Smash Hit Plunder is a narrative-focused VR adventure game with cooperative action-packed gameplay. If you play solo that’s okay too, but it’s definitely designed to be played with a few friends to watch your back. We’re hosting a giveaway here at UploadVR to send out five physical copies of Smash Hit Plunder on PSVR. This giveaway is open to addresses in the US and Canada only. All you have to do is enter here or at the widget down below inside this article. Winners will be picked around 4PM PT on Monday, January 28th.
Winners will be randomly selected. The publishers will handle sending out the physical copies of Smash Hit Plunder on PSVR to give out. US and Canada entries only. Winners will be contacted via email to secure shipping address.
For more on the game here is an excerpt from our preview article:
You can get inventive with your smashing, though. Fireplaces will set wood alight, which can help you dismantle some objects, and a Ghostbusters-style showdown at the end of the level had me flinging objects in sheer panic as I tried to protect my loot. I was laughing the entire time, and I can’t say that about many VR games.
For all of the feverish fun, though, withstanding the test of time is going to be the biggest deciding factor in how good Smash Hit Plunder really is. Triangular Pixels is promising a generous amount of modes for the game (including, promising, a narrative co-op campaign), but will they be able to capture that key ‘one more round’ feeling?
Winners will be selected at approximately 4PM PT on Monday, January 28th, 2019, and will be notified by email promptly. If you’d rather not click the link, here is the embedded contest widget:
British virtual reality (VR) indie developer Triangular Pixels launched its long-awaited dungeon demolition title Smash it Plunder for PlayStation VR last month. Today, the studio has announced that North American gamers will be able to buy the videogame in physical form from retailers in December.
Smash Hit Plunder is a comical co-operative adventure where players can throw, shake, eat, burn and generally annihilate everything in sight. Players find themselves cast as a young mage inside sprawling ghost-infested Castle Carvasso. Having inherited this medieval home the castle is then magically locked up by a ghostly debt collector and it’s up to the player to wreak havoc throughout the grounds to find enough hidden treasure to pay off the debt and win back their home.
The campaign itself is split into three modes, each offering its own unique challenges. For example, players can race against the clock in Treasure Hunt to gather as much loot as possible within the time limit, comb the grounds for a specific piece of treasure in Scavenger Hunt, or explore the castle at their own pace in Free Play. Additionally, each of these modes can be played in local co-op, bringing a friend along to help in the challenges.
“The couch co-op experience is an important aspect of gaming for many people, and Smash Hit Plunder really succeeds in translating that for the VR medium,” says Mickey Torode, director of publishing at Perp Games. “The game can be a cathartic single-player campaign, but also offers a high-energy multiplayer arena to team up with or challenge friends.”
Alongside the co-op modes, Smash Hit Plunder also features up to four-person verses modes, enabling three players to challenge the VR Mage in special dungeons with Poltergeist Panic or Jewel Duel modes.
Thanks to Perp Games, Smash Hit Plunder will be available from North American retails on 14th December, retailing for $29.99 USD. For any further updates on the title, keep reading VRFocus.
Usually when describing a videogame it is customary to specify which genre it is part of. In this case, it is difficult to pin down exactly what genre Smash Hit Plunder belongs to. This indicates early on that developer Triangular Pixels are throwing away the rule book with this title. Luckily, this decision yields positive results.
There is a semblance of a story in Smash Hit Plunder, in that the main player, who uses virtual reality (VR), plays a mage who has returned from magic school to find a debt collector called Mordred has taken control of your family’s home and fortune. As a result, you need to ransack the castle to find items of value that can used to pay off the debt.
This basically boils down to ‘smash everything in sight and gather loot’. There are some simplistic puzzle mechanics in place that let you get more valuable loot, but in essence the gameplay involves picking things up and throwing them. It is deeply cathartic and satisfying, particularly since using the PlayStation Move controllers gives it a sense of weight and presence that will leave you smiling.
Where Smash Hit Plunder really comes alive, however, is in multiplayer. The title makes good use of the social screen to allow more players to join in alongside the VR player. Three gameplay modes support co-operative gameplay, the ‘Treasure Runt’ which basically involves gathering as much loot as possible in a timed mission; a Scavenger Hunt which involves locating specific items and a Free Play mode which lets you explore as leisure.
There are also two competitive gameplay modes, Poltergeist Panic and Jewel Duel, these feel like real party games that invite gleeful sabotaging of opponents, with the social screen players playing using a Dual Shock 4. That the VR player is stuck using teleport while the social screen players can move freely is a little frustrating, and does seem to give a slight advantage to the dual shock players
The graphics are polygonal, presenting the blocky Minecraft-ish style that suits the tongue-in-cheek feel fairly well. Though set in a gloomy castle, there’s plenty of colour to keep it pleasant, and the loot you find sparkles in a satisfactory and easily noticeable fashion.
