Valve Software today announced that it will distribute Rag Doll Kung Fu through its Steam digital distribution service for $12.95 beginning October 12.

　　The brainchild of Lionhead designer Mark Healey, Rag Doll Kung Fu is a unique side-scrolling 3D platformer in that it has absolutely no prescripted animations. All player movements are controlled using the mouse, by clicking and dragging various limbs and using simple motions to walk characters around the screen, jump, kick, punch, headbutt, wield weapons, dance, and even pick up and throw (or eat) objects.

　　In March, Healey presented the game to his peers at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco to a very warm reception. Immediately after the presentation, a handful of Valve employees approached Healey to discuss distributing it through the company's Steam service. The talks proved fruitful, and now Healey's labor of love, constructed entirely during his spare time for more than a year, is ready for release.

　　"Rag Doll was originally just an idea for me and some friends to have some fun making an old-style Kung Fu movie," said Healey. "It's amazing to think that a tongue-in-cheek film project has now evolved into a full game being distributed via Steam. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as my friends and I enjoyed making it."