About Me
Heya! My name’s Terry Cavanagh. I’m 27, and I’m an Irish game developer from Monaghan, currently living in Cambridge, England.
This site (and this page) is currently under construction. In the meantime, if you have questions you can contact me by email here.
[add more stuff here later]
VVVVVV
Hexagon
ChatChat
2011
2010
2009
2008
Hi Terry
I played Don’t Look Back at Kongregate and was seriously blown away. WOW! Awesome, awesome game! I really hope you develop more games along these lines.
Cheers,
Greig
Terry,
I was witness to your beautiful game Don’t Look Back over at kongregate. It’s the most moving and deeply thought-out flash game I’ve ever played. You accomplish so much even without words but simply the ambiance and the feel of the game from start to finish draws you in and leaves you with an eerie sadness mixed with wonder and despair once all is said and done. Good job Terry, this is one game that won’t leave those who’ve played unchanged.
-Andy
Hi, just wanted to tell you I really liked Don’t Look Back. Best Orpheus-based game I’ve played since Battle of Olympus on the NES.
I think it’s a great example of how to combine gameplay and narrative into a coherent whole.
Keep up the good work!
Hiya, just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed Don’t Look Back. The implicit narrative is fantastic; better storytelling than most commercial releases manage.
Well, as everybody said, Don’t look back happens to do a lot with almost nothing. Congratulations.
I played Don’t Look Back on Newgrounds and I loved it. Are you going to release anymore of your games on the internet?
Like most people here, I found you through Don’t Look Back, but I enjoyed Pathways so much more than anything else that I played of yours.
Your simplicity in style adds to the story and atmosphere of your games, and you don’t sacrifice message for gameplay. This is a very rare thing to find in game makers these days, and I greatly appreciate it when I do find it.
Your games are excellent, don’t let anyone tell you any differently. Thank you for creating them.
- Tom
Just another post saying how awesome Don’t Look Back is…
The gameplay merges beautifully with the story.
Greetings from the U.S.A.
Just finished Don’t Look Back — very enjoyable experience!
I’m surprised with your young age that you seem to have nailed that 80′s retro style so well.
I look forward to seeing your other projects.
Cheers!
Stumbled on your website last week, and have been playing your games constantly. Pathways and DLB are fun AND thought provoking, Xoldiers and Self Destruct are action packed, and I am absolutely addicted to Mind Control Rocket. Its concept and execution are very deep, even if you threw it together as quick as you say. Can’t wait to play whatever else you have in the works.
Dear Terry
I’ve just finished your amazingly brilliant little game “Pathways”. To be subtle – I was mesmerized. Honestly, it was the most touching game I’ve played for this entire year. It is exactly this kind of non-gameish gameplay that in the future will define the medium of games as an artform.
That counts for Judith and Don’t Look Back As Well. I’m really impressed by the way you implement literate themes in your games.
Best regards
Vierphoria
Keep doing what you’re doing the way you do it. Pathways was beautiful, Judith was haunting and Don’t Look Back was inspiring.
Hi Terry, great gamesa, DOn’t look back was great!
The colour scheme reminds me of those old ccartoons RTE used to have on in the 80′s…
Hello Terry. Just another comment to say Don’t Look Back is a fantastic game.
Best regards.
Your games really are something different..
I’ve played dont look back about 15 times,
like everyone has said the dream-like ambiance of the story merges perfectly with the dark setting and quiet music
one question-
im starting to get into flash cs4 to make games like you have…
how long have you been using flash?
or do you use something else?
don’t look back 2! G’wan, for the craic, like
based on the japanese myth of izanami and izanagi?
Hi Terry. Your games are inspiring me so much. They’re all amazing.
Especially Judith and Don’t Look Back.. love their sence of gloom with moderated visual.
Keep up the great work!
Don’t look back really made my day. I love the atmosphere and mood, the music was a good choice. I’m a fan of your work.
the game looks cool if i could even play
Terry start your own small indie firm. People you trust. You’ve got the concepts in your head, but you need 8 more hands and 50 hours in every day. Pioneer something, and get some exposure. Maybe… “Couples gaming,” if I could be so bold as to coin a new meme… (thinking about Best Years here…)
You’ve got unique styles and themes and ideas – push them hard.
DO IT NOW
hm, i just play VVVVVV on newgrounds…
i really liked, but it looks like it was someone else who submited it there, not you?
Just beat your beta of VVVVVV. I am amazed. Great game, although I did have some troubles in some spots, very challenging. I enjoyed it very much so and I can’t wait to play the game in it’s entirety.
Hey Terry,
It’s really incredible to see other creative outlets around Ireland popping up, I am rather new to it myself, but I really love the look and flow behind of your game. I will be buying a copy. I’ve been in contact with Magnus and he has nothing but good words about you! Maybe in the future we will cross paths in your later game developments
!
As for now I just wanted to extend my thanks to you for being so passionate about your craft, and I look forward to playing VVVVVV.
Chris.
[...] game creator Terry Cavanagh is the kind of person that I wish I was. He’s made a splendid handful of games, every one of [...]
[...] Made by Terry Cavanagh [...]
[...] – now online: Terry Cavanagh, an Irish man from Monaghan has released VVVVVV: a retro, classic style, Atary color scheme, NES [...]
Terry, you’re really GREAT. And your games are GREAT. GREAT TERRY.
Terry, the use of the retro aesthetic in “Don’t Look Back” seemed to me to have a double meaning… the story seems to say in looking back we kill a part of ourselves. I know MANY bitter old 30-something gamers like me who pine for the “good old games” and the pleasure games used to give us when we were young. Is our nostalgia some sort of indication of the bitterness many of us feel that the happiness of childhood is no longer there? Am I reading to much into this? Or is it a simple design choice to go early 8-bit?