Overall, Smash Hit Plunder works best as a social party game. There’s a great deal of satisfaction to be gained from smashing things to bits, and its is pleasing enough to explore and look at. Some more hidden unlocks or other secrets (apart from the secret rooms, but tend to be slightly too easy to find) might have given the title a longer shelf life. As it is, its worth pulling out for some amusing group videogames, or for when a de-stressing session is needed. Still worth buying for parties and social gatherings.
British indie developer Triangular Pixels has been working on its PlayStation VR title Smash Hit Plunder since 2014. After four years of work the team are this week nearing the end, with a launch date planned for this Friday, 5th October 2018.
Smash Hit Plunder is a light-hearted physics-based tear-it-up experience inside a haunted medieval castle. As the studio explains it: You play as a mage – you think you’ve just inherited the castle of your dreams from your family, but actually it’s been magically locked up by a ghostly debt collector. Now it’s down to you to find enough hidden treasure in the castle to pay off the debt…”
Featuring sprawling dungeons filled with treasures to find, players will be able to fight ghosts, munch on food, start the odd fire or two and generally cause a bit of chaos. Smash Hit Plunder includes a full narrative, five game modes and progression unlocks.
This isn’t purely a single-player experience either. Thanks to PlayStation VR’s social screen feature a friend can join in the adventure during ‘Treasure Rush’, ‘Scavenger Hunt’ or ‘Free Play’. For even more multiplayer fun up to four players can go head-to-head in hide-and-seek ‘Poltergeist Panic’ or fight for possession in ‘Jewel Duel’.
Being the Cornish-based studio that they are, Triangular Pixels has even included support for Kernewek, the Cornish language. Katie Goode, Creative Director of Triangular Pixels said: “Being based in Cornwall, we saw that it was important to support local culture. Cornwall is a magical place and was of great inspiration while making the game – and some of our levels may be recognisable to the its residents. We wanted to do our part in keeping the local language alive and allowing our neighbours read in their own language.”
Smash Hit Plunder will be available both digitally via PlayStation Store and physically in stores thanks to Perp Games. You can pre-order the title from Amazon and GAME for £24.99 GBP. For any further updates from Triangular Pixels keep reading VRFocus, and of course keep an eye out for our review.
I’m pleased to report that, over the past four or so years, Smash Hit Plunder hasn’t really changed. Though it’s been away for some time, moving from Gear VR to PSVR as developer Triangular Pixels itself relocated from the UK capital of London to the calmer coastal scenes of Cornwall, the chaotic core of this smash ’em up remains intact and that’s a great thing. There is one new feature, though, and it’s a welcome one: local multiplayer using PSVR’s social screen support.
In the past I’ve only seen Plunder as a single-player experience in which you tear through a castle, destroying everything in sight as you gather up the sweet loot that spills from within. It’s always made for a fun few minutes, but it was lacking the replayable party atmosphere that its ridiculous premise seemed ideally suited to. That’s no longer the case.
Up to three players can now join the VR user in the game’s primary mode. Now, this isn’t some slight implementation via an app as with The Persistence, nor is it just a subtle feature to entertain those not fortunate enough to be inside the headset; this is full-blown multiplayer support, the likes of which we haven’t seen on PSVR since The Playroom VR. Each player joins you in the world as their own character — a plump little imp or sorts — that can charge about, picking up and smashing all the same objects that you can.
Working together brings out a special kind of silliness that you don’t usually get with VR, though this isn’t a game that strictly encourages teamwork. It’s just too tempting to close a door in a friend’s face and then greet them by hurling a chair at them when they reopen it. Making it even better is the casual competitive element, which has you frantically scrambling to get the best score. The familiarity of the DualShock 4 does give flat-screen players an advantage, but the wonder of VR (which uses Move controllers) helps make up for it.
On the VR side, it’s great to finally play Smash Hit with a motion controller instead of relying on Gear’s head-tracking. The controls themselves are still a little tricky, though there are customization options to help out. I got confused having to hold a button and move my controller to turn in the world, for example (simple button presses have always worked better, I’ve found).
You can get inventive with your smashing, though. Fireplaces will set wood alight, which can help you dismantle some objects, and a Ghostbusters-style showdown at the end of the level had me flinging objects in sheer panic as I tried to protect my loot. I was laughing the entire time, and I can’t say that about many VR games.
