Portable Animation Tool Inchworm Just Got Updated for the Nintendo 3DS

It’s been five years since Bob Sabiston‘s Flat Black Films released the animation, paint, and camera software Inchworm Animation for the Nintendo DSi.

Now the tool, made by the same studio behind the rotoscoping workflow for Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly, has been updated and released as Inchworm Animation II for the Nintendo 3DS.

The updated software boasts a “revolutionary graphics engine which allows you to create animation as it plays,” and also lets users create motion-graphics loops in stereoscopic 3D at 30 fps. There are built-in anti-aliased and transparent brushes. Additionally, users can shoot video, time-lapse and stop-motion, and add sound. There’s also the ability to onionskin, underdraw, do stamp-making, and add particles.

“The original Inchworm was designed for sharing work online, but it just wasn’t possible then,” says developer Sabiston. “Thankfully times have changed, and it’s super easy to upload Butterfly animations to the gallery. In addition to featuring user-generated artwork, the website has video tutorials explaining how to get the most out of the program. Like Inchworm, Butterfly is easy to use but not dumbed-down. It’s not really a game, and it’s not for kids. It’s for people who like to be creative in coffeeshops.”

Butterfly: Inchworm Animation II is available in Nintendo’s eShop for $5. You can also see what people have been using the tool to create at the official Butterfly web site.