Notes Recreation By: TJF588 Tempo Run Curated by Queasy Games Liner Notes Tempo Run Fast times call for fast measures. These levels turn up the tempo so *for beat’s sake* turn up the volume! Bubblegum Conundrum (D_Mise) There’s a dance party but Princess Bubblegum didn’t show! Join a dancing dog, a drumming elf, a rainbow unicorn, and the rest of their motley crew as they try to figure out what happened in this fever dream of imaginative weirdness set to a fat bass beat. THE FURY 2.0 (megalaser57) On a cold ice planet you’ll start but there’s nothing chill about these beats. The music ebbs and flows between the hyper builds and easy breakdowns with occasional silence - it’s a nice balance. Listen to how the layers of sound peel off or layer on between screens and create harmony between ear and eye. Also watch for the (seemingly) heat-seeking missiles and the bank of absurdly delayed lasers that catch unsuspecting players every time. This is simple-looking level full of fine little nuggets. Psycho (Southern_DuDe_20) A sentry gun greets you at the start - it’s raw, grating grind providing no comfort and foreshadowing dangers to come. Crossing the threshold you’re immediately thrown into a gauntlet of lock-on laser fire and while harrowing, shows the interesting outcome of adding extreme numbers of a single entity. The music matches the gameplay and is fast throughout; listen for interesting off-beats as you transition screens. Ritmo+ (KACHOLE) Some things are hard to put into words… Ritmo+ is one of those things. There’s something in the medley of bright, contrasting colours, musical progression, and fun gameplay moments (playing chicken with missiles or tricking the ghost-bird) that make this level a pleasure. It’s best to simply say, ‘Play it.’ Gravity Rush (WickedLiquid13) This homage to Beck’s Cities takes you to a world where up is down, left is right, and gravity doesn’t exist. Fortunately with your stickiness you were built for this and it’s fun to play around here. On your walk through town, notice the thuggery, bubble jump conveyors, and your brain floundering to adjust to the changing perspectives. Good times. Loop... (yodalex) Loop hides it’s secrets in time. Originally designed as a speed run level it rewards smoothness and flow and reveals it’s depth the more you play. Each screen is like a puzzle that comes clearer as you fit the pieces together - and when you finally do, it’s pure bliss. However, if you’re not interested in ranks and time Loop still pleases. It’s difficult to overstate how satisfying the jumping sequences are. So satisfying that you almost forget there’s music playing but it’s quite clever too. Count the notes and you’ll notice there are no notes for 13 screens straight yet it’s always changing and never stale. There is much attention to detail throughout. Bubblegum Conundrum by D_Mise Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 2/2/2013 THE FURY 2.5 by Megalaser57 Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 3/13/2013 Psycho by Southern_DuDe_20 Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 1/12/2013 Ritmo+ by KACHOLE Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 12/10/2012 Gravity Rush by WickedLiquid13 Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 9/9/2012 Loop... by yodalex Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 10/6/2012 ________________ Face the Music Curated by Queasy Games Liner Notes Face the Music So you think you’re good? Breezing through levels with your eyes closed? We’ve queued up some tough ones just for you, it’s time to face the music. 1 9 8 0 (Daftbomb) Always beautiful, never easy, this Daftbomb level is also garish in its fluorescent pink glory. Impatience might lead you to a kamikaze approach but in this electric neon world timing is key. As the music builds, unfocus your eyes and notice the pulsing and flashing world around you - this is why they put warnings on video games. There’s a cool loop race with a fish-squid at the halfway point just before you head back. On your return trip notice how compact everything is, it has to be, this level is only one screen tall. Face it and listen (gezouten) ‘Oh this isn’t hard,’ you might think as you move through the first screens. ‘Mildly challenging if anything.’ A few more screens go by, ‘Yeah, I got this.’ Then you enter the arena for the final boss battle and your heart sinks. Twelve notes to snag, ten lasers to avoid, and a whole lot of tears to shed. If you’ve got rhythm, timing, and the skills you might make the leaderboard but that’s unlikely. The Land of Dots (TonyTough) Circles, rounds… dots. Any platforming level with circles is a challenging one. There’s no safety on a dot, no balance point, no jumping edge, no end - it takes a steady hand to thread your way through a land of dots. And if the dot is the first antagonist, the music is the second. Evil, grating, deep, and driving. And asking to be played loud. TOFFEE_BOPPER - TLC (Earl_LeeGrave) This bizarre level is slightly easier than it’s fellow album-mates but will still test your nerve. Watch for a tough jump across a wall, over a fire pit, and onto a crabwalker. The non-linear motion of the crabwalker requires timing and the slippery small dots leading to your jump require balance. You’ll also need to figure out the maze of elevators in order to get all the notes and complete this unusual soundtrack. Variations (jool2306) The elemental shapes and patterned uniformity that make up this level feel like playing in a mathematician’s brain. Focus on the problem at hand because the apparent repetitiveness is a trick. As the title suggests, there are variations that will trip you up unless you stay vigilant - such concentration isn’t easy especially with music trying to entrance and lull you into a mistake. Elite Trials 1 - HCL (Daftbomb) Press start, try, give up. 1 9 8 0 by Daftbomb Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 10/11/2012 Face it and listen. by gezouten Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 1/4/2013 The Land of Dots by TonyTough Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 12/19/2012 TOFFEE_BOPPER - TLC by Earl_LeeGrave Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 1/4/2013 Variations by jool2306 Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 1/5/2013 Elite Trials 1 - HCL by Daftbomb Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 12/24/2012 ________________ Keep Calm and Roll On Curated by Queasy Games Liner Notes Keep Calm and Roll On No need to panic, everything’s under control. Just sit back, keep calm, and roll along with these chill tunes. Jump ‘n’ Chill (gasssst) The hi-hat takes centre stage and provides the rhythmic foundation to this level. With no ground to land on you’ll need to jump carefully but the added tension is welcome and exciting. The metronomic ticking of the hi-hat fades into the background as the crescendo builds through the middle but returns on the final screen. And just as you reach your goal safe and sound, it fades away, it’s job done. Looper (BrianWithinReach) Basic shapes and a basic concept are the distinctions of this level but there’s depth in simplicity. A platformer without platforms, there are only circles here. As you orbit you’ll wonder, ‘Am I a moon? A molecule? An electron?’ And just as your mind adjusts to the loopy thinking, the linear returns for a welcome compositional break before things end with a leap of faith into the void. Mellow Stroll (DoggThang) A mellow rhythm plays through as you make your way between the scenes: a forest, a mountain, a sunset. Watch for the clever use of beats and animated backgrounds at the top of the lighthouse and some tricky platforming to reach a far off note in one of the caves. Down below (GrumpyGallagher) Explore the rock and crystal to the tune of a kalimba. As the footing cracks and breaks under your weight, you’ll become astutely aware that this cave is vertical. With no solid ground to stand on you’ll find yourself scrambling up the walls to get the final notes. Hear the echo of the crystals as they break one after another after another - an interesting effect. Sortdela (yodalex) Yodalex levels are built for speed. Carefully crafted down to the pixel they will reveal the weaknesses in your platforming. Thanks to the excellent checkpoint placement, however, they never become frustrating as even when you’re dying there’s a sense of progress. Watch for a clever little door activation at the end. Planometric (ajsims) There is something pulling this strange land of extruded shapes apart. You’ll battle this insidious force before finally succumbing to the tractor beam. As you float into the unknown, notice how the music changes to signal this new state of limbo. There isn’t much to this level but it’s somehow strangely pleasing. Jump’n’Chill by gasssst Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 9/23/2012 Looper by BrianWithinReach Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 1/7/2013 Mellow Stroll by DoggThang Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 1/11/2013 Down below by GrumpyGallagher Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 12/31/2012 Sortdela by yodalex Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 9/24/2012 Planometric by ajsims Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 12/19/2012 ________________ Extended Plays Curated by Queasy Games Liner Notes Extended Plays Your bags are packed and your chariot awaits. These are some of our favorite levels on the longer side - it’s our EP of EPs. Cheer Up, Buttercup! (TheBeejAbides) Run, jump, beg, and crawl your way back into the arms of your sweetheart in this themed level from TheBeejAbides. The story literally plays out right under your feet with skateboarding, box dropkicks, and magic carpet rides. The platforming is great fun with hang drops, flowing sections and challenging sections of staccato jumps. When you reach the saws, wait a moment and you’ll see some interesting behaviour that may or may not have been intentional on our end. Oh… and don’t forget to pick some flowers for your love. BRAINSPLOSION! (Earl_LeeGrave) Asymmetric design, dissonant tones, and strange imagery make for a level you’ll be glad is over. But as you sit there reeling from the bewildering audio-visual assault your brain will clamour for another play to make sense of it all, just one more play - and so it goes. The level appears to be a trip into the body, perhaps a brain on a trip itself. Watch for the backgrounds and how they move, adding subtle but surprising effects; also the characters trapped or hidden adding sounds that seemingly come out of nowhere further adding to the creepiness. This level is full of treats you may or may not like but it’s definitely worth a try. Lonesome Days (reinokid) A true adventure, this level makes our Milkcrate Extended Plays album on it’s variety of gameplay. It uses nearly every character and ground and tests all your Sound Shaping skills. Despite it’s length it never feels repetitive or drawn out and the music stays interesting as well. An epic of epic proportions. Center of the Earth (TetraGenesis) Under the final rays of sun, you say goodbye to the big skies and open plains of the savannah and enter the dark depths of the earth. Despite jagged, uninviting terrain, this dark aesthetic is strangely compelling. The points and sloping grounds make for fast moving, long jumping, and delicate balancing sections. The fireballs have long arcing paths that are pleasantly, almost mesmerizingly, frustrating. The music also moves, plays, and stays novel with well-arranged interludes. A pleasure. Real Pinball (RetroSteveUK) Complete with bumpers, lanes, orbits, gates, and of course a jammin’ soundtrack RetroSteveUK recreated an actual pinball machine in Sound Shapes. Getting all the notes will require several balls/blobs and some trick shots too. Think you got what it takes to be a pinball wizard? Show us! OneWay (yodalex) True to it’s name, there’s only one way through this level. One path through each screen and also one way to move around obstacles. Success or failure depends on whether you jump or dash jump, drop or dash drop - there is much nuance in movement required here. This much constraint might not sound fun but it is! As you decode the sections you’ll find yourself flowing through the screens and when you get really good the feeling is incredibly satisfying. When people talk about tight platforming, this is what they’re talking about. The attention in design is apparent and makes for a true platforming treat. Cheer Up, Buttercup! by TheBeejAbides Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 11/4/2012 BRAINSPLOSION! by Earl_LeeGrave Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 3/11/2013 Lonesome Days by reinokid Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 10/15/2012 Center of the Earth by TetraGenesis Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 12/20/2012 Real Pinball by RetroSteveUK Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 2/1/2013 OneWay by yodalex Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 10/18/2012 ________________ Short and Sweet Curated by Queasy Games Liner Notes Short and Sweet Short on time? Gotta run? These bite-sized beats will only take you a moment… or will they. Plays this song 2 (KACHOLE) If you need a boost of happiness, plays this level. With it’s cheery beat, melody, and delightful moments (such as a game of ‘catch me if you can’ with a ghost and ‘jump-stick-jump-stick’ sequence at the end), this level will put a smile on your face. Into The Music (ONE2THR) The Announcer addresses his followers as this level opens, whether truth or lies is unclear. What is clear is that drama and more preaching are to follow as you roll through this slowed down mix in the key of Beck. One Jump (gondorprime) Requiring only one jump, you will complete this level in seconds flat or minutes cursing. There’s no in-between. Sound Jump (inuinekomaru) In this level of bouncing and moving platforms, it seems no one wants anything to do with you. Even your friends - who carry you upward and catch you when you’re falling - are actually trying to crush you or continue your suffering. You’re on your own in this cruel and uncaring world. TRIANGELS (WARDEN-OF-PSYCHO) It’s all about the equilaterals, rights, obtuses, and scalenes as triangles and deadmau5 join forces and drive jam. Perpetual Motion (RetroSteveUK) Imprisoned with only a computer and programmer, the only thing you can do sets into motion a series of events that will set you free. Sounds like the setup for a movie, doesn’t it? Plays this song 2 by KACHOLE Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 11/30/2012 Into The Music by ONE2THR Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 11/28/2012 One jump by gondorprime Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 10/10/2012 Sound Jump by inuinekomaru Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 12/17/2012 TRIANGELS by WARDEN-OF-PSYCHO Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 11/23/2012 Perpetual Motion by RetroSteveUK Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 1/12/2013 ________________ Playing with Ideas Curated by Queasy Games Liner Notes Playing with Ideas Like a rug ties together a room, a central theme ties together these levels. Gezawesome vol1 (gezouten) Take a trip in stereo in a stereo. Equalizers, jacks, headphones, and a cassette tape are cleverly crafted with entities from the game - see if you can identify them all. Isometric (ajsims) We designed Sound Shapes to be a 2D game but apparently it’s been hacked! Check out this level done entirely isometric. If you’re from the old school of gaming it might conjure up memories of Q-bert as you hop through this world