Games
From Homestar Runner Wiki
- This article is about the list of all games. For the games menu itself, see Scrolling Shooter Games Menu.
From a 2018 appearance at PAX East:
MIKE CHAPMAN: The look of the world of Homestar Runner has been heavily influenced by video games. Our cartoons are basically side-scrolling, and they've got the blue sky and green hills background of [Super] Mario Bros. and those types of Nintendo and Super Nintendo era platformers.
MATT CHAPMAN: And then, once we started making cartoons, it was kind of hard not to just let all that stuff seep into it. So we decided to invent a fictitious company that we could then have an excuse to make bad video games on our cartoon, even though it had nothing to do with our cartoon; so we invented Videlectrix.
Games are an integral part of Homestar Runner, existing as one of the main menu options since the earliest days of the website. Many games star the main characters, though others feature characters from in-universe fiction or are wholly unrelated to the typical setting and characters of Homestar Runner.
Beginning with the release of Awexome Cross in February 2003, most games have been presented as being developed by the fictional company Videlectrix. These are presented as old-school games — sometimes even bearing decades-old copyright dates — and produced in the style of consoles such as the Atari 2600, NES, or Apple IIe. The Brothers Chaps have expressed a fondness for Nintendo, Activision, Sierra, and LucasArts.
Most games are produced in Flash. Early, simpler games were solely produced by The Brothers Chaps; programmer Jonathan Howe was heavily involved with game production from 2003 through 2008, in addition to assisting with other programming tasks on the site. Other programmers who have contributed to Homestar Runner games include Jez Swanson, Colin McInerney, and Ben Hines. Later games have been produced in Unity or as ROMs for emulators.
The Brothers Chaps partnered with Telltale Games from 2008 through 2010, resulting in the games Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People and Poker Night at the Inventory.
In addition to video games, physical game Trogdor!! The Board Game was released in 2019.
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Web Video Games
The majority of playable Homestar Runner games are available for free online, typically through homestarrunner.com.
Videlectrix Games Menu
Since the beginning of videogames, Videlectrix has been there forefronting the crap out of the competition with good graphics and half-decent progrumming. With classic hits like the Thy Dungeonman series, Trogdor!, Stinkoman 20X6, and Peasant's Quest, the 'Trix has firmly cemented itself in cement shoes and cast itself into the proverbial East River of videogaming.
The Videlectrix itch.io page collects most of the website's games, further including links to "the shmup-style flash games menu" and "the OLD flash games menu" alongside additional games available for download. The classic Flash games are referred to as "working", in quotes.
As of 2023, the URL homestarrunner.com/games (and therefore the "games" Main Page button) redirects to this menu, rather than the Scrolling Shooter Games Menu.
Scrolling Shooter Games Menu
Although the "games" menu option on the navbar still points to the Scrolling Shooter Games Menu, as the menu has not been updated since 2020 (with no games newer than 2008 included) and the Main Pages link to itch.io it is no longer the primary menu for Homestar Runner games.
In addition to all the Flash games linked from the Videlectrix itch.io page, the shmup menu includes the following games:
Old Games
The Handheld Games Menu was the primary games menu from July 14, 2002 through July 29, 2004. It is linked to from both the Scrolling Shooter menu (labeled "Old Games") and itch.io site. Though several prior games menus existed, this menu collects nearly every game that had appeared on homestarrunner.com up until its discontinuation.
These games are much simpler, many taking the form of activities without a win state rather than being true "games". They are neither presented in a throwback style nor as being made by Videlectrix.
Miscellaneous Games
Currently or formerly available games located on other parts of the site than the games menu.
Toon Games
Some games are accessed in Easter eggs or loading screens.
Message Bored Games
Though Strong Bad's Message Bored has been closed since 2003, three minigames can still be played from its header page.
External Video Games
Several games have been released outside of homestarrunner.com, often requiring a separate purchase or otherwise being unavailable in-browser.
Itch.io/Steam Games
Dangeresque: The Roomisode Triungulate
A collection of three bite-sized point-and-click adventures. A Videlectrix game and fourth bonus roomisode can also be unlocked.
Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People
A five-episode series of point-and-click adventure games developed by Telltale Games in collaboration with The Brothers Chaps. Initially released for PC and Wii and later ported to additional platforms.
Minigames
Each episode of SBCG4AP additionally features a Videlectrix game Strong Bad can play on the FunMachine; other games may form part of the episode's narrative.
DVD Games
Physical Games
Non-Playable Games
- See also Minor Video Games
Many video games appear as sight gags in toons or other games. Oftentimes only a screenshot or box art is shown, giving little indication of what the gameplay would be.
