Playing "find the star" in real life, not recommended.

I started this whole endeavor with a simple game from Yoshio Ishii called Cursor*10, which, embodied everything great about indie games: A focus on innovative play and a unique artistic style. That’s an oversimplification (“indie gaming” is as elusive as “indie rock”), but Ishii wields a unique artistic eye and innovative sense of what a game can do.

Case in point, Hoshi Saga, of which there are now five installments. The objective is simple: Find the star. Every level dumps you in one of Ishii’s creations without any indication of how to achieve your goal. Clicking, dragging, mousing, shaking, and other mouse interactions will be needed to get you through each level. Most stars are easily discovered within seconds; others stumped me for days. What all the levels have in common is clean design and playful interaction. Is it racist to describe it as distinctly Japanese? Hope not.

Click here and start exploring.

Here are links to the sequels:

Hoshi Saga 2
Hoshi Saga 3
Hoshi Saga Ringo
Hoshi Saga Ringoame

Enjoy.

This article appears in May 21 • 2010.

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James graduated from Columbia University in 2000 and moved to Austin a year later. Ever since, he has followed the arts and video game scene in ATX, editing and writing stories for the Chronicle along the way. Over his more than 20 years with the paper he has climbed the "corporate" ladder from lowly intern to managing editor.