Promotional Image
PlayPower is a non-profit organization meant to create software for various NES-based computers such as ones made by Subor which they refer to as "$10 Computers". Though it seems their project didn't go anywhere as only a 3-in-1 multicart was released. They currently make educational mobile games under the name PlayPower Labs LLC.
Overview[]
The company was originally formed in 2008. Shortly after this, the company announced that they were going to make software for NES-based computers to distribute in countries such as India and Ghana. Which according to them, "Can mean the difference between earning $1/day as a menial laborer and $1/hour in a back-office."
The company also stated that they would license various "abandonware" educational games such as Number Munchers and Lemonade Stand. They sold a NES-based computer by Xiaobawang which was later licensed by Zhongshan Alien to be sold in China. Even though they said that they would licensed abandonware computer games, none of the games mentioned were ever made, or seem to of ever got past the idea phase.
They did host an educational game workshop where they developed the only three planned games. But they were never finished. So they asked the general public to contribute (e.g sprites, music, etc) by making the source code public. Though this seem to of not done anything to the current situation. Still they released the 3 games on a multicart branded after them. After the release of the multicart, they seemingly shutdown the entire project, as the company shifted towards making mobile games.
Games[]
3-in-1 Multicart[]
Menu
Title Screen
Gameplay of Typing Warrior
Malaria Gameplay
As said before, only 3 games were ever developed for the system and they were released on a 3-in-1 multicart, however, all three games were unfinished and suffer various bugs. All of the games look to be programed off one of the basic programs for the Famicom, due to it sharing features such as the default font. The cart seems to have been meant to be sold in India, due to the games on it being themed around that country. Two of the three games are also themed around Hanuman, with the reason being that it was thought to of increased good parental reception due to Hanuman being a well-known character in India according to them.
Hanuman's Quiz Adventure[]
A game that stars Hanuman, a character from Indian Folklore. It's based on the story where he young Hanuman flew up to the sun thinking it was an apple. The game is a simple (platformer?) where you fly Hanuman to pick up objects falling from the air with a bag. They can either scroll the screen up or down. If you pick up a question block, it will ask you a question such as "What is the father of our country?" or "What country has the coldest climate?" Answering it correctly scrolls the screen up and getting it wrong scrolls the screen down. The game is unbeatable due to it hanging on a picture of earth after getting to a certain point. It is the only game to feature a title screen, while the rest of the game don't have one.
Hanuman Typing Warrior[]
A typing game that also stars Hanuman. You control him by typing letters on each key. Note that there is a delay between each key you press so it won't recognize multiple keys press at the same time or in a short span. Which sort of makes the game pointless due to you not being able to improve your typing skills. You have to type out either a word or a phrase to get Hanuman to bash a rock, knight, snake, etc to move on to the next screen. Words and phrases including "Monster", "Friend", "God" as well as "Prince Ram", "Friend Hanuman" and the rather humorous "Defeat Monster". The game starts to corrupt the more you play it until it crashes on the Snow Area, making the game unbeatable as well. The game is known as Hanuman Typing Game on the multicart.
Malaria: A Call to Action[]
A simple game where you swat flies which run across the screen in a village with two people (Male and Female respectively) walking around. There is no score, time or anything to keep the game going, making the game get repetitive very fast. Some early versions (possibly a demo?) have more detailed sprites, use different music and contain a splash screen mentioning the PlayPower's goals.
Trivia[]
- The games originally each had storyboards made for them which were featured on PlayPower's official website.
- One of the promotional images on PlayPower's site seemingly depicts the Lara 17. An educational computer being sold in India at the time.