Jump to content

Torus Games

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Torus Games
Founded1994
FounderBill McIntosh
DefunctMarch 2024 (2024-03)
FateClosed (had layoffs)
Headquarters,
Australia
Websitetorus.com.au

Torus Games was an Australian video game developer founded in 1994 by Bill McIntosh.[1] The company was located in Bayswater, Victoria. Its managing director is Bill McIntosh. The company being a family business.[2] Torus has developed over 145 titles.[3] The company is most known for family action/adventure games, based on well-known licenses.[4]

History

[edit]

Torus began developing their first game in 1994, a Game Boy and Game Gear game based on the film Stargate, published by Acclaim Entertainment.[5]

Torus has a single, scalable cross-platform game engine. The Torus game engine runs on consoles, handhelds (including those without floating point support) and mobile phones, and their unified asset pipeline allows Torus to deliver the same game from the same common code-base across all hardware platforms.[6] Torus Games also use the Unreal and Unity engines, depending on the type of project they are developing.

In 2015, Torus Games were awarded the Disney Developer of the Year Award for their efforts on Disney's Imagicademy initiative.[7] They also launched their first original iOS and Android game, Crystal Crusade,[8] followed by Flipper Fox and Heidi Price and the Orient Express in 2016.[9]

In the late 2010s, the company partnered with Monash University to develop an educational tool assisting children with reduced attention spans. Project TALI has scope to become a screening tool, allowing for the possibility of earlier cognitive training for children with learning difficulties.[10]

In March 2024, it was reported that the company had been "effectively shuttered" with no projects in the pipeline and no employees except for McIntosh left.[3]

Games

[edit]

PlayStation 5

Xbox Series X/S

Google Stadia

PlayStation 4

Xbox One

Nintendo Switch

PlayStation 3

Xbox 360

Wii U

Wii

Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo DS

iOS

  • Flipper Fox (Celago) (2016)
  • Heidi Price and the Orient Express (Celago) (2016), (Calypso Entertainment) (2017)
  • Crystal Crusade (Celago) (2015)
  • Mickey's Shapes Sing-Along (Disney) (2015)
  • Mickey's Magical Math World (Disney) (2015)
  • Falling Skies Planetary Warfare (Little Orbit) (2014)
  • Save Your Legs (RKPix) (2012)

Android

  • Flipper Fox (Celago) (2016)
  • Heidi Price and the Orient Express (Celago) (2016)
  • Crystal Crusade (Celago) (2015)
  • Mickey's Super Rocket Shapes (Disney) (2015)
  • Falling Skies Planetary Warfare (Little Orbit) (2014)

Microsoft Windows

PlayStation 2

PlayStation Portable

Xbox

GameCube

Game Boy Advance

Game Boy Color

Game Boy

Game Gear

N-Gage

Didj

Leapster 2

L-Max

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Origins of Australasian Game Developers | tsumea".
  2. ^ "Developer Spotlight: Torus Games - Feature".
  3. ^ a b Verbrugge, Kieron (3 March 2024). "Melbourne's Iconic Torus Games Is Ending Development After Nearly 30 Years". Press Start. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  4. ^ "GAMES FOREVER MARKET » Screen ForeverScreen Forever". Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Torus Games Interview - PALGN Video Game Interview - PAL Gaming Network". Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  6. ^ "Home".
  7. ^ "Aussie developer, Torus Games, nabs Disney Developer of the Year Award". 11 May 2015.
  8. ^ "Crystal Crusade - Developer Interview on Edamame Reviews". 30 November 2015.
  9. ^ "celago.com".[dead link]
  10. ^ O'Connell, Brigid (10 October 2018). "Attention-grabbing plan to give every prep best start". Herald Sun.
[edit]