of length, width, *and* height. The King of Shapes (Amrods) On the African plains, under a setting sun, you find yourself among the animals on their pilgrimage to see the new king of shapes. An artistic eye and imaginative editing bring this classic scene to life. Genetically Modified Beats (TheBeejAbides) Memories of mitosis and science class come to mind in this visually striking and creatively designed level. Float through the cellular goo as one cell becomes two, moving amongst twisting strands of DNA, mighty mitochondria, and raging ribosomes. This level has two distinct halves centered on a nucleus and is full of dangerous obstacles - both beautiful and challenging. A Fly Called Guy (TonyTough) As one of our earliest community members, TonyTough has been a creator from the beginning - his specialty is story-driven levels. Many of his creations include frame-by-frame animations using a brilliant technique he pioneered that blew our minds. This level about a fly called Guy contains not one but two animations. See if you can figure out how he does them and, in particular, how they’re activated. He’s one clever (and tough) guy. Soul Skate (TheBeejAbides) The Beej makes his second appearance on this album with a skate-centric level that ranks up there with our all-time favorites. Fast, flowing, and fun, only a real life skater could capture the essence of ollies, grinds, and big air jumps like this. Between the hometown shout-outs, rolls, ramps, and the wild 7-screen hands-free sequence, there’s a lot to love here. Gezawesome vol1. #CRES by gezouten Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 2/4/2013 Isometric by ajsims Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 12/10/2012 Hurricane Refugee by D_Mise Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 1/23/2013 The king of shapes by Amrods Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 1/20/2013 Genetically Modified Beats by TheBeejAbides Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 12/29/2012 A Fly Called Guy by TonyTough Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 1/12/2013 Soul Skate by TheBeejAbides Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 1/12/2013 ________________ Picture Book Curated by Baiyon Liner Notes Picture Book Curated by Baiyon Artist/Sound Producer/Art Director/Creative Director http://baiyon.com RED (TonyTough) A stage modeled after the Little Red Riding Hood. It feels like you are traveleing in the world of the very picture book and you could enjoy the other aspects of its sound shape. Its colour coordination is pleasing to the senses. A Walk in the Park (TonyTough) Literally a stage for ‘a walk in the park’, where you could feel joyful and solitary at the same time. You know how it feels when you take a walk accompanied by nice music. Pikasso (pikathon) This is where you could find yourself under the sea, such as in visiting the aquarium or the special theme park. Interestingly the atmosphere reminds me of some forgotten theme parks in Japan. Neonce(pikathon) This may be how one is supposed to feel in the night cityscape. The feelings of gaiety and isolation alternate. Its colour contrast is pretty amusing. A New Dimension #ASYM (jool2306) A stage about ‘what if the world would merge with its parallel world in another dimension’. Its stop motion animations that appear in the middle are remarkable. RED by TonyTough Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 3/14/2013 A Walk in the Park by TonyTough Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 3/14/2013 Pikasso by pikathon Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 3/24/2013 neonce by pikathon Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 12/9/2012 A New Dimension #ASYM by jool2306 Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 12/7/2012 ________________ Ghostly Selects Curated by Ghostly International Liner Notes Ghostly Selects Curated by Ghostly International http://www.ghostly.com Drop of Faith (aro52) The music arrangement in this level alongside the somewhat (but not overly) difficult navigation just seems to mesh perfectly. We also dig the idea of having to let go and just hope you’ve gone down the right path. Boom Time (Daftbomb) This level is tough. I wish we could say we collected every single sound, but that’d be a lie. You definitely need to pay attention playing this one. Omoshirokunai (ajsims) One of the first levels we came across as we played the game for the first time, and quite simply, we were mesmerized by the swirling cover image. The music didn’t hurt either. Cliff Diving (TonyGwynn) A sparse but percussive soundtrack that matches the airy ambiance of another great concept level. Very cool ambiance is evoked here. You may have to play through a few times to figure out how to grab all the sounds. Abandoned Factory (flashquickster) A great slow building subtly shifting jam of a level that leaves you wanting more. When the rocket bass lines kick in it’s gold. Pinball Madness (Daftbomb) A short course that is never the less inventive and beautiful; a concept piece that works. Retro vibe and a dense soundtrack make this an energetic trip into the past. Drop of Faith by aro52 Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 8/8/2012 Boom Time by Daftbomb Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 10/27/2012 Omoshirokunai by ajsims Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 1/3/2013 Cliff Diving by TonyGwynn Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 11/11/2012 The abandoned factory by flashquickster Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 12/4/2012 Pinball Madness by Daftbomb Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 8/31/2012 ________________ Gamespot Grooves Curated by Gamespot Liner Notes Gamespot Grooves Curated by Justin Calvert http://www.gamespot.com Diamond Elephunk (TheBeejAbides) A triumph of the form through function design principle, this great-looking level demands precision jumps, that if it weren’t for the intelligent checkpoint placement, might make missteps frustrating. The very best thing about this level, though, is that early on the beat sounds like something Buck Rogers would dance to in the 25th Century. Funky Bus (TonyGwynn) Bold visuals and great level design come together in a level that, while not nearly as challenging as some, is quick to punish you the moment you become impatient. Traveling through tubes can be especially hazardous in places, but not so much that areas littered with them ever become frustrating. Save the Princess! (D_Mise) Like the retro game that it’s clearly inspired by, this level successfully incorporates a number of varied environments and gameplay mechanics without anything feeling out of place. Speech bubbles representing the screams of the damsel in distress are a great touch, since they serve as signposts for the way forward when it might otherwise not be clear. Advanced Techniques (Daftbomb) Thanks to the efforts of a vocal and obnoxious minority, the gaming community at large has wrongly earned something of a reputation for being less than friendly. It’s great, then, to be reminded by a level like this one that gamers can be an extraordinarily welcoming and helpful bunch. Take a couple of minutes to play through this level and you might just learn something that will prove useful next time you create a level of your own. Invasion (JusticeCovert) A city under attack by alien invaders serves as the backdrop for this diminutive level that executive director Justin Calvert put together shortly after we at GameSpot posted our glowing 9/10 Sound Shapes review. The inspiration for the level is obvious, the fastest route through it might take you a couple of attempts to figure out. Diamond Elephunk Factory by TheBeejAbides Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 5/24/2013 Funky Bus by TonyGwynn Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 