''WingNuts: Temporal Navigator'' is a 2001 top-down
multi-directional shooter
Twin-stick shooter is a subgenre of shoot 'em up video games. It defines a multidirectional shooter in which the player character is controlled using two joysticks: the first for movement on a flat plane and the second to shoot in the direction th ...
for
Macintosh
Mac is a brand of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 1984. The name is short for Macintosh (its official name until 1999), a reference to the McIntosh (apple), McIntosh apple. The current product lineup inclu ...
made by
Freeverse Software. It was inspired by arcade games ''
Time Pilot
is a multidirectional shooter arcade video game designed by Yoshiki Okamoto and released by Konami in 1982. It was distributed in the United States by Centuri, and by Atari Ireland in Europe and the Middle East. While engaging in aerial comb ...
'' and ''
1942
The Uppsala Conflict Data Program project estimates this to be the deadliest year in human history in terms of conflict deaths, placing the death toll at 4.62 million. However, the Correlates of War estimates that the prior year, 1941, was th ...
.
''
In ''WingNuts'', the player navigates an aircraft around a two-dimensional map, and travels through time to fight robot planes and defeat the game's antagonist, Baron Von Schtopwatch. To progress, the player must destroy hostile aircraft and ground vehicles, while avoiding hazards and picking up "goodies". At the end of each level, a final boss appears, whose defeat unlocks the next level.
[
Freeverse released a sequel, '' WingNuts 2: Raina's Revenge'' in mid-2006, and subsequently made the original game available on their website for free.
]
Gameplay
The player controls a pilot in a series of airborne missions, hopping to different geographical locations and time periods in search of the villainous Baron von Schtopwatch. The player's objective is to destroy enemy fleets, bomb ground installations, and reach level-specific objectives. Floating power-ups grant extra guns, or boosts to the player's s fuel and shields. The game features a variety of vintage and modern aircraft for the player to use, with the ability to collect and upgrade them as the player progresses through the game. The player is supported by an airborne aircraft carrier where they can land to swap their plane with any other unlocked plane. Once a player has destroyed all enemy fleet and ground weaponry, a boss character appears, whose defeat unlocks the next level. There are 30 levels in total.[
]
Development
''WingNuts'' was originally released for Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
and classic Mac OS
Mac OS (originally System Software; retronym: Classic Mac OS) is the series of operating systems developed for the Mac (computer), Macintosh family of personal computers by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1984 to 2001, starting with System 1 and end ...
. On Mac OS X
macOS, previously OS X and originally Mac OS X, is a Unix, Unix-based operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 2001. It is the current operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. With ...
, the game's support for game controllers was non-functional until Freeverse released a patch in 2002, making ''WingNuts'' officially compatible with Mac OS X. ''WingNuts's'' game engine was coded by Freeverse employee Mark Andersson.
Reception
MacAddict
''MacLife'' (stylized as ''Mac, Life'') is an American monthly magazine published by Future US. It focuses on products produced by Apple, including the Macintosh personal computer, iPad, and iPhone. It was sold as a print product on newsstands, ...
's Ian Sammis said ''WingNuts'' was "the sort of game you can easily play through the night, regaining awareness only when the glare from the rising sun finally causes you to lose a life."[ '']Macworld
''Macworld'' is a digital magazine and website dedicated to products and software of Apple Inc., published by Foundry, a subsidiary of IDG.
History
''Macworld'' was founded by David Bunnell and Cheryl Woodard (publishers) and Andrew Fl ...
'''s Peter Cohen said the game was "fun and extraordinarily well executed", and praised its graphics, sound effects and gameplay.[
]
Awards
''WingNuts'' won ''Macworld
''Macworld'' is a digital magazine and website dedicated to products and software of Apple Inc., published by Foundry, a subsidiary of IDG.
History
''Macworld'' was founded by David Bunnell and Cheryl Woodard (publishers) and Andrew Fl ...
s 2002 ''Best Old-School Arcade Game'' award, and was the only game in ''Macworld'''s 2002 Hall of Fame to receive a five-mouse rating.
References
{{reflist
External links
* Archives of official website
August 2002
March 2006
(archive.org)
2006 video games
DeNA franchises
Freeverse Inc. games
MacOS games
Single-player video games
Shooter games
Video games developed in the United States
Windows games