{{Short description|German video game designer}} {{Infobox person | name = Marcus Horn | image = | caption = | other_names = Siactro | years_active = 2011–present | occupation = Independent [[video game developer]] | notable_works = ''[[Toree 3D]]'', ''Super Kiwi 64'' and ''Macbat 64'' | website = https://siactro.itch.io/ }}
'''Siactro''' is the studio and mononym of German independent [[video game developer]] '''Marcus Horn'''. Horn's work, including games such as ''[[Toree 3D]]'', ''Super Kiwi 64'' and ''Macbat 64'', imitate early 3D [[platform games|platformers]] on consoles including the [[Nintendo 64]], and have received praise for their visual presentation and design. Horn's games have been released in compilations for the [[Nintendo Switch]] and [[Xbox]], and featured in the 2020 and 2021 [[horror game]] compilations ''[[Haunted PS1 Demo Disc]]'' by Irish developer Breogán Hackett.
==Career== Horn began his early career developing [[fangame]]s using the ''[[RPG Maker]]'' platform and developing short games for [[game jam]]s including the [[Global Game Jam]], citing these experiences as "important" to his progress to becoming an independent developer.<ref>{{cite web|website=Game Developer|last=Horn|first=Marcus|date=8 February 2013|title=How the Global Game Jam taught me to get better in planning and making a game|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/how-the-global-game-jam-taught-me-to-get-better-in-planning-and-making-a-game-}}</ref> Horn independently develops and self-publishes his games under the name Siactro, working on titles during weekends as "passion projects".<ref>{{cite web|website=YouTube|author=Nerds Sip|title=Marcus Horn of Siactro Creates Tasty Ramen - Game Developer Interview|date=2 March 2020|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIYPwQAWDw4}}</ref> He has expressed a preference for developing what he titles as "snack games", being short, simple and inexpensive games that are enjoyable to play.<ref>{{cite web|website=YouTube|title=Toree 3D & Super Kiwi 64: Creating "Snack" Games w/ Siactro|author=Super Switch Headz|date=12 January 2023|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yfWFCCnxHU}}</ref> Horn has stated the visual presentation and design of his games draw inspiration from 3D [[platform game|platformers]] from the 1990s, with his first game, ''Kiwi 64'', created to "pay tribute" to [[Rare (company)|Rare]] [[Nintendo 64]] games such as ''[[Banjo-Kazooie]]''.<ref>{{cite web|website=Silicon Era|title=Marcus Horn, Macbat 64 Developer, Talks 3D Platformers And N64 Inspirations|date=19 March 2016|last=Wong|first=Alistair|url=https://www.siliconera.com/marcus-horn-macbat-64-developer-talks-3d-platformers-n64-inspirations/}}</ref> Horn cites the decision to pursue this style arose from the desire to capture the "specific feeling" of these games, citing the "unpolished charm" and "experimental" design of [[platform game|platformers]] from this era.<ref>{{cite web|website=PS4 Blog|title=Siactro On Macbat 64|author=EdEN|date=8 October 2020|url=https://www.ps4blog.net/2020/10/ps4blog-net-interview-siactro-on-macbat-64/}}</ref>
Horn's games are published independently, but have been compiled for several console releases for the [[Nintendo Switch]] and [[Xbox]]. In July 2022, Diplodocus Games published a compilation of four titles by Siactro named ''Toree's 3D Platformer Collection'', including ''Toree 3D'', ''Toree 2'', ''Macbat 64'' and ''Regina & Mac''.<ref>{{cite web|website=Xbox|title=Toree's 3D Platformer Collection|date=15 July 2022|url=https://www.xbox.com/en-AU/games/store/torees-3d-platformer-collection/9p47t7vbjlmg}}</ref> In January 2023, publisher Leoful released ''Toree 3D'' for the [[Nintendo Switch]] as part of the compilation ''Super Retro Platformer Collection'', alongside Siactro's other titles ''Regina & Mac'' and ''Macbat 64''.<ref>{{cite web|website=Leoful|title=Super Retro Platformer Collection|date=13 January 2023|url=https://leoful.com/portfolio/leoful,physical/super-retro-platformer-collection/}}</ref>