11/12/2012 Save The Princess! #ASYM by D_Mise Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 3/14/2013 Advanced Techniques by Daftbomb Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 9/20/2012 Invasion by JusticeCovert Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 8/14/2012 ________________ Hard Drivin’ Curated by Queasy Games Liner Notes Hard Drivin’ Curated by Queasy Games Circles turning circles. See what the Community has done with the Car DLC pack in this collection of our favorite levels made for a little round blog driving some rad little cars City Gearz (Zera-xix47x) Some driving, some rolling, and a puzzle to top it off. Make a note of where the goal is and where you’ve been because the path of least resistance isn’t always the right one. We love the techno mixed with Beck’s Cities - a good use of transposing in the editor. CarCase (YummySoylentGreen) If you’ve got a lead foot this one’s for you. Just keep the throttle pinned and watch out for the cats. We also like how the car skips over the bumpy ground, gives it that off-road, out of control, Dakar rally feel. WEB-RUN (gezouten) Lots of twists and tight turns, it’s like you’re a nanobot racing through the veins of a creature with good musical taste. Then you realize there’s not a single note and wonder where all that music was coming from. SPEEDFREAK (gasssst) In the style of our Car DLC trailer you escape from the office and hit the road. This isn’t a long level but it does pure vertical really well. The trick is to race up on the boost and float on the down, good times. Feeling Loopy? (YummySoylentGreen) If you like loops then this is your level. From start to finish it’s loop after loop after loop. But it’s not all pedal to the metal, to get all the notes you’ll need to lift that lead foot and practice some throttle control. Circuit (flot_flot ) Metal meets techno in this unbeliveably big level. Screen after screen of ramps folding under one another, this might be the biggest Sound Shapes level we’ve ever seen. Not the were complaining, it’s a good one. City Gearz by Zera-xix47X Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 3/27/2013 CarCase by YumySoylentGreen Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 5/5/2013 WEB-RUN by gezouten Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 4/25/2013 SPEEDFREAK by gasssst Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 3/19/2013 Feeling Loopy? by YumySoylentGreen Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 5/15/2013 Circuit by flot_flot Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 3/29/2013 ________________ On The Verge Curated by The Verge Liner Notes On The Verge Curated by Andrew Webster http://www.theverge.com Empire (BarbaricBaker) The different Sound Shapes albums each have their own style, and ‘Empire’ does an amazing job of blending several of them into one seamless level. You’ll start in Beck’s cityscape, before heading into an underground lair of Superbrothers pixels, and you’ll even briefly catch a glimpse of a bright, colorful sky courtesy Pixeljam. It’s a clever use of the different styles, with some great music and level design to round out the package. Everybody dies (Ampeross) This level has something you won’t find much of in Sound Shapes: spookiness. There are cryptic phrases scrawled in red letters on the walls, and you’ll roll past rooms filled with potentially disturbing scenes. It’s all very cryptic, and that’s a large part of the appeal. Surprisingly, in spite of the name, ‘Everybody dies’ isn’t all that challenging, but it’s worth a play for the atmosphere alone. The Forbidden Land (gondorprime) This level seems to be inspired by the PlayStation®2 classic Shadow of the Colossus. It doesn’t feature any giants to slay, and you don’t get to ride a horse. But the two do share one thing in common: a large sense of scale. This level is long, spanning multiple musical and visual styles, but it still somehow fits together nicely. If Sound Shapes levels were pop songs, this would be ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’: a sprawling epic that takes you in multiple directions, but makes sure you’re having fun the whole time. Prometheus (guycohen2) ‘Prometheus’ is worth playing for its look alone. It’s a minimalist approach to level design, with a grey world made up entirely of dots. The structure of the level makes it feel like you’re climbing from one area to the next, and the piano-heavy soundtrack is a perfect for for the spartan atmosphere. Closer to the Heart 2.0 (WickedLiquid13) Music really is the star of this level: it just feels so big and important, making the quest to find the heart at the end of the stage all the more enticing. Thankfully, the level design is also quite good, utilizing just about every tool available in the level editor: you’ll be doing plenty swinging, floating, and of course jumping, with that sweeping score to guide you along. Empire by BarbaricBaker Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 4/15/2013 Everybody dies. by Ampeross Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 6/25/2013 The Forbidden Land by mothflight Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 4/28/2013 PROMETHEUS by guycohen2 Difficulty: 1/5 Last Updated: 4/22/2013 Closer to the Heart 2.0 by WickedLiquid13 Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 9/11/2012 ________________ Box Art Curated by Queasy Games Liner Notes Box Art Curated by Queasy Games With defined corners and arrow-straight edges, its perfectly predictable shape provides the illusion of control in a chaotic world - perhaps that’s why despite never appearing in nature humans use it everywhere. From toys to pixels to the pyramids in Egypt, the box is the building block of the human world. Carry the Blocks (flot-flot) This level will ease you into the box world with a few not-too-difficult puzzles. A BOX thing (gezouten) Less about puzzles and more about coordination, the box is the elemental building block (pun intended) of this platforming level. The Box Thingy-1SL (Daftbomb) One screen, hidden notes, murderous boxes. Enjoy. The Box (guycohen2) This is where it all began… the first installment of guycohen2’s big (read: expansive) “The Box” series. If you like puzzles you’ll want to try all 17 of them. THE CUBE (A45X) A collaboration between A45X and guycohen, this level is mind-bending and complex yet somehow it always works out. Even after half a dozen playthroughs we’re still not sure what’s happening. The Moment (TheBeejAbides) Let the cubes be your guide through this melancholic story level. Carry the blocks by flot_flot Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 12/21/2012 A BOX thing. by gezouten Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 4/1/2013 The Box Thingy - 1SL by Daftbomb Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 9/16/2012 The box by guycohen2 Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 4/5/2013 THE CUBE by A45X Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 4/11/2013 The Moment by TheBeejAbides Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 4/12/2013 ________________ Happy Birthday Curated by Queasy Games Liner Notes Happy Birthday Curated by Queasy Games A collection of winners from our Birthday Creators Contest. Abduction Bday (yge9999) Ever wonder about the connection between the campaign albums? This is one interpretation and it ends with cats taking over the earth. (Was there ever any doubt?) bday One Cube (Greema) Spend some quality time with an old cube-shaped companion. Solve some puzzles, ride some elevators, it’s good fun. Yummy Jam BDay Vinyl (YummyBearXX) Community aficionados will recognize the colours and styles from many Sound Shapers in this level which is a tribute to the talented creators more than the game itself. We love you all. Appreciation Station BDAY (D_Mise) Short and sweet