For all of the feverish fun, though, withstanding the test of time is going to be the biggest deciding factor in how good Smash Hit Plunder really is. Triangular Pixels is promising a generous amount of modes for the game (including, promising, a narrative co-op campaign), but will they be able to capture that key ‘one more round’ feeling? We’ll find out next week.
Over on the US PlayStation Blog, SIEA Social Media Manager Justin Massongill has compiled a list of 34 PSVR games targeting a Spring 2018 release. The article details some of the more anticipated titles: Ark Park, Crisis on the Planet of the Apes, Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality, Smash Hit Plunder, Torn, and Xing: The Land Beyond.
Although Massongill notes that some projected dates may slip, the list is an illustration of Sony’s commitment to the platform, maintaining a steady flow of high-quality VR releases since the headset’s launch in October 2016, including standouts like the recently released Moss.
Of the detailed games, Ark Park, Crisis on the Planet of the Apes, and Smash Hit Plunder are likely to appeal to action fans, check out their trailers below:
On the other hand, Torn, Xing: The Land Beyond, and Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality are more puzzle-orientated. The latter is sure to be enjoyed by fans of Job Simulator (one of PSVR’s top rated titles) as it’s made by the same studio, Owlchemy Labs.
Here’s the complete list of what Sony says is launching this Spring:
Missed the announcements from Paris Games Week (PGW)? A huge fan of virtual reality (VR)? PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR owners likely already know that there are now over 100 titles on the platform. But that’s just now. There’s plenty of videogames on the way to add to that collection, and luckily VRFocus has got your back. Below you can find a list of all the PlayStation VR videogames that were announced or mentioned at PGW – and we have also created a little video recap which you can find below.
Bandai Namco bring you Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, taking their popular fighter pilot series to VR for the first time. With spectacular views, a dynamic weather system and various maps, this videogame demands the highest possible aerial combat skills.
Chris Redfield comes up against new and terrifying enemies in his pursuit of deadly psychopath Lucas in Resident Evil VII thanks to the Not A Hero free DLC. There are plenty of gory situations to confront on the path ahead as Redfield seeks an end to the bloody reign of the murderous Baker family.
Developers Against Gravity have created a social platform where players can engage in multiplayer games with one another. As with all the products mentioned here, check out the link for more information.
Announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), VRFocus thought Moss was perhaps the cutest VR game to date. Sadly, that date has shifted, with the title now delayed until 2018. Developed by Polyarc, Moss asks players to solve puzzles in a larger-than-life world. The protagonist Quill also recognises who you are and tries to point out tips when you’re stuck. Quill’s intricate hand movements actually promotes sign language as she uses her body, hands and squeaks to communicate with you.
Announced at PGW today, this first-person shooter (FPS) takes adventure to a futuristic, robot-filled sci-fi world. You play as the last human on a world where synthetic creatures seek to dominate their new hunting grounds. Created by Fast Travel Games, this Swedish studio is formed of Ex-Rovio, EA and DICE staff.
Another newly announced title, Bow to Blood is a multiplayer videogame where players pilot airships into combat with other players. PlayStation VR owners can go solo or team up to battle rivals. Stand and fight or reposition on your foe? It’s your call.
Announced back in August this real-time tabletop warfare simulator should be something strategy fans will enjoy. Players will have access to 12 different units, four of which can be deployed at one time. This includes tanks, soldiers, flamethrowers, artillery and helicopters. Each unit costs energy to put on the battlefield – so don’t start spamming out loads of troops without thinking careful first.
Showcased at E3 this year, this videogame asks players to see the world through sound; similar to how echolocation would work underwater. The noise you make highlight the surroundings around you in a creepy white line drawing style. Unfortunately, whilst using sound shows your path it also draws the attention of enemies. You will need to balance your need to see versus your need to keep safe. A slow and steady process that really gets under your skin.
A fast-paced obstacle course racing title that asks players to swing their arms back and forth in order to increase the speed at which they travel. Climb, jump, leap across various obstacles and compete against friends or A.I.
Developers Playful Corp have created a dark, cyberpunk world where strange creatures roam in a bizarre neon-lit world. A side-scrolling platform experience, the protagonist has to solve puzzles and take an elevator deeper into an alien world.Transference– Coming Soon
Announced at E3, Elijah Wood’s videogame company Spectrevision and Ubisoft have created a psychological thriller videogame where players delve into the destructive tale of a man’s obsession as they explore his digitally recreated memories. Think Inception, but as a videogame where you have to solve puzzles in the man’s memories. VRFocus did an interview with Kyle McCullough from SpectreVision if you want more information.
