Too often gamers bring down the mighty wrath
of the collective community down upon a game
for being a 'clone'.
While sometimes justified (especially if artistic
theft is involved), more often than not gamers
are simply witnessing the natural progression
of any new idea to mass production and eventual
refinement in to a genre.
Super Crate Box by Vlambeer and Halfbot is
arguably the progenitor of its particular
flavor and style of arcade action-platforming,
but with competitors already mimicking the
formula, is it still the best?
In a very basic and real sense, there's just
no copying what makes Super Crate Box so fun
and addictive.
Despite oodles of enemies pouring their way
down the platforms towards a firey pit, players
must focus their attention on collecting crates
to earn points and having their weapon randomly
switched in the process.
Depending on your luck and skill a round can
last from a few points to several dozen or
even more if you've mastered the mechanics.
It's clear that much of the development time
went in to its deceptively simple controls,
with the response times on these buttons being
near instantaneous.
Oddly though the precise level of these controls
(including the game's collision detection)
can be off-putting for those used to playing
platformers.
There's no light level of physics to simulate
inertia, nor is there any cool down between
jumps allowing the player to 'bounce' if they
land faster than normal (such as jumping while
between platforms).
For many, this is what makes SCB so competitive
and challenging - there's literally no one
to blame for yourself for errors - with that
said, it can feel incredibly awkward to play
until you've racked up a lot of game time.
Adding to this is the broad and randomized
selection of weapons on offer ranging from
pistols to laser rifles - each one operating
in unique ways with damage to match.
Being stuck with mines when a crate is at
the top of the level can be a nightmare, but
that's part of the risk and fun of playing
the game.
It can take a while to feel comfortable with
everything on offer, however the Dual Pistols
seem to have lost something in the translation
to touch controls as their weak bullets and
lack of auto-fire make them frustrating to
use in almost all situations.
Longevity and replay value is further bolstered
by unlockables in the form of new characters
to randomly spawn as; new weapons; new game
modes (essentially higher difficulty levels);
and most interestingly of all the developer
has promised updates based on the number of
crates unlocked - we'll have to see how that
plays out in the future.
Unfortunately, most of this content can be
unlocked in the first hour and all but the
most hardcore of audiences will be left seeking
out highscores they may never topple.
With all of this in mind Super Crate Box still
the king of its kind if only because there's
just no way to match the original's fast-paced,
energetic gameplay.
If you're motivated by high scores or just
want a mindless action distraction, Super
Crate Box is a fantastic way to spend your
spare time.
