PixelJoint member Nvision (Ian MacLean) has just released Creatures & Castles his latest project for iPhone/iPod/iPad, working with noted game designer/coder Andrew Rollings.  Creatures & Castles is an all-ages puzzle game where two intrepid treasure hunters scour the local castle for riches.  As a benevolent wizard, the player helps the pair by drawing out a path to avoid the castle's less friendly inhabitants and traps.

Pixel artist GormenGhast has just released Crystal Crisis - a game made entirely in pixel art.

It's a new take on the 'run-and-don't die' genre with a big emphasis on hard play that makes you want to break the screen.

Play it HERE.

Create something using the restrictions from any other challenge this year. The challenge thread will have a list of all challenges from 2010. Also, there's a full list of challenges in the archive.

Only new or previously unfinished entries, so nothing that's already been completed or submitted beforehand. Please make sure to mention which challenge your entry is for!

Optional Bonus Challenge: Post a comment here and tell us what your favourite challenge(s) from this year were; it would be nice to hear your thoughts :D

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

This (Windows Only) screen fireplace was sent in by Romson as a link by but with this being the Holiday season it seemed a news post would be better for it.

See details and download HERE and start roasting marshmallows and making smores.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Developers Website HERE

Pixeljoint member nasc is currently running a pixel art contest on his site with a beautiful pixelart mousepad going to the winner.

Very few restrictions and your choice of 2 templates.

'Make Pixel Not War' Contest ends January 15, 2011,

Read rules and download templates at nasc.fr

Two freeware Commodore 64-style games comin' atcha.

Grand Mystic Quest of Discovery is a Flash-based puzzle platformer made by hulahulahest for the 19th Ludum Dare competition. You control a wizard in his quest to discover the secret of some ancient ruins. Learning spells gains you access to new areas, eventually allowing you to collect all six scroll pieces and find the exit. Due to the fact that it was made in 48 hours, the game contains no sound and has a somewhat disappointing ending, but the gameplay and pixel art graphics are solid. It takes about an hour to complete the game; your progress is saved automatically.

Rocky Memphis and the Temple of Ophuxoff is a downloadable platform game for Windows and Mac in which you guide the titular character through a large temple filled with monsters and treasure. The game presents you with the daunting task of collecting all 4000 pieces of treasure, which is done in a manner very similar to the gameplay in Jet Set Willy. Fortunately, a save function is available as well as an automatic mapper that keeps track of the rooms you've visited and completed, which makes things quite manageable and suitable for playing in short bursts. The level design and powerup placement appear to have been made with speedrunning in mind, so that should provide an extra challenge for those so inclined.

This week you are challenged - in the spirit of political correctness - to design your very own secular holiday character (Think a Santa-like character, but without any religious connections).

Your character may be presented in any way you like; portrait, sprite, incorporated into a scene etc...

Canvas Size - Unrestricted.
Colours - Unrestricted.
Transparency - Optional.
Animation -  Optional.

November was the home of Fantasy environments, Fantastic Creatures and Fabulous Caricatures. Many thanks go out to this month's top pixel artists and all the members who took time to rate.
 

Ferret Space Pirate by Kaiseto

Old age munant ninja turtle by Fool

Legend of the Hidden Temple by cure

The Office by Jinn

Commander King by big brother

Super Crate Box OST back cover by FrankieSmileShow

Old Forest Background by Doppleganger

Monster Hunter~！！！！ by ivancat

Find the Halfling by buloght

Girl on the Water by Pietepiet

Create an image representing one of the 'classical elements' listed below. However, you must only use the palette that corresponds to your chosen element. No palette swapping.

Earth


Air


Water


Fire



Canvas Size - Max 100 x 100.
Colours - Min 4; Max 5 (You must use all four colours from your palette. If you are using 5 colours, then the fifth colour must be transparency).
Transparency - Optional.
Animation - No.

Create a high score screen mock-up for a new, original game. An example.

Canvas size - Unrestricted.
Colours - Unrestricted.
Transparency - No.
Animation - Optional.

PixelJoint's own Vertigo-Zero, has just released Bird 2 a Flash based game. Featuring both his programming skills and his original cute and cheerful pixels and is a fun and quite relaxing gaming experience. Your goal is to complete the stamp-book left by your grandfather while avoiding monsters.

Play it HERE... Have fun, share your thoughts!
The game is also found on Newgrounds, DeviantArt and Kongregate among other game sites.

Older games and other goodies from V-Z on his site www.muffachine.com are worth checking out too. Just don't go looking for Bird 1 :)