Plane Crazy

Remember those innocent days before the internet? When playing a multiplayer game meant you’d have to share a keyboard? It's time for a revival!

Plane crazy takes things to a new level, making it possible for up to 7 players to use a single keyboard in this retro arcade flight shooter game. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer as you fly around and attempt to shoot down your rivals!

Take to the skies and obliterate your enemies. Fly low through the city skyline, dodge skyscrapers and launch endless missiles across the city. This game is an intense assault on the senses; it’s up to you to make sense of the chaos around you and survive long enough to be crowned the craziest plane of all.

The concept

My fond memories of gaming don't come from hearing how fat my mum is over a headset, head to head with another player, shooting virtual nobodies. They come from a much simpler time; a time where not only did you have to be in the same house, but often share the same controller to have your multiplayer experience.

I decided to continue making games that no studio would be able to risk creating, so in true indie developer style I had the idea to cram as many people as possible onto a single keyboard. They say seven is a lucky number, so I chose seven players- why not?

The problem is that keyboards suck quite a bit and their manufacturers have been slow to recognise the need for optimal gaming functionality, so most keyboards struggle to register multiple key presses in a bid to get away with the bare minimum. This game is my protest to this kind of behaviour- we demand better keyboards!

Key Rollover is the fancy term for this and different keyboards promise different capabilities all the way up to supporting the fabled N-key Rollover. If you have one of these, then this game is a must have. It’s time to fully utilise the keyboard to its full potential- here is your benchmark app!

The key layout has been designed so that the keyboard can be rotated to allow for more room. For example, the green, yellow, and purple left and right controls are flipped so that the keyboard can be rotated and more people can access the keys.

Development and Tech

This game is the latest game developed using my own, from-scratch game engine which is called The Indie Game Engine. This latest release utilises more sophisticated rendering techniques and lighting, and should get your processors going.