Aquaria 1.1.0 for Mac Released!
Thank you for your patience, Mac users! Its Alec here, letting you know that Aquaria for Mac has been released today. Go play the demo and buy the Mac version for $30 over here at the Ambrosia website. (Beware, there may be some spoilers in the screenshots on there. They may be spoiler free in a bit though! I’ll update this post when I know.)
But this is not just a straight port of the Windows version, oh no - Aquaria for Mac includes nearly a year of work in new features, bug fixes and improvements - bringing the version number up from 1.0.3 to a big shiny 1.1.0. With new and beautiful wide screen support; a new world map system complete with progress recording, location names, user-created markers and beacons, user-friendly improvements to the cooking system, changes to make puzzles more intuitive, additional graphics, auto updates, a built-in help system - and more! Even some of the music tracks got a bit of polish.
In fact, these features will be exclusive to the Mac version of Aquaria while we put together a beta test of the new Windows patch. I also like to consider this temporary exclusivity a small gift to our patient Mac fans who have waited many months! You folks really deserve it.
But there are more people to thank, specifically some very helpful employees over at Ambrosia software who did a lot to make my workload more manageable. I’d like to single out John Champlin, for testing the game probably a 100 times, demoing it at Macworld and for helping manage the beta list. I’d also like to thank Matt Slot, Mike B. and Rudy Richter who did a lot of the Cocoa programming involved in creating the start-up sequence and GUI launcher for Mac Aquaria, as well as giving me help figuring out how to support older Macs. A huge thank you goes out all the Beta testers who went through the game countless times to be sure that issues were fixed, and for coming up with some good suggestions on how to improve the game. Also, a big thanks to Derek for creating new art for the game, fixing levels for widescreen support, creating a sexy OSX icon and for making the awesome painting you see on this post to celebrate the release!
Its been a crazy ride getting to this point, one filled with a lot of frustration and a feeling I’d like to call “banging your head against the wall”. A lot of that was trying to figure out how to improve the game based on feedback from players, while still keeping true to what works so well in the first version and all the love that Derek and I put into it. Turns out, it was totally worth it. Its not too often you get to sit back and watch your baby go out into the wild, crazy world. This is our second time, and I’m still excited. 
P.S. I now use a MacBook Pro for all my game development purposes, and so does Derek. 
November 13th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Congrats. May all your wildest dreams come true.
November 13th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Alec worked incredibly hard for this release. I’m really proud of him.
November 13th, 2008 at 11:37 am
WOOHOO!
I’ve been watching this since ASW first mentioned that they’d be publishing the game- it’s great to see it come out for my system. Thanks for all your hard work!
November 13th, 2008 at 11:47 am
SO SEXY
November 13th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Yay!
November 13th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Awesome! I don’t have a Mac that’ll run Aquaria, but I’m excited about all the ideas that came from the Mac version that will be applied to the upcoming Windows patch. Thanks for all the hard work, guys! This is fantastic accomplishment!
November 13th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Hooray!
November 13th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Hip hip hip hooray!
That’s awesomely nice. Aquaria is such a game!
November 13th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Congrats! I can’t wait to finally play it!
November 13th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Totally rad!
November 13th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Awesome, glad it’s finally released! Now I can take a breath.
November 13th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
So when are we getting the OST for Aquaria? I’ve been waiting for what feels like years for it. Any ETA for the patch on windows side? I’m putting off the game until it’s “feature complete” on windows side, and it’s very hard to resist Aquaria
November 13th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
New Windows version comes next, then afterwords the OST!
I’m writing a big new song with new Jenna vocals for the OST, that’s why it’ll take a bit longer.
November 13th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Seriously, you guys are inspiring! Don’t stop
November 13th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
This is realy great! I’ll get right to playing it once I finish my work on Ferazel.
One small thing:
I noticed there’s no add-ons page on the Ambrosia website. Does this mean that there won’t be a Mac editor for Aquaria?
November 13th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
The editor is built into the game.
November 13th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
So question — I bought the 1.0.3 version for Windows earlier this year. Do I get 1.1.0 for Mac, or do I hafta pay? I’d love to load it onto the Mac mini hooked up to my big TV downstairs and have a ball.
November 13th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Hooray! You have made me a very happy man.
All praise to Alec!!!
November 13th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Built into the game?
Sweet!
November 13th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
bak: Ambrosia’s the distributor of the Mac version, so its really up to them. I can talk to them and see if some kind of discount is possible.
November 13th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Big congrats! Keep up the fantastic work!
