Articles

Pinhead Games - Mark Darin

Feature By Randy Sluganski
The First in a Series Spotlighting the Just Adventure Independent Developers

What if I were to tell you that an adventure game developer was located in the same city as Just Adventure? Big deal, right? Consider though that Just Adventure is not in a major metropolitan center like New York, Los Angeles or London, but in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Now what if I were to tell you that this same developer and Just Adventure could both be found in the same small Pittsburgh community – now it becomes even more interesting.

But, what if I were to tell you that not only does this same developer and JA share the same city and the same community, but also the same small residential street?! Impossible? I would have thought so too, but once again truth is stranger than fiction as myself and Mark Darin of Pinhead Games discovered that we both lived on the same street only three blocks apart. Who would ever have believed that two such fanatical – and might I add, good-looking – adventure gamers would live in such close proximity?

So it was that Mark stopped by the JA offices on a muggy, Sunday afternoon to hand-deliver a special pre-release cd-version of his newest game Nick Bounty: Goat in the Grey Fedora. Also included on the cd is Bounty’s first game, A Case of the Crabs, another game Brain Hotel and a lot of neat extras such as various voice-acting applicants and sketches and early scripts.

Pinhead Games – a member of the Just Adventure Independent Developers – creates web-based, point-and-click flash games. Their products are free to either play online or download, though donations are more than welcome. Mark is currently a student at a local art school and programs games in his spare time – Goat in the Grey Fedora has been in development for eleven months – but once he finishes school this December, Pinhead Games may be dissolved as Mark is seeking employment.

But don’t confuse free with lack of quality as the Pinhead game catalogue has been blessed with talented volunteers guided by Mark Darin’s offbeat humor (and programming skills). While I don’t want to spoil any of the fun, there are some very well known voice-actors who have volunteered their time to appear in Goat in the Grey Fedora. I would give you a clue to solve this mystery that would ring a bell, but you would then probably runaway with assumptions.

Mark’s Nick Bounty character pays homage to the black-and-white noir films of years past – Mark is a huge fan of the old Bogart films – but with a twisted, yet playful, sense of humor (as you will discover for yourself when you first encounter Goat in the Grey Fedora’s stick-puppet theatre).

Pinhead has also steadily cultivated a fan base and helped create interest in the burgeoning Independent Developer’s scene by making public appearances. Mark recently appeared at the Chicago Wizard World Comicon and also plans on attending - along with yours truly – the East Coast Gaming Expo this September 18th.

Goat in the Grey Fedora is scheduled for release the last day of August at which time we’ll post our review (and you will love this game!). In the meantime, enjoy the nifty trailer, play or replay A Case of the Crabs and oh, did I mention, Pinhead also appreciate any and all donations so they can continue to bring quality free games to the adventure community.