Life of Pixel | Wii U

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Ah, nothing like the smell of nostalgia in the morning. The last decade or so has seen a huge rise in retro-inspired games, largely due to the amount of freedom now afforded to independent developers and publishers. Everything from Bit.Trip.Saga to Limbo, to Super Meat Boy and beyond have riffed on the past, but none of them have done it in such a beautiful, educational way like Life of Pixel.

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By
​Rob Holt

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​@acousticmagic

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Platforms: Wii U, PC, Mac, Linux.
Developer: Super Icon Ltd
Publisher: Super Icon Ltd
​Players: 1

You control the titular pixel, a young cuboid with a thirst for history. His past just so happens to take in the marvellous 8-bit and 16-bit eras, covering everything from the Atari 2600, to the BBC Micro, ZX Spectrum and more familiar big-hitters like Nintendo’s Game Boy, NES and SNES. If you’re a Sega fan don’t worry - playing through the game unlocks the Master System and the Mega Drive. The truly wonderful part about this is that each system’s graphical and musical styles are gloriously recreated, as you platform your way through yesteryear.   

The control system and game mechanics are nice and easy; one button for jumping, one button for action/commands, and the trusty old d-pad for movement (we remove our glove and slap the face of any pilgrim using analogue sticks on this one). The goal is simple; collect all the gems strewn across the level, then make it to the exit. Collecting special gems unlocks achievements (Nintendo, please make sure the NX has a trophy style system as is industry standard!) and special consoles/levels for you to play.

The trick to Life of Pixel is its double-jump mechanic; you’ll learn the art swiftly, and grow to love how the increasing difficulty tests your skills. Gravity inversion puzzles and devious enemies (bats, how I despise thee) round out the experience to great effect, providing a really diverse and robust platforming experience.

The graphics are superb; each system is beautifully reborn in its classic style. The Game Boy levels have that one-of-a-kind greenish hue, the 15 colour palette of the ZX Spectrum is present and correct, and the chunky thick-cut chips sprites of the SNES remain delicious. There’s great attention to detail in every pixel present - fittingly of the character - such as the spray of tiny pixels every time you die, and Super Icon should be applauded for such fine work.

you’ll need discipline, guts and more patience than Gary Barlow to get through some levels...

The level design is also brilliant; the double jump coming into its own as you hurdle platforms, avoid spikes and clear liquid pits of doom. The gravity inversion sections make you think about every move and jump, as you slither along the ceiling. The well placed special gems trick you into committing hari-kiri to get them, something we loved, being so sadistic. The enemies are super too; standard grunts give way to flying bats, to tanks firing guns at great speed. Make no mistake about it: Life of Pixel gets tough pretty quickly, and you’ll need discipline, guts and more patience than Gary Barlow to get through some levels - although only a handful feel unbalanced or unfair, which is commendable.

The soundtrack is a retro-gamers delight too, and builds on the nostalgia of the visuals and gameplay to create a delectable mixture. Super Icon have worked with a range of artists from the chiptune movement, resulting in a different tune for every level - music that fits the era and machine.

We loved Life of Pixel, and don’t really have anything negative to say about it. The difficulty level might be too much for some, but for the hardened retro-head, or the peewee after a taste of history, this game provides great entertainment. Online leaderboards for speed-runs add an extra level of lastability to an already beefy game - do yourself a favour Wii U owners: buy it.

Pros

• Fantastic history lesson
• Fabulous chiptune music
• Beautiful homage to original art-styles
• Huge challenge
• Excellent mechanics
• Online leaderboards provide staying power

Cons

• Will be too damn hard for a lot of folks!
• Can occasionally feel unfair

Score: 9/10