Dundee Contemporary Arts’ Drop in And Play 2024 is back – with what is promised to be the biggest event yet.
This year’s (free) event takes place from 13:00 to 16:00 on Saturday 12th October, with over 20 games on display from developers across Scotland.
The DCA’s Meeting Room, Create Space and Ground floor will be filled with indie game designers and developers, as they showcase their newest mobile, console, PC and VR games. Be among the first to try brand new games across a range of genres, chat with developers and learn more about what it takes to become a game creator..
Drop in and Play was first held in November 2012 as part of the NEoN Digital Arts and Discovery Film Festivals. The 2024 event is presented in partnership with local game heroes Ninja Kiwi, developers of the hit Bloons series of games, who have been making games awesome since 2005.
Drop In And Play 2024 – The Games
- Sloth Doctor Games: Heldritch Rush – Sloth Doctor Games, a team of Abertay students who formed for DARE Academy, are presenting their game Heldritch Rush, a 90s-inspired isometric rail-shooter with added accessibility features.
- 532 Design: Crowd Legends – 532 Design creates sports games for mobile and web platforms, and are seeking feedback on their latest mobile game Crowd Legends, a fantasy sports app which lets users build their dream football team.
- SplatterCow Studios: Braise Satan – SplatterCow Studios from Abertay University’s DARE Academy will be showcasing Braise Satan – a first-person cooking game set in Hell. Create dishes to impress Satan while pesky imps try to steal your ingredients!
- Flaming Fowl Studios: Konfronto – Konfronto is a new sci-fi themed auto-battler from independent game studio Flaming Fowl Studios. Take command of an intergalactic carrier, outfitting it with new technologies and fighting against other players.
- Team Terrible: The Baby in Yellow – Founded in Dundee in 2021 by ex-AAA developers Aaron Baumbach and Greg Lee, Team Terrible have created The Baby in Yellow, a Lovecraftian comedy horror which boasts over 250 million downloads worldwide.
- Mark McGinty: Clan Lost – Independent developer Mark McGinty will be bringing along Clan Lost, a cosy physics-building game, which he has developed for his MSc project at DJCAD. Players can retreat to the Highlands and help restore a ruined village to its former glory.
- Astro Cat Entertainment: Enchanted Duels – Abertay University student team Astro Cat Entertainment are pleased to present Enchanted Duels, a 2D two-player competitive dungeon race. Players can scavenge magic weapons to prepare for the final fight against each other.
- Ross McRitchie: Cairn: Mathair’s Curse – Independent developer Ross McRitchie has spent the past four years developing Cairn: Mathair’s Curse, a heartfelt Scottish roleplaying game which explores themes of love, loss and family.
- Pretty Interesting Experiences: Sight Unseen – Pretty Interesting Experiences, a game development team composed of Abertay University students, are bringing Sight Unseen, a virtual reality stealth game that breaks the boundaries of the medium by allowing players to see from multiple positions at the same time.
- OnBoard Games: Zombie Arcade – Indie studio OnBoard Games are presenting Zombie Arcade, a survival shooter with an arcade theme. Jump into arcade minigames in order to gain powerful abilities and keep up with the zombie hoards.
- Kayleigh MacLeod and William Kavanagh: Waulking Simulator – Kayleigh MacLeod and William Kavanagh were inspired by the traditional Scottish art of waulking tweed to create Waulking Simulator, a rhythm game which features authentic Scottish Gaelic waulking songs and pays homage to the craft.
- Oblation Studios: The Shepherds – Oblation Studios consists of Abertay University graduates and current students. They will be showcasing their monster-catching game The Shepherds, which combines pixel art sprites with a modern 3D environment. A must for fans of Pokémon!
- Niall Moody: making it up as we go along – From artist, game developer and lecturer Niall Moody comes making it up as we go along, a tabletop game about changing the rules and inventing new ones. All of the rules of making it up as we go along are invented by the players, creating an ever-evolving game.
- Andrew Murdoch and Robin Lawrence: Springpong – Andrew Murdoch and Robin Lawrence will be bringing along their new game Springpong, a fast-paced, multiplayer competitive pinball game. Pick from a variety of plant-based teams and enjoy the Claymation aesthetic while taking on rivals in the World Cup.
- Yellow Crow Games: For Hexposure – Yellow Crow Games are returning to Drop in and Play with For Hexposure, a fantasy-styled pixel art crafting game which one Abertay University’s DARE Academy competition in 2022. Play as an adorable witch who runs a business creating and selling potions.
- Ryan Scott: Battlemaps AR – Ryan Scott will be showcasing Battlemaps AR, which combines augmented reality with tabletop roleplaying games to enhance the player experience. Make your own 2D scenarios using physical cards, then scan the cards with a smart device to see them come to life with 3D animation.
- Cognitive Games: Deadlocked – Cognitive is a new studio founded by Abertay University student Dominik Gawron. They’ll be bringing Deadlocked, a surprisingly cute top-down shooter where you can destroy spaceships while also unlocking pet companions and customising your character.
- Melonleaf Industries: Bean to Me! – Indie studio Melonleaf Industries will be showcasing their new game Bean to Me!, which offers a new take on one of the world’s oldest board games, Mancala. Mancala involves moving beans around a dimpled board, and Bean to Me! gives this a twist, with special beans that add new rules and possibilities.
- Leon McArdle: Strata – From solo developer and music producer Leo McArdle comes Strata. This deceptively simple platforming game showcases a set of movement mechanics that, once mastered, allow you to fly through the level at impossible speeds.
- Ant Workshop: Into the Restless Ruins – Ant Workshop, a small indie studio based in Edinburgh, will be showcasing Into the Restless Ruins, a roguelike deckbuilder where you build the dungeon you fight through. Succeed, and The Harvest Maiden will grant your wishes – but be careful not to wake up The Warden.
- Studio Catloaf: Book of Abominations – Winners of the 2023 Dare Academy at Abertay University, Studio Catloaf will be returning with Book of Abominations, a Lovecraftian pixel art monster collecting RPG inspired by the likes of Pokémon and Final Fantasy.
- Afterfire Studios: Shovel & Swindle – From Afterfire Studios comes Shovel & Swindle, a fun co-op game where players make a living by graverobbing as Scotland’s notorious Burke and Hare. Explore locations and uncover the graveyard’s secrets by solving puzzles – just be sure to avoid the guards.
- Bit Loom: Still Life – Dundee-based indie studio Bit Loom will be showcasing Still Life, a relaxing game in which you can be the artist and arrange still life scenes. Choose from classic or unusual objects, add your creation to the gallery and take requests from your neighbours.
- Ninja Kiwi: Bloons TD Battles 2 – Ninja Kiwi will be bringing their latest head-to-head smash hit Bloons TD Battles 2 for players to prove their strategy prowess against their friends and family
For more information visit the Drop In And Play 2024 page on the DCA Website.