Icebreaker

Icebreaker was a video game developed by Andrew Looney in June 1994 while he was working at Magnet Interactive Studios. It started life as a test for his programming skills while he attempted to write a BattleTech-style game called "Rise of the Phoenix", but with simpler graphics due to his programmer art, which is a technical term for drawings the developer has to do for himself.

The general premise of the game was this: you were a solitary pyramid that had to go around destroying other pyramids to clear levels. There were many different types of pyramid, including stalkers, lurkers, and seekers, as well as statics.

Unfortunately, the game was developed for the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, whose manufacturer went under soon after, and the PC/Mac port was unsuccessful. This game is now out-of-print, and anyone who wants to play it now has to make do with one of the few demos avalible.

In 2005, the 3DO encryption scheme was broken, and OlderGames.com sought to develop Andy's carefully preserved beta of Icebreaker II, which Andy had fitted into an arcade machine. Icebreaker II was released for the 3DO on July 28, 2007, and is available for purchase.

External Links

• The Wunderland has a page about Icebreaker.
• The rumors about Icebreaker II were true! The game is being released this summer.
• Icebreaker 2 preview