Keyboards are eternally horizontal, and transferring or rotating them outdoors of their designated consolation zone appears like an affront to all that’s good and proper with the world. But that is exactly what makes Ludipe’s alt-ctrl game Tie Simulator 2020 so splendidly bizarre. As many RPS Treehouse members came upon at EGX 2022, it is a game that sees you holding your keyboard vertically, and urgent buttons to (kind of) tie your tie onscreen. Now, Ludipe’s again with a brand new co-op sequel referred to as Back Scratching Simulator 2023 the place you are as soon as once more doing horrible, however sensible issues with a vertical keyboard.
Like Tie Simulator 2020, Back Scratching Simualtor 2023 duties you with holding the keyboard vertically and urgent particular keys in sequence. Your purpose is to finish the sequence within the quickest time doable, which is difficult while you’re nonetheless making an attempt to understand that keyboards can certainly be lifted from a desk.
The huge distinction is that Back Scratching Simulator 2023 is co-op. You maintain the keyboard in your pal’s again and conceal behind them so you’ll be able to’t see the display. Your buddy, who’s wanting on the display, then tells you which of them keys to press to scratch the itch. The key factor (sorry), although, is that not one of the onscreen buttons have letters on them, resulting in quite a lot of shouting “ooooh, down a bit! Now up a bit! To the aspect NO THE OTHER SIDE!” It’s a fast little bit of humorous chaos, similar to scratching a again in actual life.
When we visited EGX 2022, Ed and I had a superb few hours to easily wander round collectively. We inevitably stumbled into the RPS Alt Controller space, the place we discovered Tie Simulator and shortly grabbed the keyboard. The look of confusion on Ed’s face for the next 60ish seconds was priceless, and I’m desperately hoping that we will get collectively in the identical room once more quickly to play Back Scratching Simulator 2023. I may not be capable to see his confusion anymore, as a result of considered one of us will likely be wanting on the display, however I can’t wait to listen to it in his voice.
You can title your individual worth for Back Scratching Simulator 2023 over on Itch.io if you wish to scratch that itch proper now, in fact – and also you may as effectively choose up Tie Simulator whilst you’re at it, too. They have been each created throughout Ithc.io’s ALT+CTRL game jam, which is all about making games that use controllers in bizarre methods. You can take a look at the opposite entries for final yr’s ALT+CTRL 2022 here.