Available on the Samsung Gear VR and now coming to PlayStation VR, this flying simulator allows you to try three different aircrafts, has several missions which in turn allows the player to purchase airports across three separate islands. Shoot balloons, take photos, fly through rings, race against players or practice that perfect landing.
This tongue-in-cheek action videogame allows you to cook up a storm as a chef feeding some very hungry zombies. That’s right, you’re not killing zombies on mass but feeding them some very well-cooked hamburgers instead. Perfect for Halloween.
Set in sci-fi world on what seems another planet, PGW is the first time anything of this videogame was showcased and very little is known about it for sure. However, it appears to be the evolution of previously announced VR title Eden. And features some very strange and bizarre looking creatures that resemble a Brachiosaurus. The teaser also features three-armed robotic drones and enormous monsters.
Showcasing the first hands-on previews at PGW, the gameplay features customisable costumes, a various array of fish (and other creatures) and various ways of catching fish from travel to sonar detection.
A first-person videogame where you play as a titan on a quest to become a powerful god. With destructible environment and a range of weapons in a stylised world.
Set in a medieval castle with ghostly inhabitants, you play a young mage recently returned from magic school on a quest to delve into their family’s fraught past. You have to rebuild your family’s wealth and use your wand to uncover treasure, coins and crowns. As the name of the title suggests, you’ll have to do a lot of smashing and hitting things to do that. Venture into multiple dungeons, secret rooms and set things on fire, smash everything you see or sneak up on ghosts to find hidden gold.
Another new title to add to the growing list of PlayStation VR games available for players, you play a brutal gangster in London. On a quest to avenge his murdered family, you have to break into enemy hideouts, casinos and gun down your enemies. You need to be prepared for both stealth gameplay as well as ready to throw yourself into the action. The teaser showcase lock picking and a bomb detonating as you shoot down enemies.
Those are the latest videogames that have been announced or will be coming soon to the PlayStation VR. Watch the video below to get a glimpse of all the videogames and follow VRFocus for any further announcements on the videogames.
UK development studio Triangular Pixels has today announced that Smash Hit Plunder will be launching on PlayStation VR. Revealed as part of Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe’s (SIEE) Paris Games Week press conference, the virtual reality (VR) exclusive Smash Hit Plunder will launch via the PlayStation Store in 2018.
Set in a medieval castle sprinkled with ghostly inhabitants, Smash Hit Plunder sends the player, as a young Mage recently returned from magic school, on a quest to delve into their family’s fraught past. Alas, the Mage’s family squandered away their large fortune and rapidly lost their home to Mordred, a devious spiritual debt collector. With your quest now being to rebuild this fabulous wealth, players must use their spell-infused wands – played with either PlayStation Move motion controllers of the DualShock 4 control pad – to uncover treasure, coins and crowns the hopes of buying back their home. This is done by destroying, looting and wrecking everything insight.
Players will charge through multiple dungeons and secret rooms, set things on fire, attack sneaky spirits and smash as much as possible to find all the hidden gold. Smash Hit Plunder includes a full single-player campaign featuring a spooky boss and five different gameplay modes.
“We are so proud to finally be able to reveal Smash Hit Plunder for PlayStation VR. We’ve been working for over three years on making a title that really makes the most of VR, and it works so well as a party game too – allowing everyone in the room to enjoy the game together,” said Katie Goode, Creative Director for Smash Hit Plunder at Triangular Pixels.
In addition to the single-player campaign, Smash Hit Plunder has been designed to take advantage of the PlayStation VR’s many multiplayer opportunities. Up to four friends can either help the VR Mage through the main campaign or battle each other in manic versus modes using a specially-designed 2D social screen for the TV, using DualShock 4 controllers.
“Triangular Pixels are experts in creating comfortable and fun VR experiences,” says Technical Director John Campbell. “We believe that great VR means letting people explore, which means having lots of different locomotions options so everyone can find what works best for them.”
Smash Hit Plunder will launch on PlayStation VR at an unspecified date in 2018. The official trailer for the PlayStation VR edition follows below and VRFocus will keep you updated with all the latest from Triangular Pixels.
Rec Room
Transference 
Megalith
Set in a medieval castle sprinkled with ghostly inhabitants, Smash Hit Plunder sends the player, as a young Mage recently returned from magic school, on a quest to delve into their family’s fraught past. Alas, the Mage’s family squandered away their large fortune and rapidly lost their home to Mordred, a devious spiritual debt collector. With your quest now being to rebuild this fabulous wealth, players must use their spell-infused wands – played with either PlayStation Move motion controllers of the DualShock 4 control pad – to uncover treasure, coins and crowns the hopes of buying back their home. This is done by destroying, looting and wrecking everything insight.
In addition to the single-player campaign,