pc
Ultimate Shovelware: Shit Game
Posted by Owen Good at 11:00 AM on August 3, 2008
Stumbled across this on Reddit when I was looking for evergreen features earlier in the week. If you like monochrome graphics, inscrutable physics, confusing environmental interaction, floating hairy turds/eyeballs and half-assed production values, you'll love Shit Game, an ode to game programming's less-creative endeavors.
Indie programmer Mark Johns says he developed this in about a week back in February. The (world exclusive!!!) trailer is above, and the game (for Windows PC) is available for download from his site. The soundtrack is trailer only, Johns says the in-game soundtrack is entirely pop music done in MIDI. Sounds even shittier.
A Game By Any Other Name Would Still Be Shit [Doomlaser, by Mark Johns]

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
JN64Lover
Posted 11:31 AM 3/8/08
Brian Wilson ftw.
JN64Lover
Saprol
Posted 11:29 AM 3/8/08
That was hilarious.
Saprol
Weepee
Posted 11:29 AM 3/8/08
I almost cried at the end.
Weepee
Jelster
Posted 11:28 AM 3/8/08
Wow, that's a million shades of turdtastical awesomeness.
Jelster
xerus`
Posted 11:28 AM 3/8/08
rather shit game
xerus`
Arttemis
Posted 11:28 AM 3/8/08
And all my life I've prayed for someone like you
And I thank God that I, that I finally found you
All my life I've prayed for someone like you
And I hope that you feel the same way too
Yes, I pray that you do love me too
These words now have new meaning to me.
Arttemis
subterfunk
Posted 11:28 AM 3/8/08
This reminds me of an old school pc bmx game that was almost as crappy.
Looks awesome.
subterfunk
Kirablip
Posted 11:25 AM 3/8/08
That game was EPIC. lol, that head made me scream 4 times :D d
23 tries completed in 6 minutes
Kirablip
Rengenki
Posted 11:25 AM 3/8/08
i kinda liked the nes music at the end
Rengenki
mfwahwah
Posted 11:23 AM 3/8/08
I'm not interested in games marketed to suck >.<
mfwahwah
Profondo
Posted 11:21 AM 3/8/08
F*ck me Mr Good!
Remind me never to send any of my music tracks your way..harsh review?..YES..accurate?..YAY!..piece of shit?.. OF COURSE!..Johns may have a job in the future working on the next Duke Nukem title!
Profondo
BitKid
Posted 11:17 AM 3/8/08
The music makes the game. That first head monster is scary.
BitKid
suya123
Posted 11:14 AM 3/8/08
Oh god... I must have it.
suya123
Methusalah
Posted 11:13 AM 3/8/08
Who knows... might be better than eternity's child.
Methusalah
dady5000
Posted 11:11 AM 3/8/08
This game looks so shitty it just shits awesome.
dady5000
Emiat
Posted 11:11 AM 3/8/08
Compared to some of the shovelware on the Wii, I would honestly enjoy Shit Game....for about 2 minutes.
Emiat
dunetiger reads kotaku, seems pleased
Posted 11:07 AM 3/8/08
Sounds like Megaman tracks. haha
Owen, I don't know what kind of slumming you've been doing, but keep it up!
dunetiger reads kotaku, seems pleased
TheRealLameDuck
Posted 11:05 AM 3/8/08
AWESOME!
TheRealLameDuck
Kaizuden
Posted 11:04 AM 3/8/08
OH. My. God. I want to play this.
Kaizuden
ClarkGable
Posted 11:04 AM 3/8/08
Lol, I think I've seen enough of this game for the rest of my life.
ClarkGable
PsycheE
Posted 11:03 AM 3/8/08
Some dank ganja wherever they are from.
PsycheE
天
Posted 11:56 AM 3/8/08
This game may be shit, but it's still far better than Extreme Paintbrawl.
天
Thugmunk
Posted 11:52 AM 3/8/08
Oh shit.
Thugmunk
Channing
Posted 11:48 AM 3/8/08
28 tries
11:31
What a horrible game.
Channing
Orionsaint
Posted 11:41 AM 3/8/08
pet sounds?
Orionsaint
Zerozaki Ishiki
Posted 11:40 AM 3/8/08
That was a blast. Gave up after the damn rotating Xs dropped me all the way back down. But probably longer than I've given have the XBLA demos I've downloaded...
Zerozaki Ishiki
Erwin
Posted 11:39 AM 3/8/08
That head! Haha, this kinda looks fun, in a weird way.