and made whole heartedly with love. PHAT BEATS Bday (kela420) Feed your beat with this strange and cryptic level. We like the mix and the pacing of this track. Happy BDAY (gezouten) Gezouten plays with optical illusions in this level where it’s hard to tell what’s ground and what’s air, what’s real and what’s trickery. Definitely a design style we haven’t seen but have fallen for. Bday A Slice of Love (bluebebleu) Bluebebleu came out of nowhere to become one of the best Sound Shapers out there. Between his use of colour and shape and the catchy melodies, his levels are a treat to play. In this one we especially like the screen with all the theme hashtags from the last year. Abduction #Bday Part 1 by yge9999 Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 10/18/2013 #bday One Cube (final) by Greema Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 8/14/2013 Yummy Jam #BDay #Vinyl by YummyBearXX Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 8/17/2013 Appreciation Station #BDAY by D_Mise Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 8/19/2013 PHAT BEATS #BDay by kela420 Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 8/28/2013 Happy #BDAY SoundShapes! by gezouten Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 8/13/2013 #BDay A Slice of Love by bluebebleu Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 10/19/2013 ________________ Odds and Ends Curated by Santa Monica Studio Liner Notes Odds and Ends Curated by Santa Monica Studios (Nathan Gary - Creative Director, Zach Wood - Sr. Producer) Rather than go for a central theme for our Milkcrate selections, we selected a few levels that inspired us in one way or another. We’re constantly amazed by what the Sound Shapes community has done with a relatively simple level editing tool, creating musical landscapes that are fun, challenging and super creative. We hope you enjoy these selections. Mercury In Retrograde (D_Mise) I was immediately taken by this level’s simple graphics and solid track. There’s some really clever use of the bounce arrows here in conjunction with a moveable box to open a door. Really great. The Understanding #palettes (bluebebleu) This level is part of a #palettes theme that the community organized, using each of the editor’s color palettes. The track is really good and there’s a nice blend of the melody coming in and out. Love the clever use of basic spheres in the graphics. The text at the beginning and end is fantastic. DubPets: “@> (gezouten) This level is based on another community organized theme. DubPets. Based on the sounds from the Dubstep Sound Pack. It has a slick graphic style with chickens as the “pet”. What’s really cool is gezouten has figured out a way to have the level re-set each time the player dies and it becomes progressively easier as layers are peeled away with each new spawn. And after a certain number of tries, it’s GAME OVER. Can you complete it? Clicker (TonyGwynn) Clicker was made in honor of the release of The Last of Us. It isn’t the hardest one screen level out there but after it was made a few of us began challenging each other for the highest score. I must have spent over an hour trying to shave precious seconds of my time only to have it beaten by someone else moments later. I look at the leaderboard from time to time and it brings me back to that night of intense competition. The Sickness & The Cure (TheBeejAbides) This is such an aesthetically pleasing level. It uses items from all of the campaign albums but in a way that does not feel like they were forced together. There is also some clever use of objects to make the platforms appear to be puffing out smoke to the beat. E3 Trailer Level (MrOzendez) This is a recreation of a level that was made to demo Sound Shapes at E3 when it initially debuted. Those demos have never been publically released. In the run up to E3 I must have played this level hundreds of times so it is nice to see a version of it finally come out. It makes me nostalgic as showing Sound Shapes at E3 was such a great experience. Clicker by TonyGwynn Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 7/2/2013 The Sickness & The Cure by TheBeejAbides Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 8/13/2013 E3 Trailer Level by MrOzMendez Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 8/26/2012 Mercury In Retrograde by D_Mise Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 8/10/2013 TheUnderstanding #Palettes by bluebebleu Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 10/19/2013 DubPets: “@> by gezouten Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 6/2/2013 ________________ Super Creators Curated by Scott Rohde Liner Notes Super Creators Curated by Scott Rohde Senior Vice President - SCE Worldwide Studios America http://www.playstation.com Hi Shapers! For those who don’t know me, I’m the head of PlayStation®’s American Worldwide Studios, including Santa Monica Studio, the amazing team that brought Sound Shapes to the world through the brilliant minds at Queasy Games. I’m a big fan of music and community creativity in games, so Sound Shapes is the perfect game for me. I’ve spent more time playing this game on my PS Vita than any other game, and because of the endless creativity in the SS community, the experience is fresh every time I play. The levels in my Milkcrate were hand selected over the last year, and I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to share why they’re some of my all-time favorites. I chose the title Super Creators to show my deep respect and admiration towards the amazing array of artists living in the SS community. Unfortunately, my crate only holds 6 albums, so I couldn’t include everybody. There are many, many more super creators out there and I encourage you to get lost in the game and find your personal favorites. Don’t forget to check out some of the levels I’ve created as well (shameless plug). Enjoy! SOCIAL NETWORK (ANOY337) Here’s an incredible graffiti level that appears to be a hidden gem in the Sound Shapes community. I distinctly remember the first time I stumbled across this level several months ago - I was totally blown away. SOCIAL NETWORK has a unique flavor that I haven’t seen replicated elsewhere in the community. It comes with some moderate platform challenges and some cool grooves as well. LENNUT_REPUS (EarlLeeGrave) LENNUT_REPUS is an epic journey deep into an alien landscape. It’s super-stylish, very long and often very challenging. Love the clever use of elevators and hidden sound generators throughout. Pro tip: If you can’t figure out the title, use a mirror. Soul Skate (TheBeejABides) The Beej does it again! Beej has many amazing levels, but Soul Skate is my all-time fave. Incredibly stylish and super cool. With the style of an amazing graffiti artist, Beej takes me on a journey through some innovative challenges while giving me a little taste of Philly skate culture! A great ride that should not be missed! Skies (jool2306) Jool is another of my favorite creative Sound Shapes artists. Most of Jool’s levels are focused on creating a unique experience, and Skies certainly doesn’t disappoint. Each scene is like an opportunity to peer into another world through the lense of a telescope. No threatening enemies looming here, so I find myself taking my time in each world, just admiring the creation. Hint - Exit each world to the right. Resurrection (Amrods) It never ceases to amaze me what artists can pull off with the Sound Shapes editor. Resurrection is beautiful from start to finish - particularly the deep red levels. Somewhat tough platforming throughout the level, but each challenge is certainly worth the time, as each progressive screen is a beautiful work of art. Ric O’ Chet (pikathon) This one is bursting with so much creativity, it’s hard to boil it down to a quick description. Very innovative use of game mechanics, unique tunes, open