Splosion Man Review

BY Matthew Erazo | POSTED: 30 August 2009

Old school game design makes a explosive return.



There doesn't seem that there is any room for games hailing from the 16-bit school of design. Bigger budgets and powerful consoles bring new ways of design to our favorite games. While this isn't a bad thing, sometimes it always good to sit back and enjoy a retro style game that will most assuredly bring a smirk to your face and memories of gaming past. Luckily, downloadable games are perfect to scratch this itch. Their lower budgets and easier development allow for new ideas and a retro way of thinking. Developer Twisted Pixel has taken this route and crafted a side-scrolling puzzle platformer that is deeply rooted in 16-bit design with an injection of new wave ideas.



In 'Splosion Man, you play as the titular character who must 'splode his way out of a top secret research facility before your creators can despose of you properly. In order to do this, you'll traverse more than 50 levels that will call your 'sploding expertise. You can 'splode three times in a row before you must recharge for a few seconds and each level offers a different puzzle or reflex challenge that will call for strategic 'sploding in order to pass.

The game is deceptively simple. Every button on the controller causes you to 'splode, so only timing and clever thinking are the skills required. Each level presents a different challenge that must be tackled with the idea that you can only 'splode so three times and littered thoroughout are explosive barrels, flame jets, and other tricks and traps that can be used to traverse the obstacles. At first, levels are easy and teach you the basics, but later levels are brutally difficult and require precise timing and quick thinking. If you find the level too hard and are dying a lot, the game allows you to skip to the next level, albeit with a pink toutou, but this feature alleviates frustration and just allows you to have fun.

A puzzle platformer like this lives and dies by it's level design, easily falling into pitfalls with crudely designed levels. Luckily Twisted Pixel shows that is has an eye for designing amazing levels. The puzzles are never too confusing or cheap or boring. Cleverly placed barrels, spike walls, and other obstacles both hint at your next step and provide nerve wracking tension that results in a gratifying feeling of accomplishment after you pass it. Single player level design is only surpassed by the co-op multiplayer's levels. Multiplayer mode allows for up to four people to 'splode together through 50 separate levels that are even more well designed and genious. They provide unique challenges that take advantage of co-op, which brings the ability to 'splode off each other to launch higher, and don't feel liked tacked on additions or single player level transplants.

Twisted Pixel could have left it at that, but there titular hero brings a much appreciated madness and to the game. Straight out of a Chuck Jones cartoon, 'Splosion Man is a manic and hyper agent of destruction. His animations and noises are well done and hilarious, as he runs at his prey and spouts Schwarzeneggar lines. He's both adorable and insane, adding a cartoonish and whimsical feeling to the game.



Twisted Pixel has established quite a name for themselves with both The Maw and now 'Splosion Man, showing that retro game design can be combined with new ideas. 'Splosion Man keeps things simple while also providing an intense challenge and clever gameplay that feels like it's straight out of a Super Nintendo cart. It a fast, fun, manic, and 'splosive game that will keep you entertained for a long while.