We all know the complaints voiced about games by the media these days. They’re violent, a waste of time, they make our kids lazy, and that’s only the start of it.

Most of the complaints are nonsense, and luckily most people know it. However, there’s one problem that does concern me.

Health. There you have it.

Generation 2.0 doesn’t play outside anymore, suffers from Repetitive Strain Injuries, and more often encounters problems with the back and eyesight. It’s all worth it in my eyes, though that certainly doesn’t make it anything worth cheering about.

So, what do we have to do? Hell, we ain’t going to unplug everything and live under a rock! No, what we need is a different approach.

Mightier

Mightier, developed by Lucas Pope and Keiko Ishizaka, is a finalist in the 11th Annual Independent Games Festival, for the Innovation Award – and innovative it is.

Mightier is one of the first, if not the only computer game that actually gets your computer monitor. It’s an addictive puzzle platformer that gets you to pick up a pencil, as well as your mouse.

Of course, this doesn’t solve the aforementioned problems, but it’s great to see this kind of creative approach. It’s this kind of thinking that gets us to the next degree on the conceptual ladder.

The Engineer and The Actionaut

Here at Mightier we solve problems with a high-powered laser beam fired from space. Seriously.

The problem-solving happens in two major stages; the engineering and the action.

As the Engineer, you print out a puzzle from Mightier with your colour printer, which you solve with a dark pencil or marker. The puzzles start out real easy, but get trickier as you move on.

You then need to scan the solved puzzle. This can be done using your webcam. Mightier automatically searches for, and corrects the image’s dimensions using the red markings on the paper.

A high-powered laser in space then carves out your solution in the planet’s or asteroid’s surface, preparing it for the Actionaut.

The Actionaut can now be released onto the level. If the terrain was carved out properly by the Engineer, he should be able to collect all Dratagons and complete the sector.

Playing Without Printer or Webcam

Mightier can also be played without a colour printer or webcam, save the last level.

The terrains are then carved in game using a mouse. This takes away a lot of the fun, though.

Designing Your Actionaut

Unlocking new characters in game is fun. Designing them even more so.

The process is pretty similar to the level-carving, meaning you’ll have to take your pen at hand again.

You can draw any character that comes to mind, be it Little Piggy from the screenshot above or mightiest Chuck Norris. Your drawing is then transformed into a full 3D model, your own personal Actionaut.

Conclusion

Exceptional thinking begat this wonderful little game. Interesting, fun and seriously addictive, this game will keep you fascinated for a while. Let us know if you agree!