This probably counts as cheating.

It’s not too big a stretch to say Doublefine played a big part in pushing me towards games as a career. Founded by Tim Schafer, he of LucasArts’ golden age and such titles as The Secret of Monkey Island, Day of The Tentacle, and Grim Fandango, it was their first game Psychonauts that pushed me into wanting a PS2 after… oh, a good five years of not owning a game console at all. A darling of a game in every way but the ones that make you money, Psychonauts reminded me what games could do and how, in the right hands, they could take you places no other medium could. It was as warm a welcome back to videogames as I could ask for, and when a friend-of-a-friend’s company in New Jersey was looking for game testers for a month, I decided to try it out. Coincidentally (or, y’know, not), on my first day of work they had the newest issue of Game Developer out in the lobby with Psychonauts on the cover. There are worse omens.

But as none of that has anything to do with Flash games, let’s see about getting on to the point. Doublefine are currently working on their second game, Brütal Legend, for the 360 and PS3. In the meantime, they’re continuing the proud and rather innovative tradition of letting their staff enjoy rather non-traditional creative outlets during development. It began during Psychonauts with a number of the staff creating webcomics, and it continues with the new game in the form of mini-games built in (wait for it) Flash. Both of the games featured so far were created by a handful of staff when they probably should have been working on something else, and both are clearly here because they made somebody – probably the boss – laugh.

Epic Saga: Extreme Fighter was the first to appear, greeted with appropriate fanfare not only on Doublefine’s own blog but on several of the more reputable gaming sites around. It’s a delicate metaphor on the human condition and man’s struggle to escape the shadow of his primitive ancestry presented through the medium of punching and kicking.

Epic Saga features five characters to choose from (with a sixth unlocked upon beating the game), including a Dark Wizard, a Gnome King, and a monstrous Cave Dweller. But it’s more than a chance to play as your favorite fantasy stereotype – it’s a chance to find out what would happen if said fantasy stereotypes fought in a manner slightly more immediate than with a D20 and a stat sheet. Combat revolves around the aforementioned punching and kicking, a healthy smattering of jumping, and not much else. With poignant dialogue capping off each bout and a final reward well worth the five minutes of your life it’ll take to get there, Epic Saga’s mere existence proves that there are indeed job perks better than two weeks’ vacation and unlimited sick days.This week saw the launch of My Game About Me: Olympic Challenge!, a three-in-one assault on the senses by artist Nathan Stapley. Fans of Psychonauts might remember his particular style from the locked away memories found in each level, including That Particularly Sad One that really needs to be seen to be properly appreciated.

Like Epic Saga, Olympic Challenge also offers a wide selection of characters, including the young black man in a cowboy outfit and Leonardo Da Vinci. But rather than retreading the ground already established by the earlier title, Olympic Challenge dares to embrace the new by offering up three distinct challenges. Each mini-game is of the “play till you die” variety, with the length of time you survive deciding which medal you earn at the end. Of the three, surfing is easily the best and most difficult – I keep getting distracted by the S.S. Richest Person Ever and the lovely ladies on board, which leads almost immediately to crashing into a barrel or being hit in the head with a champagne bottle.  Beijing ’08 can only disappoint after this.

Filed under: Monday Flash