level structure, Southwestern theme, and trademark pikathon character art… it all adds up to a fast paced level with an interesting puzzle element. Check it out! SOCIAL NETWORK by ANOY337 Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 10/19/2012 LENNUT_REPUS by Earl_LeeGrave Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 1/9/2013 Soul Skate by TheBeejAbides Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 1/12/2013 Skies by jool2306 Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 11/4/2013 Resurrection by Amrods Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 10/26/2013 Ric O’ Chet by pikathon Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 4/10/2013 ________________ ! Curated by Shuhei Yoshida Liner Notes ! Curated by Shuhei Yoshida President - SCE Worldwide Studios http://www.playstation.com Encountering with new ideas while playing a game makes us gamers feel happiest. This album collects some of the levels that I had “!” on my head, the moment of bliss. Sound Shapes empowers players with artistic minds, young or old, to express their ideas. Hope you enjoy the levels I selected. Level that plays itself! (fireburn95) As title suggests, you as a player do not have to do anything to complete the level, just sit back and relax to watch the blob jumps and rolls into the turntable. However, you’ll notice some players have better time than you... catch the kitty (kingbui-)) The cat is the greatest character in Sound Shapes. She is there watching the blob rolling around the level and runs away as soon as it approaches her. When you are creating a level and want to spice it up, you can do no wrong by adding a cat or two. Made by a 5yr old (KosmoCrisis) To create this level, I can imagine a parent working together with his/her 5 year son (or daughter), asking what shapes and instruments he (or she) wants to place. It was exactly like that when I worked with my 7 year daughters. Sound Shapes helps parents guide kids to accomplish some creation. Not Impossible - 1SL (JuggaloMars) When you search the community levels with the key word “1SL”, you will find many levels that have only one screen. There was a movement initiated by Daftbomb and others to come up with short but interesting one screen levels. I have contributed a couple levels myself, too. Typewriter of Doom (Daftbomb) I cannot make my Milkcrate without selecting a level by Daftbomb. His levels are beautiful and challenging and inspire us. He created curved shapes when there were no parts with a curve, by aligning lots of lines! My favorite is “The Box Thingy - 1SL”, which was included in “Queasy - Box Art” Milkcrate. The Anniversary (TonyTough) TonyTough has made some beautiful levels with stories, and this is the saddest story of all. Long and scary, no signs of hope. When I was young, I was intrigued by music albums with the last song very, very long. Like 10 minutes long. This TonyTough level helps me achieve my dream. Level that plays itself! by fireburn95 Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 9/3/2012 catch the kitty by kingbui- Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 8/15/2012 Made by a 5yr old by KosmoCrisis Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 8/8/2012 Not Impossible - 1SL by JuggaloMars Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 10/8/2012 Typewriter of Doom by Daftbomb Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 9/13/2012 The Anniversary by TonyTough Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 3/13/2013 ________________ Jim’s Jams Curated by Jim Guthrie Liner Notes Jim’s Jams Curated by Jim Guthrie @jampants I’m always blown away with what the community comes up with and there are so many amazing user created levels at this point. If this game came out when I was 16, I would’ve totally lost myself for months, exploring the game’s limits and then figuring out how to push those limits. It really is a perfect mix of casual fun and something more if you’re willing to dig deeper. With that in mind, I tried to pick levels that showcase what makes Sound Shapes a powerful, creative tool for musicians, game designers and dreamers alike. Pathos Country (s6771) Almost every level this user has designed is a winner so it’s hard to pick. For me, Pathos Country has a little of everything. The music is amazing and the track progresses in an unexpected way. The level is designed in such a way that it’s challenging but not so much that you want to tap out. I also made sure to get all of the notes because I didn’t want to miss out on any of the track! Corporeal EDM Mix (killingme69) Obviously I was drawn to this based on the title alone but as I got playing it was very clear that a ton of thought went into the layout of this level. It does a great job of feeling like a maze but it also makes you feel smart as you figure out the maze. It’s a great remix to boot. Killer really. Colossal (msmsmj) This track starts off pretty simply but evolves into a really dreamy and beautiful tune. The song gets a little more complex as you go but the look and feel of the level is very calming. With each new screen you are confronted by these creature sculptures that feel like they have a real history to them. It reminded me of Miyazaki’s Spirited Away for some reason. It’s not a tough level at all but that made it all the more pleasurable to listen to. Pathos country by s6771 Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 6/25/2015 CORPOREAL (EDM MIX) by killingme69 Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 8/13/2015 Colossal by nsnsmj Difficulty: 1/5 Last Updated: 8/11/2015 Qr speedrun by yodalex Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 8/8/2015 Reves by devilman695 Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 9/28/2014 ________________ Adventures Curated by Pixeljam Liner Notes Adventures Curated by Pixeljam @pixeljamgames It’s always a pleasure to return to Sound Shapes and discover an abundance of amazing community tracks. Players come up with so many intelligent and impressive designs that could have easily been a part of a complete album. I tended to gravitate towards the ones that felt like I was on an adventure, an unspoken story of a journey, and I found plenty to choose from. It was a challenge to limit my selections to fit in the Milkcrate, but the following nine are the tracks that came out on top. LOUDER_THOUGHTS (Earl_LeeGrave) I am really impressed by this designer’s work & it was tough to choose only one track. This one starts off in a serene meadow where I can relax & enjoy climbing a friendly looking, well-crafted tree. Ultimately we wind up in a deadly underground cavern with interesting complex challenges and swooping curves. Difficulty ramps up significantly at a good pace. Challenges are smart and some skill is required. Checkpoints are well placed and forgiving (thanks!). Excellent colors throughout. Music is fitting and builds up nicely with a sort of dark, groovy, industrial flavor. Total pro level design! Be sure to check out “A-Cade” as well, and “Don’t Touch my Butt” for a unique auto-play style diversion. Return to Sender-Request#7 (iwillforget) Fun, well balanced, plentiful checkpoints, halfway through there are no more notes but labyrinth design makes clever use of the score elements from different rooms, dropping out and back in again selectively, keeping the music changing and flowing nicely. Great use of entities, nice color palette. “Game Cartridge” by iwillforget was an impressive contender. Meteor Drive [RMX] (s6771) Bold use of line and circles with a solid dark blue-gray color scheme gives this track its tight space-station style. Music was enjoyable, rocking out towards the end. I was forced to master my run & jump in one little challenge area I got stuck on for a bit. Maze design was done very well, allowing the player to see where they were going and where they came