Published: 17 Apr 2023
Stirling-based digital studio Ping Creates has created a fun, challenging puzzle-platform game for iOS and Android devices.
Part-funded by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland’s Open Fund, Super Stretchy Chicken Legs lets players take control of a plucky chook who uses her stretchy, sticky legs to navigate the perils of the NIBZ Chicken Bitz Factory in a bid for freedom.
With over 70 levels of spinning saw blades, smashy-bashy stompers and bantam-blasting laser beams, the game emphasises humour and animation and features an innovative touch-screen control mechanism.
Super Stretchy Chicken Legs is designed by BAFTA award-winning animator Neil Jack. The concept came to him on a train journey to his hometown of Glenrothes while watching other passengers playing games on their phones.
"My phone battery had died and I started wondering what kind of game I would like to play if it suddenly sprang back to life. I jotted down a couple of games I enjoyed playing as a kid and doodled a daft-looking chicken. That single scribbly page has proved to be a surprisingly robust blueprint for the finished game."
Neil continued developing the idea, creating animated mock-ups of how the gameplay would work. The Edinburgh College of Art graduate showed this concept work to fellow ECA alumnus and Ping Creates founder Jason Wagner and, together with developer JP Berrie, they applied for production funding from Creative Scotland.
SSCL_gameplay_reel from Ping Creates on Vimeo.
"Creative Scotland didn’t have a specific funding strand for video games, but games comprise animation, design, music, storytelling… and Creative Scotland recognised the creative and economic value of the project. The games sector is an important part of the creative industries in Scotland, and globally the mobile gaming market is worth $138.63 billion in 2023 – so we were thrilled to receive support and validation from our national arts agency."
Morgan Petrie, Creative Industries Manager, Creative Scotland said: "Ping Creates’ passion for animation and comedy matches their skill in applying digital know-how to game development. A vibrant part of Stirling’s creative ecology, it’s absolutely great to see the team’s first fun game finally fly the coop."
The game was developed over the course of three years with regular testing taking place in the thriving tech community around Ping Creates’ headquarters in Codebase Stirling. Ahead of full release, the team showcased the 71-level game at the inaugural Scottish Games Week, garnering enthusiastic comments from games industry veterans and casual players alike.
"It’s the culmination of a lot of hard work by a small, dedicated team. We’ve already seen Super Stretchy Chicken Legs connect with players in Scotland and we’re excited to finally get it out to the rest of the world."
Free to play and accessible to players of all ages and backgrounds, Super Stretchy Chicken Legs is available on the App Store for iOS and the Play Store for Android devices on 6 April 2023.
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com.
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