News

Updated: The Other Brothers' alpha gameplay footage looks great, but ugly legal situation suggests it's a no-play

Un-brotherly love

Updated: The Other Brothers' alpha gameplay footage looks great, but ugly legal situation suggests it's a no-play

[Update: Since this article was published, we've been contacted by Thomas and Bjorn from Tobgame, who claim that they have full legal rights over the game and that it will released as planned in the fall. We've contact dotbunny for its side of the story, and will continue our investigations.

Earlier this year we reported on The Other Brothers, an indie game that captured the spirit and story (if not the fairy tale atmosphere) of Super Mario Brothers.

The simple platform gameplay and retro pixel-art graphics made us - and the rest of the gaming community - take notice.

Now, new details about the game and an alpha preview video have surfaced, and it looks like The Other Brothers is close to completion.

The plot kicks off when two plumber brothers see a beautiful redhead kidnapped by some Mafiosi types in front of their garage. They set off to rescue her and travel through sewers and pipes in their quest.

Warp pipe reality

However, there is a chance that we won't be able to play The Other Brothers.

Following a recent dispute with one-time collaborator, dotBunny, the four man team behind The Other Brothers formed their own studio, Tobgame, and continued development on the project without dotBunny’s involvement.

dotBunny says it will be asserting its legal rights. It recently issued a public statement indicating that it is prepared to pursue legal action against "any or all parties involved in the development, production, marketing, distribution, and/or sale of 'The Other Brothers'"

Should the game make it to Google Play or the App Store, it definitely looks like an enjoyable little title, but The Other Brothers appears to have a long and difficult road ahead of it.

yt
Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on
Matthew Diener
Matthew Diener
Representing the former colonies, Matt keeps the Pocket Gamer news feed updated when sleepy Europeans are sleeping. As a frustrated journalist, diehard gamer and recovering MMO addict, this is pretty much his dream job.