from, also bringing previous notes back around. A relatively short track with perfectly placed checkpoints and some skillful platforming required. Creator s6771 has been very busy with many other great track designs well worth checking out. Incoming (Trw13) Exciting level design that hits the ground running. Strikes a nice balance between urgency and precision with the well placed explosion blasts. Love the use of warm-dark color. Music rocks nicely with a playful undercurrent mirroring the action well. “Escape from a war torn city” theme is pulled off skillfully, feels like genuine adventure. Happy to reach my escape blimp in the end. Iceburn Caverns (greeNathan) One of those tracks that I find I want to keep going when the end comes. Good use of solid angular terrain forms. Nice array of smart color palettes. It can be quite challenging at times but has reasonable checkpoints - which I’d often return to after collecting partial notes on dome screen because doing it in one pass was not exactly working out. Pixeljam #ssw (JDCasey2001) Of course the title to this one grabbed my attention, but I was pleasantly surprised to see it was also a high quality track. Loved the consistent & bold use of thick outlines around the terrain segments and their askew arrangements. Color palette is great. Music arrangement has a cyberpunk vibe that worked well for the track. Not the most challenging or diverse platforming so it’s good that it’s relatively short & sweet. Metamorphose (Tabulator_AT) Nicely crafted insect-world theme. Great colors, gorgeous first screen where it seems we start by escaping from the mouth of a giant caterpillar (or maybe we are tiny), and proceeding to avoid being swallowed by its buddies, eventually coming to see one of them metamorphose into a giant butterfly emerging from giant cocoon. Music was also enjoyable. Workmans Comp (GnarlsB) Playful track. Diverse in its progression, starting out in a nicely made Superbrothers-style office building, moving on to rocky terrains, and ends up feeling more like a journey in the clouds as a cloud. Music is cool, changes character throughout to match. Midnight Stroll (stormyzabeast) I seem to like the ones where that feel like they are heading somewhere, on some grander journey. In this case it’s from the forest with graceful curves of the plant vines and branches, to the rocky hills and ultimately back to civilization, sorta like an episode of Man vs Wild[ZW1]. Music is upbeat and pleasant. LOUDER_THOUGHTS by Earl_LeeGrave Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 7/1/2015 Return To Sender-Request#7 by iwillforget Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 8/2/2015 Meteor Drive [RMX] by s6771 Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 8/18/2015 Incoming by trw13 Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 8/11/2013 Iceburn Caverns by greeNathan Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 12/7/2014 PIXELJAM #SSW by JDCasey2001 Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 6/27/2014 Metamorphose by Tabulator_AT Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 8/21/2012 Workman’s Comp by GnarlsB Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 2/12/2015 Midnight Stroll by Stormyzabeast Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 6/8/2013 ________________ CS-001 Curated by Cory Schmitz Liner Notes CS-001 Curated by Cory Schmitz Graphic Designer http://www.coryschmitz.com A Winter Evening (Lissar) This is a level by Lissar, my favorite Sound Shapes level creator. Their levels are unique; minimalist, & non-linear. I love the use of the trees in this level. I’ve never seen anyone else do anything like it in Sound Shapes! Metro Nome (BrotherBrendan) This one has more upbeat music. It’s a fun pop song. The level design is smart, too. It feels like it could’ve been in the campaign. Madness and Cats (Lissar) Another Lissar level. Short & playful. Clever use of elevators, too. Groovy Single Eighty-Nine (TonyGwynn) This is a tiny level. I like how simple it is. Sunset (GOBbluth89) Sunset is another level that feels like it could’ve been in the Sound Shapes campaign. The music & platforming really shine in this one. Great color choices, too. Reach for the Stars (Lissar) Ok one more Lissar level, last one, I promise. This level is a huge, open-world level. One of my very favorites. To the Soul of Sound (Me_Becoming_I) This last level is simply a super-chill walk through nature at night. Goodnight. A Winter Evening by Lissar Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 8/10/2012 Metro Nome by BrotherBrendan Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 8/8/2012 Madness and Cats by Lissar Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 8/9/2012 Groovy Single Eighty-Nine by TonyGwynn Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 1/26/2015 Sunset by GOBbluth89 Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 8/14/2012 Reach for the Stars by Lissar Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 8/9/2012 To the Soul of Sound by Me_Becoming_I Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 8/25/2012 ________________ CAPY Heart’s SOUNDSHAPES Curated by Capy Liner Notes CAPY Heart’s SOUNDSHAPES Curated by Capy http://www.capybaragames.com/ Hi, my name’s Dan Vader and I’m a designer at Capy Games. We’re the studio behind Critter Crunch, Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, Super Time Force Ultra and… Sound Shapes? Well, not really, more like the studio behind the studio behind Sound Shapes. It went down like this: Capy and Queasy are buddies that go way back, and they asked us if we wanted to explore their level design tool and help shape the content that would become the finished “albums”. That casual invite morphed into Capy providing a little help developing Sound Shapes and I ended up working on the game for almost 2 years. I look back on the experience with pride and a ton of love for Queasy and their beautiful game. It was a dream to go into work every day and play around with this exciting, evolving beast. When the game launched, the whole team waited with baited breath to see what players would do with the level editor. I distinctly remember those first few weeks in August of 2012, sitting on my couch and playing community levels with a huge smile on my face, and a lump in my throat. I could feel the joy and the giddy creativity radiating out through all those published levels. With Sound Shapes, a whole bunch of really talented people had found their “thing” and I was grateful to be part of that in some way. Checking back in on the community 3 years later I’m completely astounded by what Sound Shapes has become--an incredible avenue of artistic expression for the community of level-makers, and a bottomless fountain of fun for players. Keep on shaping, shapers! Line Shoot (s6771) This is the first level I encountered by s6771, but you should really check ‘em all out. A very clean, inventive visual style is married to a banging track, tight, focused gameplay and unique layouts. There isn’t an awkward or sloppy moment in this level and every challenge is very approachable. When you play an s6771 level they are always focused and crafted and you feel like you’re in the hands of a master. Great Wall of China (a45X) Where do I even begin with this level? I guess I’ll start with the song which builds and builds and refrains and refrains and is by turns emotive and haunting and yet party-starting. As for the level itself: it’s an embarrassment of riches that starts with a very simple concept of stepped bricks and takes you on an extended dissertation on the pleasures of jumping. Erroneous Application (yumysoylentgreen) Whoa. Your thumbs will take a beating from this one. Erroneous Application might not be a level for everyone, but for me this damn thing delivered some of the most intense videogame thrills I’ve had all