November 13th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Good job Alec! Great as always
And Derek, your lovely art warms my heart every time I play Aquaria…
See ya on tigs
November 13th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
I was pleasantly surprised when I read of Aquaria’s Mac release on IMG today, since Ambrosia’s log stated it was in final candidate only a few days prior.
I’ve played the Windows demo, and I definitely noticed that the Mac version looks a lot nicer, with or without widescreen support. I just love the music…
A definite purchase from me tonight. I’ve been very much looking forward to this one.
This, along with the likes of World of Goo and (the somewhat older) Darwinia, definitely proves that one doesn’t need a few million bucks to create fabulous and fun games. I’ll always be a staunch supporter of indie gaming, as long as there is a Mac version, that is.
November 13th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Awesome guys! I originally bought it for Mac because I figured this was a temporary pipe dream and here we are.
I’m with Bak though, a slight discount for people who bought the Windows version would be nice. If not, I’ll probably still get the Mac version.
November 13th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Hmmm, new macbook pro, some spare change in my pocket, and a recollection of a beautiful 2-D game I tried on windows and only didn’t buy because it ran like crap on that ancient machine.
I say it’s time for an investment.
November 13th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Oooo nice! Even though I don’t use a mac, I’m happy for them to be able to play it. Plus this means its one step closer to windows patch and OST.
November 14th, 2008 at 6:03 am
Another ten percent of America has been indirectly exposed to Aquaria. Congratulations are sorely needed. Great [Steve, oops] Job Guys!
p.s. I love your comment Geoff.
November 14th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Yeah, it’s a one more dream fulfilled. Congratulations Guys! Now we have to wait for the windows version
November 15th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
I, too, can’t wait until the complete and updated Windows version is launched. I’ll be checking this website regularly until that day! Then will come the wait for the OST. Feels like Christmas all through the year! Thanks, guys.
November 16th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Fabulous nebulous! That’s awesome news!
I’m going to head over and go for a purchase right now! Woohoo!
Way to go, you guys!
November 16th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
blub, blub, blub…buy me and try me…
blub, blub, blub… I am an incredible exprience to play…
blub, blub, blub… now.
November 16th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
You shall see Aquaria through my eyes, and pay the ridiculously cheap price of 30$ plus tax to do so.
November 18th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Alec, please talk to the people of Ambrosia for a discount. I also paid earlier this year for the Windows version using it on my Mac Bootcamp partition. Now I could have it run natively, as it should be
November 19th, 2008 at 5:05 am
Hooray for our Apple-supporting overlords! Though I don’t own a Mac myself, I’m glad that you have managed to bring Aquaria to more people. Thanks for all the work you are putting into this and the upcoming Windows patch - I’ll replay the game completely once that is out.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
yay! whats it run like on a macbook? (not pro) fix your website, make an announcement/MAC button! change the FAQ!
November 21st, 2008 at 10:58 am
This is great news, congratulations on the release!
I’m downloading the demo for my macbook right now to see how well it runs.
That said, I’ve already purchased, finished and been thoroughly delighted by the PC version, so I’m not really willing to fork out full price again to play it on my Mac too. I know that sounds cheap, but I hope you guys can arrange some discount with Ambrosia for people in the same boat - I’d happily pay $15 for another license for my Mac, which as I see it is better than no sale at all.
November 21st, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Fabulous port, both flawless and beautiful. I’ve just completed the game on a Mac as of this evening, without one hitch or catch worth mentioning on the way. Already I’m tantalized by the promise of a sequel. Perfectly outstanding job! Thanks for your work.
December 7th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Nice post. Thank you for the info. Keep it up.
December 9th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Very nice indeed! Soooo… are Windows users gonna get the 1.1.0 version for Christmas?
December 10th, 2008 at 12:18 am
There’s a very good chance…
December 10th, 2008 at 1:15 am
[...] I don’t know why this hadn’t been published yet, but a Mac version is also now [...]
January 9th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
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February 13th, 2009 at 2:10 am
[...] Grumble as I have at the length of time we Mac gamers had to sit by for a proper port of Aquaria (while, in the meantime, the price of the PC version dropped), the wait and pricetag were well worth it. To be fair, the end result is no mere port—it’s clear that the men of Bit Blot and Ambrosia software couldn’t help but keep polishing this gem—and as a native Mac application, the 2007 IGF grand prizewinner is better than ever. (It gets wilder: in the course of adapting their game, creators Derek Yu and Alec Holowka switched, permanently, to MacBook Pro laptops.) [...]