Psychedelic Computer Games

Psychedelic computer games have been with us in one trippy form or another since the early 80s and have evolved into multi-million selling psychedelic wonderscapes from some of the leading game development studios. 

Even classic games like PacMan ( a cheese block popping pills and chasing down technicolor ghosts ) and Mario ( Hyperactive Italian plumber quaffs magic mushrooms and explores vivid dreamland ) bring forth a drop of psychedelia to the minds of gamers worldwide.

Here is a list of some of my favorite psychedelic games for Windows, Mac, iOS, Console and Handheld systems. It's by no means complete of course so please drop some comments below and tell everyone what your favorites are - especially any obscure psychedelic gaming gems.

PC/MAC/CONSOLE/HANDHELD

Grid Wars 2 - Free ( Windows, OSX, Linux - 2005)

Marco Incitti

review : http://worldofstuart.excellentcontent.com/grid/wars.htm

website : http://gridwars.marune.de/

GunRoar ( Windows, OSX, Linux )

ABA Games

Windows - http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cs8k-cyu/windows/gr_e.html

Linux - http://www.emhsoft.com/gunroar/

OSX - http://shinh.skr.jp/osxbin/

Synesthetic ( iOS / iPhone / iPad)

review : http://evolver.fm/2012/08/15/want-to-hear-colors-and-see-sounds-try-synesthetic-for-ios/

website : http://evolver.fm/appdb/app/synesthetic/

Spheres Of Chaos ( Acorn - 1992 / Windows - 1998 )

review - http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/tag/spheres-of-chaos/

website - http://www.spheresofchaos.com/

Download - http://www.spheresofchaos.com/p/download.php

Mutant Storm Reloaded ( Windows, XBOX360 )

review - http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mutant-storm-reloaded-review/1900-6140405/

website - http://pompomgames.com/mutantstormreloaded.htm

Also check out mutant storm on iOS and space tripper on iOS from the same developer.

Rez ( Dreamcast / PS2 2001 ) RezHD ( XBOX Live Arcade 2008 )

Sega / Q Entertaiment

review RezHD - http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/01/30/rez-hd-review

review Rez - http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/rez

Darwinia ( Windows, OSX , Linux - 2005 )

Introversion

website - http://www.introversion.co.uk/darwinia/index.html

review - http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/03/25/darwinia

Plasma Pong ( Windows, OSX - 2007 )

Steve Taylor

review - http://www.philsalesses.com/plasma-pong/

website - http://www.plasmapong.com/

note : currently unavailable from developer website due to game naming issues

with Atari's original Pong so search around for this one.

Katamri Series ( PS2 PS3 PSP , XBOX, iOS 2004 - 2011 )

Namco

review PS2 - http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/katamari-damacy

Note , although there is no PC version available as far I know, you can play

this fun hack version that turns your web browser into a katamari like experience.

http://kathack.com/

Frequency ( Playstation 2 - 2001 )

Harmonix

Review - http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/frequency

Website - http://www.harmonixmusic.com/games/past/

Techno Kitten Adventure ( iOS, Android, XBOX Live Indie, Windows Phone - 2010)

Review - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do_F3kVXNrI

Website - http://technokittenadventure.com/

Eastern Mind : The Lost Souls of Tong-Nou ( Windows )

Osamu Sato

Review - http://obscuritory.com/adventure/eastern-mind-the-lost-souls-of-tong-nou/

Very trippy, rare and obscuer game, follow the review site for more info for possible download locations.

There is also a sequeal that has been ripped too called Chu-Teng.

EXO ( Windows , OSX - 2012 )

Tabor Robak

review - http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-09-11-exo-is-a-free-psychadelic-first-person-interactive-music-video

website - http://e-x-o.com/

The Polynomial ( Windows, OSX, Linux )

Dmytry Lavrov

review - http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2009/06/23/choose-your-own-fractal-polynomial/

website - http://dmytry.com/games/

Devil's Tuning Fork ( Windows - 2009 )

DePaul Game Elites

website - http://www.devilstuningfork.com/index.php

Polybius ( Windows - 2007 )

DarkBASIC

review - http://nerdreactor.com/2013/09/05/nerd-legends-polybius/

website - http://www.sinnesloschen.com/1.php

Zeno Clash / Zeno Clash 2 ( Windows, XBOX 2009 / Windows, XBOX, PS3 2013 )

ACE Team

review - http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/zeno-clash

review - http://www.pcgamer.com/review/zeno-clash-2-review/

website - http://www.zenoclash.com/

Psyconauts ( Windows, XBOX , PS2 - 2006 OSX , Linux 2011 )