year. This maybe has the single best, most action-packed “roll jump” in Sound Shapes history. You’ll know it when you nail it. R?n (yodalex) Like user s6771, this shaper traffics in crystalline minimalism that manages to project the intent of each challenge, each jump perfectly. When you die in a yodalex level, it was your fault. There are no blocks astray, no points of red death sticking out too far. Everything has been carefully considered and you will need to master every jump style in the game to make it through. Love the 80’s (guerillap1mp) This shaper seems brand new to the shaping business and I thought it’d be cool to big them up and hopefully inspire them to keep on publishing levels. This level might not be as polished as other Milkcrate selections but this song is AMAZING and there are some really great jumping challenges. And there’s one big moment that if done perfectly is a total thrill, and if not, just acts as a refrain to the already kickass song. cash #mere 1-6 (pikathon) There are a lot of wonderful pikathon levels to choose from, but this one is a great chaser to all the nerve-rattling platformers that have come before it. It’s chilled out, got a killer beat and isn’t out to murder you at every turn. It reminds me of the styles of the levels I first played around with in Sound Shapes where all you did was travel linearly through a series of rich visuals and pick up notes that add up to a killer track. The graphic, almost Saul Bass-ian visuals in this level create the feeling of going on a walkabout. And man that song! Line Shoot by s6771 Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 8/12/2015 Great Wall of China by A45X Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 8/8/2015 Erroneous Application? by YumySoylentGreen Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 9/8/2015 R?n by yodalex Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 12/11/2012 Love the 80’s by guerillap1mp Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 8/25/2015 Cash #mere 1-6 by pikathon Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 5/31/2014 ________________ Robot Picks Curated by I Am Robot and Proud Liner Notes Robot Picks Curated by I Am Robot and Proud @robotandproud Sound Shapers! You have melted my mind melon yet again. I chose some levels that I came across recently that I think everyone should try. I hope they make you laugh, cry, and scream obscenities as much as I did. Most of all I hope they inspire you to create, like they did for me. Minimal (Daftbomb) If Sound Shapes has its own “rock stars”, then Daftbomb is certainly one of them. Although he has many levels which are more visually impressive, I appreciate this one for its simple design and focus on building up the music and exploring the structures. A great, chilled-out walk through a cool musical world. SS++ (jool2306) How could I resist this one? It’s a tribute to N++ - a hardcore platformer made by our good friends and fellow Toronto game developers Metanet Software. Each screen is brutal and unforgiving, and you might throw your controller several times. I’ll admit I wasn’t even able to finish it before throwing my hands up in despair. Pedal to the Medal (YummyBearXX) I love seeing what people do with the Car DLC.. it’s great to roll around the levels and boost yourself around loops and ramps while hearing how the music progresses As the title suggests, this level is all about fast cars and faster guitar shredding! Drink from flaming goblet of Metal! The Beat (Progressive_cx) The “Lizzywanders” DLC Art Pack was one of the most recent additions to Sound Shapes - and I have to say it is one of my favorites. This level is a great example of those visuals in action, a multicolored alien world that is teeming with life and whimsical things to explore and interact with. Neo Japonesque (killingme69) I really appreciate the way this level uses simple shapes to convey a visual mood. It’s basically just rectangles and circles, but it evokes brush strokes and the land of the rising sun on each screen. Also, check out that slowed-down Beck vocal - the music sounds great! Sound Spectrum on Catnip (SeReVo) Did you ever wonder what it might be like to walk across an audio waveform? Apparently, it’s pretty freakin’ difficult! Good luck! Minimal by Daftbomb Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 3/5/2014 SS++ by jool2306 Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 8/10/2015 Pedal To The Metal by YummyBearXX Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 12/7/2013 The Beat by Progressive_cx Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 4/17/2015 Neo Japonesque by killingme69 Difficulty: 3/5 Last Updated: 8/23/2015 Sound Spectrum on catnip % by SeReVo Difficulty: 5/5 Last Updated: 3/9/2013 ________________ Raw Reaction Curated by Jonathan Mak Liner Notes Raw Reaction Curated by Jonathan Mak It’s been a long while. I booted the game, swiped up on the title screen, and signed in. Then my mind was blown. Here are my raw reactions. Happiness (Progressive_cx) hmm… kinda cool, but… HOLY WHAT this level sounds AMAZING! how are you making that growling pad sound thing!?? flute! i don’t want this end. this is the end isn’t it? i’m not jumping in the exit just so it’ll never end. Vib-Ribbon (A45X) cool… that’s clever… HOLY F************* Groovy SIngle One 6 Three (TonyGwynn) this groovy singles series is such a cool idea. *plays some more* yea man. this. also, it’s cool getting the notes in a different order each time. For the kids - Quack (Madlymisty) being a new parent, this really tugs at my heartstrings. cute! i just want to hug my baby now! Seven (iwillforget) woah this looks pretty cool! different! got vibes! i don’t get how to get the notes though… ooooooohhhh YUP Happiness by Progressive_cx Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 7/17/2015 Vib-Ribbon by A45X Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 8/26/2015 Groovy Single One 6 Three by TonyGwynn Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 7/25/2015 For the kids - Quack! by Madlymisty Difficulty: 2/5 Last Updated: 9/1/2015 Seven by iwillforget Difficulty: 4/5 Last Updated: 3/18/2015 ________________ https://www.soundshapesgame.com/news/SoundShapes-Community-Spotlight-blog.html https://www.soundshapesgame.com/news/New-Milkcrate-and-Car-Pack-DLC.html https://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/03/12/sound-shapes-update-adds-new-free-features-new-dlc-too/ https://www.soundshapesgame.com/news/Special-Guests-in-New-Sound-Shapes-Milkcrate.html https://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/05/28/sound-shapes-special-guests-in-the-milkcrate-baiyon-interview/ https://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/08/06/happy-birthday-sound-shapes/ https://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/11/19/sound-shapes-ps4-dlc-and-art-packs/ https://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/05/06/new-sound-shapes-dlc-out-today-on-ps4-ps3-and-ps-vita/ https://www.soundshapesgame.com/news/Dropping-A-Sound-Shapes-Rewind-Recap.html https://www.soundshapesgame.com/news/This-Weeks-Shape-Chefs.html https://www.soundshapesgame.com/news/Shapers-Spotlight-Fun-Stats.html https://www.soundshapesgame.com/news/Community-Corner.html https://www.soundshapesgame.com/news/Shape-Chefs-Challenges.html https://blog.us.playstation.com/2015/09/17/sound-shapes-3-year-anniversary-update-2/ http://spawnon.me/the-sound-shapers-daftbomb/ http://spawnon.me/the-sound-shapers-thebeejabides/ http://spawnon.me/the-soundshapers-tony-tough/ http://spawnon.me/the-sound-shapers-jool2306/ https://spawnon.me/the-sound-shapers-gezouten/ http://spawnon.me/the-sound-shapers-gasssst/ http://spawnon.me/the-sound-shapers-anoy337/ https://spawnon.me/the-sound-shapers-dustinisgood/ http://spawnon.me/the-sound-shapers-d_mise/ http://spawnon.me/the-sound-shapers-earl_leegraves/