Vern Jensen: ActionSoft

Name: Vern Jensen

Company: ActionSoft

Profession: Programmer / Game Designer

Favorite Classic Game: Super Metroid

Quote: “It’s hard to pick just one game actually. Super Metroid pretty much ties with Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. I had first gotten into game programming around age 8, making simple programs in Basic, eventually culminating in a maze game and an explore-the-castle game around age 13. It was at this time that I first saw someone playing Zelda on their SNES. The graphics were incredible. The special effect this game had, from rain, to warping between light and dark worlds, were astonishing at the time.

I felt like everything I had done programming was unworthy compared to what I was seeing on the screen. And, once I got to play the game, the gameplay certainly matched the special effects. Super Metroid wins by a couple of points though, just because when I played it, I couldn’t put it down until I had finished it. Everything about this game was awesome, from the graphics to the power-ups to the secrets and bosses. It really had a cohesive “mood” to it that was well fleshed-out. I even own the Boston Pops orchestra soundtrack of music from this game, which is also incredible.

Bio: ActionSoft (www.actionsoft.com) ActionSoft is basically just me. I write retro shareware games. Since I grew up on 2D games in the 80’s, my fondness for those games has remained. I haven’t really gotten into 3D games. My goal is to make the kind of games I would want to play myself, and bring back some of the games from an era long ago that have been forgotten.

Project: Midnight Mansion port to Windows and iPhone.

Project Info: Midnight Mansion was my first game, released in 2005, and it has gained a following of loyal fans. However, it is Mac-only. My project is to port it to Windows and iPhone / iPad. In the process, Midnight Mansion 2, which was released this last August, will also be ported.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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