Review: Shovel Knight

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Originally published on Pixelitis.net on June 26, 2014.

Playing Shovel Knight will result in you knowing more puns about digging than you’d ever wager.

Seriously, indie developer Yacht Club Games even has a town NPC dedicated to making as many puns about the titular game hero’s weapon of choice as possible. And yes, I chortled at almost every single one.

It’s been more than a year since that fateful reveal of the retro-styled action platformer on the eve of PAX East 2013. With Ex-Wayforward folks and composer Jake “virt” Kaufman working on it, it’s easy to understand the hype.

But like with every crowdfunded project, there ultimately comes the time when an indie developer has to start putting its money where its mouth is.

So dig deeper to find out if Shovel Knight really is the retro bombshell that everyone was hyping it up to be. Or is the game too grounded in the 8-bit days of yore?

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Review: Mario Kart 8

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Originally published on May 29, 2014 on Pixelitis.net.

I know what you’re thinking. Mario Kart 8? There’s that many of them?

With the Mario Kart franchise reaching its 22nd anniversary this year, you’d think it would look and feel stale by now. But in typical Nintendo fashion, Mario Kart 8 rejuvenates the series, this time debuting in high definition.

And it sure looks pretty.

It’s no lie that Mario Kart’s first foray into HD is a welcome upgrade, but a bigger question has been lingering in my head since its reveal at E3 2013 last year. Does this new iteration shake things up in a novel way a la Double Dash!!, or does it settle for its track record (pun fully intended) of enjoyable yet decidedly safe and unwavering design?

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Review: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

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Originally published on Pixelitis.net on Feb. 17, 2014.

When Nintendo announced Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze as a follow-up to Retro Studios’ Donkey Kong Country Returns at last year’s E3, some fans felt bummed that it wasn’t the developer’s glorious return to the Metroid Prime series.

I think they’ll be singing a different tune once they start playing the game.

There’s no monkey business behind it; the game’s style and feel are largely the same as its 2010 predecessor. You’re still ground-pounding, rolling, shooting out of barrels and collecting bananas and coins. Nevertheless, there are a number of improvements that are readily apparent in this Wii U sequel, and Cranky Kong’s celebrated reveal is only a small slice of the proverbial banana.

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Review: Sonic Lost World

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Originally published on Pixelitis.net on Nov. 15, 2013.

Making Sonic’s latest adventure a Nintendo exclusive was a curious gesture on Sega’s part.

Regardless of whether Sega saw something special in the Wii U’s GamePad capabilities or if it was just a matter of backdoor corporate politics, fans have been undeniably curious to see if this latest outing could continue the positive track record left by Sonic Colors and Generations before it.

So does Sonic Lost World succeed, or is it a lost cause?

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Review: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

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Originally published on Pixelitis.net on Dec. 14, 2011.

Since the official reveal trailer of the game back at E3 2010, I was stoked for the newest entry in the Zelda series. My experience and love for Zelda goes as far back as 1994, when my child self was introduced to the wonder that was A Link to the Past. Since then, I’ve always gotten giddy for a new big Zelda release.

You may hear talk on the internet about whether Skyward Sword really is the best Zelda game yet. I personally feel that it’s certainly up there. Despite some noticeable issues, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a masterpiece and quite possibly the best Wii title to date.

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