Legendary game dev Jeff Minter explains why he chose Akka Arrh for a modern-day revamp
From shunned prototype to modern-day hit?
Iconic developer Jeff Minter and Atari are teaming up once again to put a new spin on a retro title. Minter first tackled Tempest with a revamp, but his next project is one that never actually saw release to the public.
Minter has been toiling away on a reimagining of Akka Arrh, a 1982 arcade game prototype. Atari put the game through some playtesting with various people, and the lackluster response was enough for Atari to shelve the game forever. While the prototype eventually leaked online, Minter’s revamp of Akka Arrh will be the first time the title sees official release.
In an interview with Games Industry, Minter revealed that Atari reached out and showed him their classic catalog of IP and told him to pick a project he’d be keep to rework. Following his efforts on Tempest, Minter opted to tackle Akka Arrh. You can see why in Minter’s own words below.
“I’ve got particular taste in games. I like abstract stuff, and this is all quite abstract. The game itself is quite an interesting design. It’s got this upstairs/downstairs thing going on where the battle starts on the top layer and then proceeds down to the bottom and you have to switch between the two surfaces to defend yourself. I quite liked that and the look of the game. It has a nice abstract feel to it. The battle took place on a geometric surface that lit up as you fired shots onto it. It just seemed quite interesting.”
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