Super Meat Boy
Windows, OS X, Linux, Xbox 360, PS4, PS Vita, Wii U
Developer: Team Meat
Background
Move over Mario and Sonic, this game is a true punishing platformer. Super Meat Boy is a platforming game where you play as, you guessed it… Meat Boy as he makes his way through punishing mazes of death, avoiding spinning saw blades, walls of hypodermic needles and incredibly foreboding drops, to save his girlfriend Bandage Girl, who has been kidnapped by the evil Dr. Fetus. Developed by Team Meat, Super Meat Boy has seen continued released on platforms from the 2010 release of Xbox 360, up until this years release on Nintendo’s Wii U.
Story
This game features an adorable little guy without skin, named Meat Boy. He has a girlfriend named Bandage Girl and they share a great love. Now the main issue of this game sees a classic conflict rehashed with Bandage Girl being kidnapped by the evil Dr. Fetus. In order to save the woman he loves, Meat Boy must run, jump and climb past hundreds of pain filled levels.
As you progress through each violent and murderous world, you will vault over perilous traps and death-filled mazes, collecting bandages and conquering difficult tasks to rescue his love. That isn’t all the challenges you will face however. At the end of each world you will face off against bosses as they attempt to kill you. You will face off against crazy threats like Dr. Fetus in a giant chainsaw walker and even a alternate version of Meat Boy that is made of Dr. Fetus’ waste as opposed to body muscle.
Gameplay
Super Meat Boy has about the most simple controls in the world. Run, jump, and sprint are all you need to know. The platforming of this game is built around quick timing and precise placement. There are also numerous characters to play as some playing very different from Meat Boy himself. Commander Video for instance, is not as fast as Meat Boy, but he possess the ability to float in the air for a short amount of time. Then you have the unfortunate character of Tofu Boy, who is a joke character who originated from animal right’s group Peta’s parody game Super Tofu Boy, has the worst stats of any character and cannot pass most of the levels due to his poor abilities. There are numerous ways that this game will drive you to the edge, but not enough to where you feel like you should stop playing. It makes sure you will die hundreds of times but every time you can see the end in sight just enough so that you say “next time for sure.”
Difficulty
I cannot stress this enough, this game is hard as hell. Even trying to get far enough into this game to review it was a difficult task. I don’t play a lot of platformers as I have found out they pull out the worst in me. I find them to be very difficult to begin with and I often don’t have the patience to play them all the way through. Now let me tell you about how many times I found myself on the verge of punching my screen due to the level of difficulty that this game has. I am definitely okay with admitting that I suck at this game but despite all the difficulty and struggling I went through to progress through this game, it was a delight to play as it challenged me as a gamer. Games like this push gamers to their limits and I definitely was tested. Now I know I have to polish my platforming skills.
Verdict: 10/10
If you aren’t aware of how significant this game is, then allow me to break it down for you. Super Meat Boy is one of the cornerstone games that created the indie gaming industry as we know it today. It went on to show that games do not need to be developed by teams of a hundred people, with huge budgets and a bug name publisher to get the name out their. This game helped set the precedent for indie game innovation by showcasing a new take on a simple game genre. This game takes a simple platformer, dumps a heaping pile of suffering into the mix and all you will want to say is “Thank you.” It also leaves just enough room for the player to feel a deep sense of success upon completion. Be warned, this game is not for those without patience, but those who can calm themselves long enough to learn the angle of each level, will feel a sense of accomplishment equal to that of the Souls series.
