Nitrome, a U.K.-based independent game developer, offers several free digital and printable items through its official website. These offerings are categorized primarily as "Freebies" and "Distributable Games." Unlike traditional consumer product samples such as beauty creams or pet food trials, Nitrome’s free items are digital assets or printable papercraft designs related to their video game properties. The following guide details what is currently available, how to access these items, and the specific rules regarding their use.
Freebies: Papercraft Designs
The "Freebies" section of the Nitrome shop provides printable papercraft designs that users can download at no cost. These designs allow players to create 3-D paper models of Nitrome characters and enemies.
Availability and Content According to the Nitrome documentation, there are currently three freebies available for download. These items are exclusively papercraft designs. To create a physical model, users must print the provided design onto paper and then fold and assemble it. The documentation does not indicate that these designs are available in pre-assembled physical form; rather, they are digital files intended for home printing.
Accessing Freebies To access these free items, users must navigate the Nitrome website: 1. Click on the "Shop" button located on the site. 2. Select the "Freebies" box within the shop interface. 3. The freebies page will display the three available designs. 4. Each design has a dedicated page containing a link to download the game file and a link to print the design.
Printing and Materials When a user clicks the link to print a design, they are directed to an individual page for that specific freebie. This page includes a direct link to print the design and a link to purchase "card paper" from Amazon. While the documentation mentions a link to Amazon for card paper, users are not strictly limited to this source; any suitable printing paper can likely be used, though the Amazon link suggests the brand recommends specific paper weights for optimal results.
History The Freebies service was first introduced in December 2010. Initially, this section was used to distribute papercraft designs, but the scope of the service has evolved over time to include information about mobile games and other Nitrome content.
Distributable Games
Nitrome allows website owners and bloggers to host specific games directly on their own sites. This service is distinct from licensing; distributable games are free to embed, whereas licensing requires a fee.
How It Works
For Nitrome.com version 2.0, the developer made several popular games available for distribution. To add a game to a website, the site owner must insert two specific HTML codes into the site's source code:
1. Loader Code: This creates the box where the game appears and allows for gameplay.
2. Body Code: This code must be placed between the <body> and </body> tags of the website’s CSS.
Eligibility and Purpose These games are intended to be played directly on the hosting site. They are fully playable and can be used for promotional purposes. The service launched on August 25, 2011, coinciding with the release of Nitrome.com 2.0. At the time of the launch, 12 games were available for distribution.
Accessing Distributable Games on Nitrome Site owners looking to obtain the embed codes can find the section by scrolling to the bottom of the Nitrome website. There is a bar running across the bottom of the page; the fourth button from the left in this bar is designated for "Distributable games."
Licensing vs. Distribution It is important to distinguish between distributable games and licensed games: * Distributable Games: Free to embed and play on other websites. * Licensed Games: Cost a sum of money to use on other sites. Interested parties must contact Nitrome directly to inquire about licensing. Not all games are immediately available for license, though the documentation notes that unavailable games may eventually be made available.
Other Related Services
While the user query specifically focused on freebies, the Nitrome ecosystem includes other services that are sometimes confused with free samples but function differently.
Music Nitrome sells music from their games on various platforms, including iTunes and Napster. This is a paid service and not a free offering.
MochiCoins MochiCoins were a virtual currency used in Nitrome games like Twin Shot 2 and B.C to purchase in-game content. However, the documentation explicitly states that MochiCoins have been discontinued. They are no longer a valid service or method of obtaining items.
iOS / Mobile Games The Freebies section has historically been used to link to Nitrome’s mobile content, such as Super Feed Me and Ice Breaker: A Viking Voyage. While the documentation mentions a "Top Secret" game that was later revealed to be Gunbrick mobile, these links serve as informational portals rather than direct free sample distribution.
Conclusion
Nitrome provides two primary forms of free content: printable papercraft designs and distributable games. The papercraft designs are available via the "Freebies" section of the shop and require users to print and assemble them at home. Distributable games are available for embedding on external websites using specific HTML codes found at the bottom of the Nitrome site. Both services are provided free of charge, though Nitrome also offers paid music and game licensing services.