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[Frillen]

While I was reading an article about Factor 5 today, I was reminded about the fact that those guys made Star Wars Rogue Squadron II in less than 12 months. Or at least, the game wasn't in full production until February 2001 and the game released in November the same year.

The game blew my mind at launch. After being impressed graphically by Wave Race Blue Storm and Luigi's Mansion, Factor 5, somehow, managed to raise the bar even higher and the end result was nothing short of spectacular. Varied missions, superb graphics and everything you want from a Star Wars game production value wise.

So what other great games out there had a full development time of less than 12 months?

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Vice City was made in something like 10 months.

 

[The12thGripper]

Cookie Clicker?

This also.

 

[Fushichou187]

Every time I play through some of the IGF entries via the PIrate Kart (assuming dev cycle of less than a year), or some of the submissions for a game jam like Ludum Dare (48hrs), I'm reminded just how awesome and creative people are.

 

[KDC720]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Platinum only have a year to salvage Metal Gear Rising?

If so, that.

 

[Mauricio_Magus]

 

[Thorwaldsson]

Came here to say this.

 

[Randdalf]

Left 4 Dead 2

 

[Bricky]

There are many great indie-games out there without years of development behind them. By example; I'm pretty sure Papers, Please, a very original yet awesome game released on steam a few weeks ago, was made in under 12 months. I remember playing the beta earlier this year.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Final Fantasy III (6j)

 

[Mechazawa]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Platinum only have a year to salvage Metal Gear Rising?

If so, that.

Two years. Everyone first saw the game at the tail end of 2011.

 

[Wasp]

Crash Team Racing was made in about 10 months.

 

[Yawnier]

Crash 3: Warped was made in 10 months I believe, one of the best PS1 platformers too.

 

[Manu]

Resident Evil 2, after the first version was scrapped they made the game almost from scratch and in record time.

 

[Skel1ingt0n]

Majora's Mask was made in less than a year?! I had no idea... My favorite Zelda title, for sure.

 

[paradise_circus]

I think the first Mega Man (Rockman) was made within 2 months.

 

[Papytendo]

Obsidian game here

 

[MrSaturn99]

Vice City was made in something like 10 months.

This always blows my mind a little.

I mean, it's the same engine as GTA3 (right?), so it shouldn't be that surprising, but still.

 

[AppleMIX]

I'm pretty sure Killer Instinct (2013) was probably started lass than a year ago.

 

[Sanic]

Yeah, too bad Majora's Mask shows with all of the heavy asset re-usage.

 

[Data West]

Vice City was made in something like 10 months.

Yep

 

[brandnew]

Wow, never knew Rogue Leader was made in such a short time. In my top 3 Star Wars games for sure. I wonder how long Rebel Strike was in development then. That game was nowhere near as good.

Obsidian game here

How long was New Vegas in development? I would guess over a year, but still probably not as long as that game should've taken. Such a great game though.

 

[TheUnsunghero26]

KoTOR 2 was less than a year right?

 

[Werewolf Jones]

How long was New Vegas in development? I would guess over a year, but still probably not as long as that game should've taken. Such a great game though.

About 14 months or so. So only just over a year.

 

[level44]

Crash Team Racing was made in about 10 months.

Is that true? Damn!

This is the greatest kart racer ever.

 

[sentry65]

 

[Caronte]

^ lol

Ratchet and Clank 2 & 3

 

[SquallLeonE]

FTL's kickstarter ended on April 1, 2012 and the game came out 5 months later on September 14, 2012.

 

[Slackerchan]

I know that it wasn't a particularly good game but I think it is worth noting that Treyarch created a new engine for, designed and released Call of Duty 3 inside of 10 months. That's pretty remarkable in my mind.

 

[Fandangox]

Wasn't Super Smash Bros Melee made in like 13 months? One month short of the target if correct, but still.

 

[brandnew]

About 14 months or so. So only just over a year.

Crazy. I hope they get another shot at making a Fallout game. Or at least a game in the same vein as Fallout. Would be cool to see what they can do with 2-3 years.