===Acclaim=== Horn's games have received praise from several outlets for their evocation of early 3D [[platform game|platformers]], and associated with the revival of those games by independent developers.<ref>{{cite web|website=Destructoid|last=Devore|first=Jordan|title=Super Kiwi 64 is going for that '90s collect-a-thon vibe, and I'm in|date=8 April 2022|url=https://www.destructoid.com/super-kiwi-64-is-going-for-that-90s-collect-a-thon-vibe-and-im-in/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|website=Vice|title=If You're Nostalgic for 'Mario 64' You'll Want to Play 'Macbat 64'|last=Maiberg|first=Emanuel|date=7 March 2016|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/if-youre-nostalgic-for-mario-64-youll-want-to-play-macbat-64/}}</ref> Dale Bashir of ''[[IGN]]'' cited the ''Toree'' series as a "must-play" indie [[platform game|platformer]], stating the games "have a lot to offer" and were a "complete homage to [[PlayStation]] era platforming."<ref>{{cite web|website=IGN|title=Top 10 Must-Play Modern Indie Platformers For PC and Consoles |last=Bashir|first=Dale|date=14 September 2022|url=https://sea.ign.com/video-games/190248/news/top-10-must-play-modern-indie-platformers-for-pc-and-consoles}}</ref> Similarly, ''[[Giant Bomb]]'' praised Siactro's body of work for being "adept at invoking the aesthetic and gameplay of their chosen source material", stating the games "do a fine job crystallizing the essence of what the gaming scene was like at the turn of the millennium by nailing their look and feel".<ref>{{cite web|website=Giant Bomb|title=Indie Game of the Week 284: Siactro Showcase|date=26 August 2022|url=https://www.giantbomb.com/profile/mento/blog/indie-game-of-the-week-284-siactro-showcase/265041/}}</ref>
==Works== Under the name Siactro, Horn has self-published several independent games, listed below:
{| class="wikitable sortable" ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Title ! scope="col" |Release date ! scope="col" |Notes |- | 2014 | ''Kiwi 64'' | 30 December 2014 | |- | 2015 | ''Macbat 64'' | 3 July 2015 | Included in the compilations ''Toree's 3D Platformer Collection'' published by Diplodocus Games in 2022 for [[Xbox]] and the ''Super Retro Platformer Collection'' published by Leoful in 2023 for the [[Nintendo Switch]]. |- | 2016 | ''Silver Trigger 64'' | 21 August 2016 |- | 2019 | ''Tasty Ramen'' | 15 December 2019 | Featured in the ''[[Haunted PS1 Demo Disc]]'' [[horror game]] compilation in February 2020. |- | 2020 | ''Hungry Ducks'' | 31 August 2020 |- | 2021 | ''[[Toree 3D]]'' | 16 March 2021 | Featured in the ''[[Haunted PS1 Demo Disc]]'' [[horror game]] compilation in March 2021. Included in the compilations ''Toree's 3D Platformer Collection'' published by Diplodocus Games in 2022 for [[Xbox]] and the ''Super Retro Platformer Collection'' published by Leoful in 2023 for the [[Nintendo Switch]]. |- | 2021 | ''Toree 2'' | 30 September 2021 | Included in the compilation ''Toree's 3D Platformer Collection'' published by Diplodocus Games in 2022 for [[Xbox]]. |- | 2021 | ''Toree 3D Jumbled Jam'' | 15 October 2021 | |- | 2022 | ''Toree Genesis'' | 23 June 2022 | |- | 2022 | ''Beeny'' | 14 October 2022 | |- | 2022 | ''Super Kiwi 64'' | 3 December 2022 | |- | 2024 | ''Toree's Panic Pack'' | 19 July 2024 | Includes the previously mentioned ''Toree Genesis'', alongside two additional games (''Toree Jumbled Jam 2'' and ''Toree Missions''). |- | 2025 | ''Toree Saturn'' | 8 August 2025 | |- | 2025 | ''Dead Sight'' | 30 October 2025 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
[[Category:German video game designers]] [[Category:Indie game developers]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Video game writers]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]