Erwin
darx
Posted 11:38 AM 3/8/08
I'm trying this right now! This is awesome.
darx
Taheen
Posted 11:36 AM 3/8/08
Awesome shit game, i gent get past the giant eyeball level though :/
Taheen
Thorax
Posted 12:21 PM 3/8/08
It may be shit, but at least it's honest.
Thorax
Erwin
Posted 12:20 PM 3/8/08
@天: As a sad owner of an actual copy (I thought that it might be good so I got it back when it actually came out), nothing is as bad as Paintbrawl. I can't even consider it a game. I played it for a full hour, just trying to figure out what the hell I was supposed do do to have the game actually start. I finally realized you were supposed to eject and hurl it against the wall.
Erwin
TinyLightning
Posted 12:17 PM 3/8/08
Shit Game is so shitty its actually entertaining.
TinyLightning
Shiryu
Posted 12:14 PM 3/8/08
This is very, very sad, but...
Ultimate Shovelware Shit Game > real shovelware out on the shelves right now.
I wish to send a huge "FU" to the people in this indsutry that produce such huge piles of turd, out to trick money out of our missinformed relatives or young children. Here, have another FU on me: FU!
Shiryu
Danarcho
Posted 12:09 PM 3/8/08
Now I'm going to have No Doubt in my head for the next week.
Danarcho
runandgun
Posted 12:07 PM 3/8/08
They were going to name the game Haze instead but it was already taken.
runandgun
kingmanic
Posted 12:07 PM 3/8/08
@Emiat: It does seem to have some crazy autuer character that wii shovelware lacks.
kingmanic
IceCold
Posted 12:04 PM 3/8/08
Holy...Umm..Shit.
IceCold
Wolfers
Posted 12:46 PM 3/8/08
Hey, at least it held my attention until it ended. Many, many games can't say the same. The fact that it only took 4 minutes 50 seconds probably helped a bit.
Wolfers
suya123
Posted 12:43 PM 3/8/08
17 tries, 9:34.
So many glitches to figure out haha...
suya123
天
Posted 12:37 PM 3/8/08
@Erwin: I received a copy as a joke gift from a friend. She bought it at a garage sale for ten cents. After the epic struggle to get it to even work, we played it for 15 minutes before putting the disc in the microwave. The resulting 2 seconds of static almost made it worth the ten cents... almost.
天
cihx
Posted 12:36 PM 3/8/08
wow an actually good looking game from akklaim.
cihx
Draylorn
Posted 12:33 PM 3/8/08
Dude, this game are old
Draylorn
chronicdog
Posted 12:30 PM 3/8/08
Man how does this shit get Kotaku'd?
chronicdog
tooji
Posted 12:29 PM 3/8/08
I LOLed so hard at the trailer.
tooji
Pangolin
Posted 12:27 PM 3/8/08
@Orionsaint:
I think the track was off the rather patchy 'Smile' album.
I thought it looked fantastic. Especially the Thatcher like face.
Pangolin
Nesagwa
Posted 1:15 PM 3/8/08
@Pangolin:
It is.
The song is "Our Prayer / Gee"
Note that this is on the various unreleased smile versions (Purple Chick, Odeon, etc.) and the Brian Wilson Presents version, not on the officially released Smiley Smile from 1967.
This versions from the Brian Wilson one.
/me backs away slowly.
Nesagwa
Kuroomu
Posted 1:11 PM 3/8/08
My heavens. Watch the first video on youtube of a guy attempting it- its hilarious.
Kuroomu
Firecrest
Posted 1:04 PM 3/8/08
Damn, it's true that this game is comparable to some of those on PSN, XBLA, and Wiiware. That's sad.
Firecrest
Lumice
Posted 1:02 PM 3/8/08
Better than portal!
Lumice
Refused
Posted 1:01 PM 3/8/08
"Entirely too much time is spent meticulously recreating the gameplay of previously developed games. " from the site.
I was wondering why it looked like Rayman.
Refused
kadaj_sama
Posted 1:00 PM 3/8/08
well at least the programmer was honest
kadaj_sama
Refused
Posted 12:56 PM 3/8/08
Some of the gameplay actually looks good as far as 2d platforming goes.
Refused
PC+Mac Coexist
Posted 12:55 PM 3/8/08
This looks amazing hahaha
PC+Mac Coexist
Baka_Survivor
Posted 12:55 PM 3/8/08
That music at the end was pretty good, but the game was pretty bad.