 

[Gangxxter]

Crash Team Racing was made in about 10 months.

CTR was longer in development, it started at the same time with Crash 3, immediately after Crash 2 was finished. Both games were in parallel development for a long time and the game finished first would have been released first.

So the total dev time of CTR is about two years.

 

[Cozmogramma]

If I recall correctly the development started 5 months before the release of the PS Vita.

 

[Frillen]

Majora's Mask was made in less than a year?! I had no idea... My favorite Zelda title, for sure.

As a big Zelda fan, I didn't know either.

 

[Canis lupus]

Basically all classics before this century.

 

[eot]

Left 4 Dead 2

They worked on it for years, just released an early version of it a year early

 

[Toppot]

The Binding of Isaac

Was originally meant to be a throw away prototype/fun to develop thing made in 6 weeks. Then some more time was spent on it, I want to say around 3 months, and it released. So many hours of quality gameplay for such a quickly developed game.

 

[Jisgsaw]

I think the first Mega Man (Rockman) was made within 2 months.

This exactly.
Holds true for Megaman 2&3 too.

 

[AAK]

Tekken Tag Tournament 1 was made in around 8-10 months.

 

[Some Guy]

I remember reading that Jet Set Radio Future was made in under a year, but now that I'm googling for confirmation I can't find it. (It was released only 15 months after the first game's US launch, though.)

 

[Mugatu]

Slightly OT but wouldn't most pre-current gen games fit this?

 

[RoboPlato]

Majora's Mask and Rogue Leader were made in less than a year? Holy crap.

 

[ReDelicious]

Resident Evil 2, after the first version was scrapped they made the game almost from scratch and in record time.

That fits your avatar somewhat well.

 

[spcd]

Doom and Quake were made in very short time I think

 

[Elija2]

I remember reading that Jet Set Radio Future was made in under a year, but now that I'm googling for confirmation I can't find it. (It was released only 15 months after the first game's US launch, though.)

I read an interview with someone from Smilebit who said their goal was to make one new game per year. Considering they released Jet Set Radio Future, Panzer Dragoon Orta, and GunValkyrie all in the same year, I think it's safe to say that all three of those games were developed simultaneously in less than a year. And they're all great games too (well, maybe not GunValkyrie). That's an incredible feat.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Slightly OT but wouldn't most pre-current gen games fit this?

Yeah, definitely. Even some of the larger releases like Goldeneye and whatnot.

 

[Tain]

I read an interview with someone from Smilebit who said their goal was to make one new game per year. Considering they released Jet Set Radio Future, Panzer Dragoon Orta, and GunValkyrie all in the same year, I think it's safe to say that all three of those games were developed simultaneously in less than a year. And they're all great games too (well, maybe not GunValkyrie). That's an incredible feat.

I never realized it, but Smilebit's release history is pretty wild, timing-wise.

GunValkyrie is the best of those three though.

 

[nullset2]

Melee was made in nine months.

 

[Fresh Face]

Posted this in the other thread:

I'm going to get a lot of laughs for this, but hold on. Yes, the game is cheap, and yes the levels are not exactly spectacular, but with the 11 months given (from preproduction to release) Cauldron by Activision, you got to give them some respect. The graphics are good, and the writing/story is also not bad at all. It just had barely any time to flesh it out (Activision's fault, not Cauldron's).

Also the shooting galleries are friggin AMAZING! Like, I've played Cabela's games before (because I like to make fun of them lol ), but I was totally blown away. I have never had this much fun in an arcade shooter before. CRAZY fun.

Yeah, the game's not perfect, but I feel like it's getting made fun of so much on account of being a Cabela's game. It's not meant to be a hunting simulator. What it was meant to do, it did, and that's all that matters.

Is it fun? Yes, worth a rent at least (though you can get it decently cheap online).

(Dangerous Hunts 2011)

 

[paperboywriter]

i think torchlight 1 was a relatively quick project