Developer: Team Meat
Platform: PC (Also available on X-Box Live Arcade / Cancelled on WiiWare)
Release Date: November 30, 2010
Genre: Casual, Indie
In a time where the game industry has forgotten its roots in developing games through their limitations, Super Meat Boy revitalizes many aspects that made games simple, challenging, and entertaining. With a well defined concept and ingenious level designs, Super Meat Boy is sure to turn into a classic hit. Before it reaches there, let us play this great game.
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| Source: http://www.justpushstart.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/smb1.jpg |
Graphics
It’s difficult to describe the graphics in a single sense. If I remember correctly, Super Meat Boy started off as a Flash game and so it retains much of quirky cartoonish cut scenes and simplified character drawings. But in the recreated, retail game, there are all sorts of different zones that visit much of the retro-age pixel graphics. The animation is what impresses me. The character moves so fluidly and the developers put in the detail of having meat stained where death was previously met each time. There are times where some of the objects seem to blend with the background which impedes on the progression of a level. But it isn’t a big issue considering the way the game was designed. “Learning from past mistakes” is the key to getting past challenges in this game. Meat stains stay even after death; this helps the player judge the distance and timing of certain areas after each failed attempt. That fact that the graphics are simple and takes up very little processing power allows for a smoother gameplay experience which is necessary when playing in the harder difficulties. Graphics: 9/10
Audio
The music is amazing. It doesn’t catch on very quickly and may not be incredibly memorable, but it stimulates the mind and adds to the experience. It’s a mix of retro synth with grungy guitar riffs that acknowledges the many references to retro games as well as nodding to the player and saying “yes, this is a seriously hard game” through powerful chords. The sound effects are appropriate and humorous. It is one thing to make a game infuriatingly difficult and another to say “it’s okay, that was kinda funny”. The splatter and splat noises coming from each of the deaths of Meat Boy can feel sucky, but it doesn’t matter after 20, 50, 100 deaths later. The addition of the announcer that shouts “SUPER MEAT BOOOOOY” and “WARP ZOOOOONE” is a nice touch that supports the quirky demeanor of the characters in the game. I’m still debating whether I’d listen to the music outside of the game or not. I think I would, but the music doesn’t really stick very well. Memorable music is a difficult thing to achieve, but it fulfilled its duty on setting the mood. Audio: 9/10
Gameplay
The objective is simple, get from point A to point B. Getting there is the hard part. Meat Boy can run, slide, and jump off walls. Utilizing these simple moves, the player has to maneuver through chain saws, razors, salt, lasers, fire pits, and other things that can kill him. As Meat Boy, you will die a lot (A LOT). But it’s okay, because each level takes less than a minute to beat. The game’s fluid movements and challenging level designs is what made me interested. Growing up, I played Super Mario Bros., Castlevania, and Ninja Gaiden (I didn’t play Mega Man until much later) and enjoyed the challenging. What I would’ve liked in those retro games was controls with fluid movements without having to stop. (Ninja Gaiden was somewhat smooth. Despite that, they were all great games). It’s a bit intimidating having to die several times before getting past the first obstacle of a level, but the fact that there’s no limit to how many times you die and having the chance to try again immediately serves justice to the difficulty the player has to endure. Along with the main game are secrets. Playing games like Metroid and Megaman makes one enjoy finding secrets and specials, and Super Meat Boy has that aspect about it. Special areas, secret characters, faster paths, and alternate versions of levels are a few of the things to search for when playing the game. Because of this, the replay value is quite high for a platformer because it can be played in different ways and styles depending on the characters (each character has a special ability). I honestly don’t have much to criticize the gameplay or level designs. I haven’t enjoyed a platformer like this since Doukutsu Monogatari (Cave Story). Gameplay: 10/10
Overall
Sure the graphics aren’t astounding and mind blowing as other indie developers have demonstrated and perhaps the music isn’t Harry Gregson Williams (Metal Gear Solid) or Daisuke Ishiwatari (Guilty Gear/BlazBlue); however, it serves as appropriate for the game in the theme of eccentric characters and crazy adventures. Super Meat Boy is a great example of a well developed game that goes beyond its core structure by adding the dynamics of collection and secrets. Though it doesn’t tell a compelling story or present a mind-blowing action cinematic, it does something most games sold in the market forget to do: make a fun game. The game can be played in so many ways in different styles. Do you complete all the levels? Try to get all A+ scores? Collect all the Bandages? Beat the game with every character? Perform speed runs without dying? The sheer difficulty may not interest everybody, but those who seek challenge will find homage in all that was great in the retro days now with this gem of a game. Overall: 9.3/10
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