So bad, it gave me cancer
Baka_Survivor
urutapu
Posted 12:54 PM 3/8/08
Is the soundtrack gonna be like that MIDI at the end of the trailer? Because that didn't sound half bad.
urutapu
masterdingo
Posted 1:30 PM 3/8/08
Well, it's nice to see that Dyack pulled out his earlier works to show how awesome Too Human is in comparison.
masterdingo
Murderdolls
Posted 1:24 PM 3/8/08
I want it
Murderdolls
crapsh00t
Posted 1:21 PM 3/8/08
I'm a particularly big fan of the Midi renditions of Spice Girls' "Spice Up Your Life" and No Doubt's "Don't Speak."
(Not joking.)
crapsh00t
Altersparck
Posted 1:20 PM 3/8/08
You better bury this game as soon as possible, lest Uwe Boll obtains the rights to make a movie out of it!
Altersparck
PatMan33
Posted 1:19 PM 3/8/08
Oh God! I'm coming down!
PatMan33
GTA4er
Posted 1:59 PM 3/8/08
This looks... awesome!
GTA4er
Quicksilver4648
Posted 2:21 PM 3/8/08
"Stumbled across this on Reddit" Ught oh. You might have just started a war with Digg users.
Quicksilver4648
hrabbit
Posted 2:18 PM 3/8/08
@Murderdolls:
I NEED it
hrabbit
lordargent
Posted 2:54 PM 3/8/08
Those head monsters remind me of kid chameleon bosses.
lordargent
Gamebrain87
Posted 2:35 PM 3/8/08
@JN64Lover:
seconded. Pet Sounds/SMiLE FOR THE MOTHERFUCKING WIN.
Gamebrain87
Gamebrain87
Posted 2:35 PM 3/8/08
The only thing redeemable about this video is the Brian Wilson music (Our Prayer/Gee from SMiLE).
Brian Wilson ftw indeed
Gamebrain87
Ryfael
Posted 2:31 PM 3/8/08
I beat it. Better game than many a game I have played especially N+.
The No Doubt and Das Boot music was kickass and I liked the romantic song at the end. For free, this was a beautiful game. So meta, so shitty.
Ryfael
Bokusatsu_Tenshi
Posted 3:04 PM 3/8/08
I can say only one thing: It looks like the most awesome shit game I've ever seen.
Bokusatsu_Tenshi
[ZTF]
Posted 3:37 PM 3/8/08
Server error, and kotaku breaks another site. And just in case anyones wondering, the game soundtrack is nothing like the music at the end of the trailer.
[ZTF]
Pangolin
Posted 3:28 PM 3/8/08
@Nesagwa:
It is also on the album 20/20. I had to trawl through my collection to find it. God I love The Beach Boys.
Pangolin
PC+Mac Coexist
Posted 3:21 PM 3/8/08
@mfwahwah: Not a Nintendo fan, eh?
PC+Mac Coexist
Pangolin
Posted 4:03 PM 3/8/08
The end made me cry.
Pangolin
2NinjasTapedTogether
Posted 4:01 PM 3/8/08
I know it's SUPPOSED to look shitty... But this really does look shitty. Even worse than that godawful Duke Nukem trailer from E3 this year.
And that, my friends, is truly saying something. I suppose though at least it doesn't take itself seriously. I mean, clearly.
2NinjasTapedTogether
Atheist Jew
Posted 3:50 PM 3/8/08
The music in the video got me interested in the game
Unfortunately the music in the game itself no where near approaches the quality of the music in the youtube vid.
Atheist Jew
PlayerX
Posted 3:46 PM 3/8/08
@Lumice: You FIEND! Take that back!
I have yet to try "Shit Game," but Portal was wonderful!
PlayerX
sacwchiri
Posted 4:16 PM 3/8/08
does this game remind anyone of that ren and stimpy game i think it was for the sega genesis >.<
sacwchiri
P3nnst8r has returned on the Graces of Brian Ashcraft
Posted 4:47 PM 3/8/08
This game wins the internet, wait, no... the series of tubes!
P3nnst8r has returned on the Graces of Brian Ashcraft
superbagman
Posted 4:40 PM 3/8/08
Seriously. The weekends have been AWESOME since Owen started here. Love it, wanna play Shit Game...lol
superbagman
SilentSeraphin
Posted 5:26 PM 3/8/08
@Rengenki: For you (and those others that may be curious), it's Naruto - Artificial Intelligence Bomb. And yes, it sounds like a rip of a Megaman track. =P
SilentSeraphin
Mayu-mayu
Posted 5:26 PM 3/8/08
How come it's shit, it's a freaking masterpiece with awesome soundtrack! Gotta play ASAP.
