Netflix's 'Stranger Things: The Game' Just Debuted on the App Store for Free

[PBG4 Dude]

The Commodore 64 wasn't yet out when I started looking for computers. I went to a computer show in early 1982 (didn't realize you had to pay to get in when my dad dropped me off, but someone gifted me a free pass) and Commodore had a booth showing their upcoming computer. The 64 totally blew everything else away in terms of bang for the buck (at least the bucks I had available at 17).

There weren't really computer stores at the time, so I got my 64 at a store in an industrial park that had a waiting room like a dentist office, where you chilled while someone fetched your purchase from a warehouse.

My local Commodore retailer was also the local model train store. This was before the Tandy Computer Stores, and I had to get my TRS-80 Model III programming fix by hanging out in the Radio Shack store on Saturday afternoons after paying my paper route bill.

10 PRINT "PBG4 Dude is totally awesome!!! ";
20 GOTO 10

Probably my first program ever, LOL.

 

[doelcm82]

My local Commodore retailer was also the local model train store. This was before the Tandy Computer Stores, and I had to get my TRS-80 Model III programming fix by hanging out in the Radio Shack store on Saturday afternoons after paying my paper route bill.

10 PRINT "PBG4 Dude is totally awesome!!! ";
20 GOTO 10

Probably my first program ever, LOL.

Yep, I did that at the Tandy store in downtown Fort Worth on a school trip in the spring of 82 (but on the Color Computer).

 

[Sill]

I applaud your journalistic response to what I've said. Certainly more worthwhile than other responses I've gotten to my posts. My basic premise remains the same, however: Netflix could have chosen to develop a game with considerably more graphic appeal while maintaining its show-integrity. It's just that the 8-bit look happens to mimic the style of video games from roughly the same time period of the show and it also happens to be a trendy and cheap way to develop mobile games. For the creators of such a well-produced show, I would have hoped they'd be capable/willing to create a game that doesn't look just like 5,000 other games on iOS.

For the rest of you: I hope Netflix pays you well for defending their honor so valiantly.

Your point is well-stated. I think what you're looking for is an immersive graphic environment that gives you an open-world (or at least a wide variety of actions) based on the show. I would think that at some point that would be happening. As I see it, as a first offering Netflix made what I think is a wise decision - offer a free game that follows a retro feel in order to maintain genre. There is no reason why they couldn't offer an immersive RPG or puzzle game that allows you to actually visit Hawkins or the Upside Down.

You know, Netflix is pretty good at being on top of what people want. Drop them a line and let them know how much you'd appreciate a game that made use of current technology. They also have creatives who surf forums like ours looking for crowd input, so maybe start a thread here and see what comes of it?

 

[peglegjack]

In a way, I feel pretty bad sitting here bad mouthing a free game, but it is absolutely infuriating that games out there (such as Stranger Things) don't utilize iCloud game saves. Not only that, you're not even told whether the game has it or not most of the time.

If I start a game on my iPad (say when laying in bed), and then want to play it for a few minutes on the commute to work, I can't do that unless I want to completely start the game over (which I don't want to do). But now I'm confined to only playing that game on my iPad. It's even worse when you can pull up Game Center achievements but not the save game.

What is so hard about this that games refuse to do it? Drives me crazy

 

[AngerDanger]

In a way, I feel pretty bad sitting here bad mouthing a free game, but it is absolutely infuriating that games out there (such as Stranger Things) don't utilize iCloud game saves.

…

What is so hard about this that games refuse to do it? Drives me crazy

That does sound irritating, but it occurs to me that it might be intentional. If there are members of a family that have personal iOS devices but a shared iTunes account, would iTunes saves make it difficult for them to all play unique games?