Unseen64: a look at Dune – Ornithopter Assault on GBA
If you’re into science-fiction, then you probably know Frank Herbert’s Dune franchise. What you probably don’t know, however, is that it was supposed to get a video game adaptation on GBA. It was called Frank Herbert’s Dune: Ornithopter Assault, and was a flying / shooter game made Soft Brigade and published by Cryo Interactive.
Unfortunately, development was halted in Summer 2012, even though the game was pretty much completed (there is even a ROM available online, playable on a GBA emulator). The problem came from the publisher, Cryo Interactive, which had financial difficulties due to the commercial (and critical) failure of another Dune game (on Windows). The company closed a few weeks after Dune: Ornithopter Assault was cancelled.
Here is the fact-sheet from the official website:
Trained by Gurney Alleck, the most efficient and honoured officer of the House of Atreides, you are going to become a specialist in piloting and fighting ornithopters. Involved in all-out war for the spice, you must surpass all of your flying skill to survive the fall of the House of Atreides and help Paul and the Fremen in their fight for Arrakis.
- Spectacular 3D Universe on Advanced Game Boy, seen from the cockpit of the ornithopter.
- More than 20 different missions with various objectives simple recounting, escort duties, guarding, destroying troops and buildings, capturing vehicles, collecting spice and water, etc.
- 5 solo and multiple player modes (using 2 cable linked Advanced Game Boy) with various levels of difficulty solo mission, campaign, joint campaign and deathmatch.
- The first adaptation of Dune, the most famous of all science fiction universes, on hand held console.
As you can see, Dune: Ornithopter Assault was supposed to be a rather ambitious game for the game, with a “spectacular 3D universe”, some rather varied missions, multiple game modes (including multiplayer) and more.
Here’s a gameplay video:
And here’s some various pictures:
Source: Unseen64
