the green stuff, aim all the way up and shoot a ball over the rat's head so it hits its tail. Pick up the chef's hat the rat coughs up. Return through screen 28 to screen 27, use the toothy platform to get back on the ledge, go back across the blades on the upper floor of screen 28, bounce back up to screen 29 and go on to screen 31.
Screen Thirty-one:
Place the diamond on the special white platform. Go through the door that opens.
Screen Thirty-two:
Pick up the tenth and last coin and save. You'll be glad you did. Look around for ways to open the next door. Finding none, head back to screen 31.
Screen Thirty-one (Take 2):
Stand just inside the room, right up against the door so it can't close. Hey! There's that evil magician again! And he's shooting at you! Do not try to reset by going back to screen 32; the magician will pick you up and place you in the centre of the room, the better to shoot you. Stand at the door and shoot the magician as often as possible. You're more likely to hit him when he's close by. To pack a bigger punch, try to shoot the green balls he throws at you; they will do a lot of damage if they bounce back and hit him (he will also then tip his hat to you!). Every now and then the magician will succeed in shooting a ball into your corner. Make sure you shoot these before they reach you. Keep going until you vanquish him. It will happen eventually, then woo hoo! Take his hat, and it's off to find your girl. Go back through screen 32 (wave to the happy grateful people!) and on.
Screen Thirty-three:
Jump off the ledge. Yup, just like the arrow says. Wheeeeee! Hey - wait a minute. This looks familiar. Isn't it…
Screen Three (Take 2):
Head to your right, through screen 4 and back into the mouth of the cave.
Screen Five (Take 2):
Remember that straw hat? You can take it now (that top hat just wasn't your style…). Go back through screen 4, 3 and 2, until at last you reach home sweet home. Enter and…
Screen One (Take 2):
Bask in your girlfriend's loving admiration and gratitude. You did it! You will get a bonus hat for getting all 13 in-game hats, and another for not using any of your ten coins to save.
Posted by: kassandra | October 26, 2007 7:48 PM