The Underside: Johnny Five Aces Trailer

By: Derek Yu

On: August 14th, 2008

That crafty Mr. Podunkian, a man who is of, shall we say, a contentious nature, has released a new trailer for his magnum opus, The Underside. This one reveals the game’s strong Earthbound vibe. But there shall be no quarreling today over the particulars of his inspiration for the game – I just want to say that it looks good and I’m really looking forward to playing it! Good work, Arthur!

And as a bonus, here’s some awesome Underside fanart from Annabelle Kennedy.

(Source: Tim, via the IndieGames.com blog)

  • http://lumberingdream.com/ !CE-9

    I do want this game.

    btw, man, that’s got to be the smallest boss ever at 1:00.

    btw #2, what happened to the music?

  • Derek

    Arthur, that Aquaria fanart is awesome. ;___;

  • (Insert name here)

    Monopoly ripoff. T_T

  • ChrisL

    is anyone even saying “Cave Story rip-off” for reals anymore? Its a silly meme now. I get less rankled by people saying it than I do from people lending credence to the very idea by complaining about the phrase.

  • RayRayTea

    Looks like I’ll need to +100 my dexterity, reflexes, eyes and fingers to play this. I’ll give it a try anyway!!!

  • Ynitsed

    I just can’t belive you guys are
    nailing him again.
    He puts so much effort in doing this ãmazing looking game (maybe even a masterpice), and a lot of people still complains.
    You all should be supporting the guy.

  • http://www.0xdeadc0de.org/ Eclipse

    @Ferretypie: i know that, but he copied a lot of stuff, maybe ripping, maybe only watching and redoing it… but it’s a fact that almost all the special gfx like smoke, life numbers and so on are 1:1 with the ones on cave story, and the hud too. And a lot of tiles too.

    @Ynitsed: no one is nailing the game, it’s a shame than a game that can survive on his own pass like a cave story clone because some of the gfx

  • Trillian

    Has anyone else notifed the Final Fantasy VI reference? “Johnny B Good” must be a joke on the “Johnny C Bad” FFVI music (which is very cool BTW).

    Anyways, I don’t care how this resembles Cave Story. I loved Cave Story, I loved the Underside’s demo and I’m gonna love the completed game!

  • Dord

    Funny, I remember when Derek said he was no longer going to post TU stuff on TIGS =) after his little fall out with Pod.

  • konjak

    Trillian, Johnny B Goode is a famous rock song.

  • Phasma Felis

    *Eclipse: it’s a fact that almost all the special gfx like smoke, life numbers and so on are 1:1 with the ones on cave story, and the hud too. And a lot of tiles too.*

    That’s completely not true.

  • Phasma Felis

    Trillian: Has anyone else notifed the Final Fantasy VI reference? “Johnny B Good” must be a joke on the “Johnny C Bad” FFVI music (which is very cool BTW).

    Please, please, for the love of God, tell me you’re joking.

  • corpus

    I think “corpus ripoff” is a meme we can all get behind.

    Saying things are “so xxx” is so 90s.

  • Exoduster

    Can you really scold a game for being a Cave Story ripoff when it looks better than Cave Story?

  • Scott

    Is it free? If it is it doesn’t really matter if it’s a ripoff..

  • Lorne

    Haha, you guys are wiggity whack.
    I’m with Exoduster. This game, while it certainly does look like Cave Story, has wicked style.

  • Brooks Cracktackle

    Cherry Venus

  • Ara

    Corpus, I guess you’re right and you’d have to know what a Portmanteau is to begin with. On with the contentious Cave Story rip-off! (*^_^)/

    Oh, did I miss something? Pod doesn’t like Yu?

  • Dord

    Pod bitched about him on his site a while back and they had a little lightsaber duel ;)

  • deadeye

    When Derek and Arthur fight it makes me sad :(

  • cuntface

    BORROWING AESTHETICS IS THEFT

  • http://del_duio.sitesled.com Del Duio

    I think it is devastating when a wonderful game is marred by grammar mistakes and such. I’m a professional editor, writer, and researcher, and if you would like someone to help clean up the dialogue, I would totally help out for free.

    This is a nice offer, but..

    Not that I saw any mistakes

    Huh?

    What a weird thing to say.

    I’m a mechanic, and I’d like nothing better than to fix your car that is running in tip-top shape and doesn’t need my assistance. The car also looks like Cave Story and although everyone knows it everyone must also always mention it.

  • corpus

    Ara, I’m not sure I follow. Are you suggesting that I don’t know the meaning of the word “portmanteau”?

    Are you… are you all up in my grill?

  • hryx

    Did “Johnny 5 Aces” remind anyone else of Short Circuit?

  • Derek

    I tried to tell Arthur that I was his father but he just screamed “NOOOOOOOOO” and then fell down a large shaft. But then later I picked up this old man in a robe who was giving Arthur shit and threw HIM down another shaft.

    So now we coo’. ^___^

  • nu

    Underside Rip-On

  • Sub-Actuality

    Zybourne Clock ripoff.

  • shinygerbil

    this game looks like it is going to be PROPER JACKSON.

    Fuck yes it does.

  • xerus

    This looks rad, and thinking about how you rebuilt this in SDL from MMF and perfectly recreated it… aaugghh. I MUST LEARN PROGRAMMAN! :I

  • BoboDaHobo

    It’s not as if Cave Story is the ONLY game The Underside bears resemblance to. And, as far as speed and controls are concerned, it does NOT feel like Cave Story.

    In any case, the game seems to have more than enough original style and charm, and it just seems to be getting better and better all the time. Definitely looking forward to its release.

    Also: Cave Story Ripoff.

  • Dord

    TBH I dont think the cavestory style was that original in the first place.

  • BearBot

    BoboDaHobo ripoff

  • Ichi

    pikmin ripoff

  • Hooker with a BeViS

    Man, watching this trailer was like the second coolest thing EVARRRR!
    ..the coolest thing was when after the trailer I sensed the electricity in the air and watched Derek and Arthur make out…
    ..I mean make up! <3

    I'm not homoero!

  • Hooker with a BeViS

    ..which brings me to the conclusion:

    maybe all of this “cave story rip off” “no it’s not” should face it’s end..

    Let’s follow the great example of our own two collective heroes – and as the beatles so eloquently put it: ..let it be..

    Commencing mating…!!! I mean.. making up!!!

    I LOVE YOU TIGSOURCE! <3

  • cuntface

    let it be

    And then the Beatles split up. What does that say to you?

  • Hooker with BeViS

    ..It was becouse of Yoko.

    “What does that say to you?”

    Women be damned!

    MANLOVE 4EVER!

    <3 <3 <3

  • cuntface

    lol – good one!