Mayu-mayu
moominsean
Posted 5:47 PM 3/8/08
just needs some raptors being dragged behind a jeep to make it perfect.
moominsean
Mayu-mayu
Posted 5:43 PM 3/8/08
ok
13 tries in 12:08 time
Mayu-mayu
Mike's Stalker
Posted 5:37 PM 3/8/08
This game is shit. I want to play it.
Mike's Stalker
Rookerith
Posted 5:37 PM 3/8/08
Fantastic game.
Short, and it really had me on edge at the last level. The art direction was original, and simply brilliant.
Find us more quick, fun, original games, Mr Good!
Rookerith
foxhound417
Posted 5:30 PM 3/8/08
nice
i like the title reveal screen with the music. seems to properly represent the game.
foxhound417
Pablos102030
Posted 6:10 PM 3/8/08
@moominsean: Hey, that game fucking rules.
Pablos102030
Pablos102030
Posted 6:10 PM 3/8/08
This isn't just shit, it's art! Shitty, shitty art!
Pablos102030
Anaralia
Posted 6:06 PM 3/8/08
Another AAA PC exclusive. Is it published by EA?
Anaralia
rodrigo47
Posted 6:37 PM 3/8/08
if this would've been out on the wii, nintendrones would've been like "realistic and hd graphics suck! it's all about artistic graphics!"
rodrigo47
jollydwarf
Posted 6:19 PM 3/8/08
Jesus Christ, is that a game trailer or something from a Radiohead site?
jollydwarf
Shachihoko
Posted 6:48 PM 3/8/08
So Owen, This is Adam's new job on "Other Shitty Stuff?" lol
I want to know who created this game???
Is it Mr. Hanky from South Park?? I hope so! Because this game would be a blockbuster (s)hits and Shitty Game of the Year!
Shachihoko
VengefulRonin
Posted 7:30 PM 3/8/08
They're making games with MS Paint now? Fun.
VengefulRonin
Arnold Rimmer's Garden Strimmer
Posted 7:23 PM 3/8/08
@masterdingo: This is quite a bit better than Too Human :D
Arnold Rimmer's Garden Strimmer
Auroron
Posted 7:58 PM 3/8/08
I completed it. 23 tries, it's a bit hard :(
Auroron
shrek187
Posted 7:48 PM 3/8/08
My god this game looks so shitty is awesome. I will give it a try until my attention span loses interest.
shrek187
Wahrheit
Posted 7:42 PM 3/8/08
The end of that video, with it's nessy music was brilliant.
Wahrheit
Iarwain
Posted 7:40 PM 3/8/08
Is it wrong that I really want to play this game now, despite owning a PS3 with Metal Gear Solid 4, Oblivion and Soul Calibur IV?
Iarwain
Scherzkeks
Posted 8:32 PM 3/8/08
Is it bad that I already know this game?
Scherzkeks
mastarifla
Posted 9:09 PM 3/8/08
Did you guys know that if you beat the game in 1 try they actually clap for you?
Secret ending confirmed!
1 tries in 2:46 seconds
mastarifla
shrek187
Posted 9:25 PM 3/8/08
Also this game kinda reminds me of Robotnik and his Game Boy, close enough though.
shrek187
NeVeRMoRe666
Posted 9:17 PM 3/8/08
This doesn't look all that bad. It reminds me of those animated shorts commonly found on Fatpie. Or...has anyone seen the cartoons "rejected" by Don Hertzfeldt:
+ Watch video
If you haven't, it's definitely worth a look. Maybe, its just me (it probably is) but I really like the minimalist, surreal, absurdist twist to the animations.
Also, "Shit Game?" "Shovelware?", when can I expect this on the Wii?
NeVeRMoRe666
GimmeCat
Posted 10:24 PM 3/8/08
WOO that boss gave me heart attack lol!
GimmeCat
exion
Posted 10:50 PM 3/8/08
lol! I just spent ages trying to lure the giant head into the helicopter... well worth the hassle!
exion
Engel
Posted 11:28 PM 3/8/08
Soccer moms would pay $29.99 for this if it were on the Wii.
You'd have to rename it "Crap" Game, of course.
Engel
xcalibro
Posted 12:36 AM 4/8/08
i loved it reminded me of the old nes platformers. more shit please
xcalibro
Thordon
Posted 12:25 AM 4/8/08
7:09
17 tries
That game was shit tbh
Thordon
M.C.-Action
Posted 12:19 AM 4/8/08
I love it :D
M.C.-Action
GundamAC197: Proud new Wii60 Owner!
