Clowns were getting a bad rap for a while there. Showing up in the news and in horror games as an agent of terror. One plucky protagonist is about to reclaim clowns for the side of good. Ayo The Clown is a new Kickstarter project by Cloud M1. It’s also completely wholesome and adorable.
Inspired by Mario games of the ’90s, Ayo The Clown features a whimsical world. Players navigate obstacles and light puzzles while uncovering more of the story. If the gorgeous campaign page is any indication, Cloud M1 should have no troubling hitting their $30,000 Kickstarter goal.
The game begins as Ayo discovers that his juggling companion, Bo the dog, has vanished. Initially, Ayo has no skills or abilities to help him find his friend. Fortunately the world is populated by equally engaging characters Ayo can assist to unlock new skills.
In addition to the themed platforming stages, Ayo can visit the Town Hub to uncover side quests. Here, Ayo uses the gems collected on his journey to buy new items and extra lives. There are also accessories and items for players to collect to customize Ayo’s appearance.
Ayo The Clown seems to have taken everything good and wonderful about 2.5D platformers and combined them into one game. All the promised features build well on each other and nothing feels forced or tacked on. Most importantly, the gameplay actually looks fun.
Crowdfunded And Community Driven
Cloud M1 has included a pre-alpha demo for potential backers to enjoy. In addition to the necessary funding the developers are looking for community feedback to make Ayo The Clown the best game it can be. This includes conducting polls and sending out surveys to backers to choose accessories and determine just how dastardly to make the enemies.
The developers have already made some great progress ahead of the campaign. The overall game structure is set up with some of the 3D assets, worlds, and enemies already built. As such, with help from backers, Cloud M1 wants to release Ayo The Clown on PC sometime near the end of the year.
This is not a campaign you want to miss. Ayo The Clown has all the makings of something truly special in the platforming genre.