Tim Schafer

review - http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/psychonauts-review/1900-6122550/

website - http://www.psychonauts.com/

Child Of Eden ( XBOX 360, PS3 - 2011 )

Q Entertainment

review - http://www.ign.com/games/child-of-eden/xbox-360-14354640

website - http://child-of-eden.us.ubi.com/

Geometry Wars / Retro Evolved ( XBOX,XBOX 360 2003,2005 Windows 2007)

Bizarre Creations

Review - http://www.giantbomb.com/reviews/geometry-wars-retro-evolved-2-review/1900-36/

Website - http://store.steampowered.com/app/8400/

Dyad ( Windows 2013, PS3 2013, OSX, Linux TBA )

RSB LSB

Review - http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/dyad

Website - http://www.dyadgame.com/

Super Hexagon ( Windows, iOS, OSX, Android, Linux 2012/13)

Terry Cavanagh

review - http://www.destructoid.com/review-super-hexagon-234664.phtml

website - http://superhexagon.com/

Tranquility ( Windows, OSX , 1991-2010 )

William Romanowski

Review - http://tranquility.en.softonic.com/mac

Orignal website is no longer supported. However you can still download the game via

OSX - http://tranquility.en.softonic.com/mac

Windows - I am still on the lookout for a windows version. I had a Windows version some years

ago but since the original site closed, your best bet might be a torrent.

Osmos ( Windows, OSX, Linux, Android, iOS )

Hemisphere Games

Review - http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/08/20/osmos-review

Website - http://www.osmos-game.com/

Whorld ( Windows )

Website - http://whorld.org/index.html

Intake ( Windows, OSX 2013 )

Cipher Prime

Review - http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/2014/01/05/intake-review-like-popping-pills-at-a-rave-without-the-consequences

Website - http://playintake.com/

LSD : Dream Emulator ( Playstation 1998 , PSN 2010)

Osamu Sato

Review - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxIyMhOu_ZE

Website - none that I know of ! This was a off Japanese playstation game that you might be able toget on Ebay or somewhere like that.

http://www.ebay.com/ctg/LSD-Dream-Emulator-Sony-PlayStation-1-1998-/92929129

SoundSelf ( Mac , Windows, Linux )

Website - http://soundselfgame.com/

Space Channel 5 ( DreamCast - 1999 , Playstation 2 - 2002 , GBA - 2003)

Sega

About - Rhythm based retro-future-psych music game. Austin powers meets the Jetsons.

Review - http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/spacechannel5/spacechannel5.htm

BitTripBeat ( iPad, Wii, Mac, iPhone - 2010 )

Gaijin Games

Website - http://bittripgame.com/

Review - http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/11/08/bittrip-beat-review

AudioSurf ( Windows - 2008)

Invisible Handlebar

Review - http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/audiosurf

Website - http://www.audio-surf.com/

American McGee's Alice ( Windows - 2000

Rogue Entertainment / Electronic Arts

Review - http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/american-mcgees-alice-review/1900-2662510/

Website - http://www.ea.com/alice

Tetripz ( Windows - 1998 )

Mute Fantasies

Website - http://theodor.lauppert.ws/games/tetripz.htm

Space Girraffe ( Windows 2008 / XBOX360 2007 )

Llamasoft ( Jeff Minter )

Review - http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/space-giraffe

Website - http://minotaurproject.co.uk/SpaceGiraffe/

Flash Based Games

Rainbow Trip

website - http://www.2flashgames.com/f/f-349.htm

Tripman

website - http://www.bigdino.com/play/843/Tripman

Nomoni

website - http://www.6000games.com/games/nomoni

Full Up

website - http://www.flasharcadegamessite.com/25361-fall-up.html

Supreme Om

Larry Carlson

website -  http://www.larrycarlson.com/supreme_om/

Hypno 8

website - http://www.freeonlinepcgames.net/play/hypno-8-hypno-8-is-a-psychedelic-game-the-rules/flash-game/

Samorost 1 and 2

Website - http://amanita-design.net/games/samorost-1.html

Website - http://amanita-design.net/games/samorost-2.html

GameGameBegin

Website - http://www.secrettechnology.com/gamegame/gamegamebegin.html

Boohbah Zone

Website - http://www.boohbah.tv/zone.html

Disorientation

Website - http://jiggmin.com/games/the-game-of-disorientation

More From PsyAmb