The PAX 10

After sifting through over 80 submissions from a wealth of genres and gameplay hybrids (from "exploratory puzzle" to "rhythm/action") the PAX 10 panel of industry experts selected the ten best submissions in terms of gameplay and "fun factor" for inclusion in The PAX 10. The PAX 10 winners will be featured in the exhibition hall, where attendees will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite. One of The PAX 10 will be honored with the "Audience Choice Award" to be announced on Penny Arcade following the expo.

The PAX 10 of 2008 (in alphabetical order)...

• Website: http://www.grubbygames.com/tabt/
• Genre: Puzzle/Strategy
• Developed by Grubby Games
• Description: "Fueled by your mental energy, Professor Fizzwizzle's Brain Train will take you on a brain-boosting adventure with 15 innovative mini-games in 3 addictive play modes. The Amazing Brain Train is packed with quests, trophies, and even a global on-line high score system, so the fun will never stop!"

• Website: http://www.audio-surf.com
• Genre: Rhythm/Racer
• Developed by Dylan Fitterer, Elizabeth Fitterer, Paladin 3D, Pedro Camacho, Albert Park, Flynn Joffray
• Description: "Ride your music. Audiosurf is a music-adapting puzzle racer where you use your own music to create your own experience. The shape, the speed, and the mood of each ride is determined by the song you choose. You earn points for clustering together blocks of the same color on the highway, and compete with others on the internet for the high score on your favorite songs."

• Website: http://scarybuggames.com/2008/05/chronotron/
• Genre: Puzzle/Platformer
• Developed by Scarybug Games
• Description: "In Chronotron, you play a robot who can travel back in time and cooperate with past versions of yourself in order to solve puzzles. You can create as many versions of yourself as you need to beat each of the 40 levels, but be careful not to change the past too much. If you prevent a past self from returning to the Time Pod, you cause a PARADOX!"

• Website: http://www.impulse-game.com
• Genre: Puzzle
• Developed by Team Xplosion from Rochester Institute of Technology: Andrew Williams, Mike Thomas, Dominic Holt, Paul Solt, Joseph Plourde, Andy Ray, Ben Solt
• Description: "Impulse is a puzzle game with an emphasis on magnetic and explosive forces. The player takes command of a ball and uses direct and indirect means of control to navigate around the environments. Throughout the levels, the player will encounter explosions, black holes, and magnetic platforms that have been combined to create an entertaining experience."

• Website: http://www.WhatIsTheMaw.com
• Genre: Action/Adventure
• Developed by Twisted Pixel Games
• Description: "The pinnacle of alien evolution, Maw is a cowardly fat blob concerned mostly with snacking and lounging. He can, however, absorb the traits of anything he eats, is virtually indestructible, and can grow to unlimited size. If he wasn't a danger to all life in the universe, he'd make the perfect pet. In this XBLA action/adventure, he's the best friend of our hero Frank, and only by working together can Maw eat their way to freedom."

• Website: http://www.polarityonline.com
• Genre: Platformer/Puzzle
• Developed by a team of graduate students from Carnegie Mellon University: Howard Braham, Daniel Bryner, Przemyslaw Iwanowski, Stanley Rosenbaum, Gaurav Shrivastava, Samuel Spiro, Allison Theus
• Description: "Polarity is a 2D platforming/puzzle game based on the concept of magnetic forces. The goal of the game is to navigate environments and solve puzzles by using your suit's magnetic properties in interesting ways. You can attract to and repel from objects, instantly switch magnetic polarity, or even boost the strength of your magnetic field for added abilities."

• Website: http://www.gamesfaction.com/project-aftermath
• Genre: Tactical/Action
• Developed by Games Faction
• Description: "Project Aftermath is a tactical action game where you command up to four squads of soldiers in hectic battles, in a retro-futuristic world. Equip your squads to suit your playing style, choosing from 100 different weapons, armour, power-up augmentations and spell-like special attacks. Capture strategic locations, rescue hostages and slaughter indiscriminately! Replay missions using fewer resources to earn greater rewards. Action, mystery, hideous man\machine hybrids; Project Aftermath has it all! Join the fight!"

• Website: http://www.torpexgames.com/games.php
• Genre: Action/Strategy
• Developed by Torpex Games: Jamie Fristrom, Richard Garfield, James Chao, Skaff Elias, Greg Taylor, Chip Brown, Brian Luzietti, Bill Dugan
• Description: "Schizoid – the most co-op game ever. 1 or 2 players control red and blue player ships. Each ship rams and destroys enemies of its own color, but gets destroyed by enemies of the opposite color. The two ships must alternately protect and attack, working together closely to fight through over 120 levels of glowing, exploding mayhem! For hardcore players, see how far you can get in “Uberschizoid” mode, controlling both ships at once…"

• Website: http://www.ominousdev.com/games.php
• Genre: Puzzle/Strategy
• Developed by Ominous Development, LLC
• Description: "Strange Attractors 2 is an evolution of its original one switch predecessor. In it, you use your ship's gravity drive to navigate and escape from complex labyrinths full of secrets, hazards, and antagonizing spacemen. While the game's controls have grown to include an 'Anti-Gravity' button (bringing the number of inputs to a staggering two!), the game is still completely playable (including menu navigation) with a single switch. Ominous Development's goal is to create a game that is incredibly fun and incorporates the lessons and features of a successful one switch game. The simple and elegant gameplay of Strange Attractors 2 picks up where the original left off, and adds a ton more."

• Website: http://www.sushibarsamurai.com
• Genre: Exploratory Puzzle
• Developed by Molly Rocket
• Description: "When a baking mishap disrupts the traditionally balanced diet of the spirit world, a young samurai must learn to master the art of sushi preparation to bring flavor and nutrition back to the afterlife."

For media inquiries or questions regarding The PAX 10, please contact pax_10@penny-arcade.com.