Posted 2:16 AM 4/8/08
@GundamAC197: Proud new Wii60 Owner!: Oh, and for anyone wondering, yes the game is awful But, it's like B movie awful. Definately kept my interest, if only to see how much more awful/weird it would get.
GundamAC197: Proud new Wii60 Owner!
GundamAC197: Proud new Wii60 Owner!
Posted 2:15 AM 4/8/08
@Auroron: Glad to see someone else who thought it was a little hard. I didn't have any trouble until the last round, the ghost heads kept killing me.
30 tries, 16:25.
GundamAC197: Proud new Wii60 Owner!
MisterMcThursday
Posted 3:47 AM 4/8/08
i have an wrapped SC4 downstairs but I'm playing Shit Game instead right now ;_;
MisterMcThursday
Icyme
Posted 4:09 AM 4/8/08
that was funny... but not shitty enought to appear on the wii lol
Icyme
Pronssi
Posted 5:05 AM 4/8/08
Actually this Shit Game was pretty cool. Went through it in 14 minutes and 26 tries, maybe I should try to do better next time!
Pronssi
Placentasaurus
Posted 6:12 AM 4/8/08
This looks like it might have almost I Wanna Be the Guy levels of insane, monitor-smashing, heart-attack causing difficulty. Which is awesome.
Placentasaurus
repoman123
Posted 6:16 AM 4/8/08
@Orionsaint: No afraid not it's from smile... Amazing track ...but speaking of petsounds really worth tracking down the accapella of that album. Amazing stuff!
repoman123
Fonzy
Posted 7:56 AM 4/8/08
Man that chiptune at the end is golden.
Fonzy
repoman123
Posted 10:00 AM 4/8/08
@NeVeRMoRe666: Haha!! briliant I saw these as part of an animation festival about 7 or 8 years ago!?!? Love Don Hertzfeldt he's a genious!
repoman123
Phazonmasher
Posted 12:44 PM 4/8/08
Well, I'm afraid that Nintendo wouldn't allow a game called "Shit Game" on their console. Maybe call it "Rather Attractive Game" and maybe we'll get somewhere. I'd buy it on XBLA. xD
Phazonmasher
reecord2
Posted 3:54 PM 4/8/08
Okay call me insane but this looks AWESOME
reecord2
Lyner
Posted 2:27 AM 5/8/08
This may just be the "B" game we're looking for ! :D
It's so bad, that it's good. :3
Lyner
JinJangles
Posted 11:27 AM 4/8/08
That's going to be the next Mario!!!
JinJangles
Rose1573
Posted 11:54 PM 3/8/08
i agree
Rose1573
Rose1573
Posted 11:49 PM 3/8/08
gmjm,g
Rose1573
Rose1573
Posted 11:49 PM 3/8/08
hmgmg
Rose1573
Rose1573
Posted 11:49 PM 3/8/08
jmhj
Rose1573
Rose1573
Posted 11:49 PM 3/8/08
kl.kl
Rose1573
Rose1573
Posted 11:49 PM 3/8/08
h,hk
Rose1573
Rose1573
Posted 11:46 PM 3/8/08
op[
Rose1573
Rela1573
Posted 11:42 PM 3/8/08
lol
Rela1573
Rela1573
Posted 11:41 PM 3/8/08
null
Rela1573
Rela1573
Posted 11:40 PM 3/8/08
kotaku
Rela1573
Rela1573
Posted 11:39 PM 3/8/08
who cares!
Rela1573
Jouhaine
Posted 11:18 PM 3/8/08
Does anyone know what the song in the end of the trailer is called?
Jouhaine
umasadha
Posted 8:45 PM 3/8/08
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[www.belrion.com] > buy ffxi
[www.belrion.com]> buy eq flat
[www.belrion.com]> cheap wow gold
[www.belrion.com]> buy world of warcraft gold
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[www.belrion.com]> buy L2 adena
[www.belrion.com] >buy gils
[www.belrion.com] >cheap gold wow
umasadha
SymbolicMeaning
Posted 6:05 PM 3/8/08
I'm hoping most people thought this was just a terrible trailer for a terrible game, but of course we all know we are full of shit to begin with.
SymbolicMeaning
Agnates
Posted 4:17 PM 3/8/08
World exclusive months ago on youtube? Meh, I guess it's borderline okay when you guys post old but good games as new, but when you post stuff which aren't notable or shit games also it gets a bit over the top...
Agnates
jerkstor
Posted 2:58 PM 3/8/08
Well...even fecal matters.
jerkstor
digamma
Posted 11:11 AM 3/8/08
Somebody call the Angry Video Game Nerd! Hurry!
digamma