Super Meat Boy Review
By -- Craig H.
Super Meat Boy describes itself as a “tough-as-nails” platformer and rightfully so. The game is punishingly hard but you can’t help but keep playing. The satisfaction of completing each of the 300+ levels is extremely rewarding and should be attempted by anyone who enjoys platform gaming.
The story in Super Meat Boy plays like a typical Super Mario tale. Super Meat Boy has the same goal for each level: Save Bandage Girl (just like how Mario’s goal was to save the princess). Bandage Girl has been kidnapped by the evil Dr. Fetus (Dr. Fetus is a fetus in a jar dressed in a suit and monocle) and it’s up to Super Meat Boy to save the day. Each level must be completed with a single life with no checkpoint options what-so-ever. Sprinkled along Super Meat Boy’s path are saw blades, old needles, lava, and loads of other hazards that will turn him into a blood splatter.
Super Meat Boy has a very simple but charming visual presentation. While the game is not pushing the limits of downloadable gaming it does work well for this type of game. A simple design is needed to make this game playable. Having too much on screen would have made it incredibly hard to see and play. The cutscenes are simple but hugely entertaining. The comedy is done well with tie-ins to other gaming franchises such as Mega Man 2 and Donkey Kong.
This game is hard….really hard. Super Meat Boy is not for the faint of heart and will have you cursing at your TV several times throughout the game. The slightest of mistakes will send you back to the beginning of the level to try it all over again. The game features no checkpoints so precision is key. To tack on even more difficulty, each level is timed and you must reach Bandage Girl as fast as possible. Luckily, you don’t have to finish every level in order to reach the boss battle. Each death leaves the blood splatter of a failed attempt as an eerie reminder of the past. Don’t let the hundreds of deaths deter you from pushing forward to reach Bandage Girl.
If just reaching the end was not hard enough you have bandages and warp zones to find during the game. These zones are usually off the beaten path and require extra skill to reach. Bandages can be used to unlock various other indie characters such as Tim from Braid, Alien Hominid, Commander Video and more. Each of the unlockable characters have unique abilities including floating, rewinding time, and sticking to name a few. Most of the time you can switch between the characters on the fly to pick the best character to complete the level.
Overall, Super Meat Boy is a punishingly hard game that you can’t help but play over and over. Some type of co-op or multiplayer options would have been nice but with 300+ levels it’s hard to deny getting your money’s worth. Anyone who enjoys platform gaming should pick this game up immediately.
Pros:
Simple but charming visuals
Classic platforming at its finest
Story is hilarious and a joy to watch
Punishingly hard gameplay will be a treat for hardcore gamers
Cons:
No co-op or multiplayer options
Punishingly hard gameplay may deter the casual audience
RATING: 9/10
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