Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe
A bright and colorful romp through a challenging game style, Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe (What a mouthful) is the newest of the indie titles to be published by Adult Swim Games. SPPD harkens back to the days long past when video games were often vibrant, non-nonsensical, and infuriatingly difficult, if not out-right impossible, to beat. The game feels old in style and game-play, but controls smoothly, seeming to be at home with many classic Super Nintendo games such as Tetris Attack! and Super Mario World.
In Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe, you play as one of eight little critters. Each has a unique ability, such as slow falling, double-jumping or a jetpack, and a set of stats that effects how fast it moves, how high it jumps, and how easily it destroys blocks. Blocks fall from the sky and you must avoid their weight crushing your little skull to prevent you losing power or, while in your weakest state, dying altogether. You have a weapon of some sort that you use to destroy blocks to collect block-bits and unclutter the playing area. Blocks adjacent to other blocks of the same color share damage and are thus destroyed at the same time, creating large chains and increasing your score. Collecting block-bits from destroyed blocks not only increases your score, but increases your power level and the relative difficulty of the level, making the level faster and faster paced. Eventually a falling hazard or falling into the pit at the bottom will claim your poor critter and you'll begin a new, potentially with new characters or levels unlocked.
The game also has a challenge mode which pit you against a specific game mechanic, such as spikes, cannons, or just falling blocks. While initially fun and interesting, the challenges are quickly beaten simply through memorization of patterns which leaves you feel inspired once you beat a challenge through trial and error rather than skill. The relatively shallow challenge mode is more than compensated by the 9 different characters and the six levels. Each of the levels has a retro-inspired soundtrack as well as unique traps which appear only in that level. This gives each level its own bite and it's quite a challenge learning how to cope with each new hazard as you progress through levels.
Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe is a cute little game that you can throw away a good chuck of time to. While the classic mode has a good challenge to it, it can be at times rather infuriating simply due to movement not quite being perfect as you might hope. A small list of minor issues such as odd hit detection, non-nonsensical game mechanics, and some small movement issues do detract from the game a bit, but it's still quite an enjoyable game that I keep finding myself going back for more. While I can't truly suggest picking the game up at full retail, if you can find it on sale, I would have no issues giving it a try!