[...] Terry Cavanagh did the great Jump’n'Run VVVVVV. I’ve also check on other blog many comments and also find that the great programmer Markus Persson aka « Notch » re-programmed a Java 4k version names VVVV. [...]
How do i play dont look back 2 can you show me how
please reply : }
[...] the time-honoured medium of 2D puzzle/platforming. This is the latest from distractionware (aka Terry Cavanagh), and indeed you might call it his first ‘proper’ game in the sense that it’s [...]
Yet another round of applause for Don’t Look Back. I’ve played several haunting/sad flash games, but in the case of yours, I’m amazed at how the very minimal elements you use manage to be so evocative. A lesser game might have incorporated more text, for example. Seriously, awesome work.
Hi Terry, I seen you played Soundless Mountain II, I was looking it up and saw your post. Going to give it a try myself.
[...] sådär blev antigravitationsspelet VVVVVV det stora indiehoppet för 2010. Att spelets utvecklare, Terry Cavanagh, ligger bakom både Judith och Don’t look Back kan vara en anledning varför. Och med [...]
[...] Terry Cavanagh? VVVVVV? and other fun stuff? Try out Going Forward. [...]
[...] have claimed to be the smallest legible font, but I have to say that this 5×1 pixel font by Terry Cavanagh in 2008 is the undisputed king. It cleverly uses the way that LCD displays display pixel color with [...]
[...] Terry Cavanagh? VVVVVV? and other fun stuff? Try out Going Forward. For all you business people. [...]
[...] del titolo.Non mi sembra quindi esagerato affermare che parte del successo dell’opera di Terry Cavanagh sia anche merito di Magnus “SoulEye” Pålsson, compositore della soundtrack, il quale, [...]
[...] over a year ago, Magnus “SoulEye” Pålsson wrote the music for Terry Cavanagh‘s platforming puzzle game VVVVVV, which appeared on the soundtrack album [...]
i love all of your previous games and i’m seriously looking forward to seeing your no quarter game develop. I look up to you.
Thanks for all the awesome games, man! I’m a total fanboy, and not ashamed at all
Hallo Terry! Thank you for VVVVVV – it’s a wonderful game! I can localize it into Russian and spread a word about the game
Please send me a word at dtishin@gmail.com if you’re interested.
Thanks again
[...] könnte Super Meat Boy wohl aussehen, wenn das Spiel von Terry Cavanagh entwickelt wwwurden wäre? Hm? Keine Ahnung? So. Die Interpretation von Terry Cavanagh ist eher [...]
Hi Terry, left you an email, not sure if you got it! All the best
PS: A got a nice surprise, a friend of a friend posted about this game called “Hero’s quest”. Small world eh?
[...] est planté. Sous couvert d’un jeu au gameplay simple, on se rend compte que le créateur, Terry Cavanagh, a mis en place un jeu laissant la liberté au joueur de choisir son parcours. Certes, le début du [...]
I LOVE VVVVVV. It is amazing. Greatest soundtrack, and a game that is actually not too easy. Thank you. P.S. Great idea to put it on the Mac App Store. I was unsure if I should get it, but I had some extra money in my account anyways. Best $5 I’ve ever spent.
Awsome!!!! DLB
I have stumbled upon some of your games. I have not played them yet, but I plan to do so. It seems to be that some of the games you have developed are showing the rebirth of the gameplay that has so long ago been lost in the annals of video gaming.
I mean, to me games stop being interesting long ago. It all began with Super Mario Bros. in 1985, but it stopped so long ago. In terms of gameplay. I mean, the last games that interested me in this respect are Elasto Mania and Kuru Kuru Kururin. Everything after that simply did not interest me.
Along the same lines than the first poster, I really hope more games along these lines will get developed in the future.
[...] works, PPPPPP–the OST for VVVVVV, an interesting indie hardcore-retro 2D platformer from Terry Cavanagh WELL worthy of your time. PPPPPPixels [...]
[...] dat niet eindigt als tragedie”, kwam ik het spel Pathways tegen. Het spel is gemaakt door Terry Cavanagh, die vooral bekend is van VVVVV. Hij is ook bekend als iemand die op originele wijze verhalen [...]
Just wanted to say that VVVVVV Is awesome! Bought it last year on steam and still come back to it every now and then. Bought the Soundtrack recently and it definately helps me keep my sanity
[...] Wikipedia, my beloved Backloggery and this very WordPress, Terry Cavanagh joined the massive blackout protest. The guy is one of my favorite indie developers and tip of the [...]
Hi Terri, your vvvvv, is great game, are you going to release it on ipad? It would be great!
Dear Terri:
I purchased VVVVVV a few months ago, and I haven’t stopped loving it.
Can I make a feature request?
The super gravitron is in great need of having achievement stats.
Like having an average, minimum and max survival time for the session, for the day, month and for all-time.
This way we can compare stats online with other users.
Thanks!
thanks! I’ve just completed Don’t look back…it was awesome.
[...] Look Back est un jeu de Terry Cavanagh (VVVVVV pour ne parler que du plus connu) développé en 2009. C’est une reprise, en jeu de [...]
Got VVVVVV through humble bundle, and loved it. I think maybe it’s the only humble bundle game I played to conclusion? One of the review quotes on the wikipedia article says there’s no filler material in it. That’s the perfect thing to say about it! Every screen was compelling, and the story and art so lovely
And twice through Veni Vidi Vici… Jesus… But the sense of satisfaction at the end was so worth it
Just went looking into more and found Don’t Look Back… More fantastic work! Thanks!