Monkey by Blitz Research Ltd has been re-branded to Monkey X. Monkey X focuses on multi-platform and multi-device game development. Monkey code translates to the language used by the platform. Javascript for HTML5 games for example and C#/XNA when targeting Xbox 360. Supported platforms are Windows, Mac OSX, Linux, Flash, HTML5, iOS, Android, WP7/8, Xbox 360 and more. Ouya as well!
With the re-branding also comes a new free version. Before, the free version only supported the HTML5 target but now also includes the desktop target. Other targets can be acquired by purchasing a Monkey X Pro license.
Now that the desktop target is freely available as well I think I’ll go give Monkey a try soon. I haven’t used BlitzMax in ages (and I consider it a dead end as well) and since Monkey is very similar to BlitzMax I don’t expect too much trouble to get adapted to it.