Pizza Tower
If you haven’t heard it from your video game friend, or from just a video game person you happen to follow, or if you missed it when I mentioned it: Pizza Tower rules and you should play it.
This game feels good to play. Which seems like a dog way of describing the game. But everything about playing this game feels right, even if you are not good. For 98% of the game if you make a mistake in your movements you will be safe from any real punishment. This is helped by the fact that Mr. Spaghetti is invulnerable, he will take damage but you’ll never game over because of it. Controlling Peppino Spaghetti is a kinetic chain, each one of his actions can flow into one another. It’s just up to you to decide what Peppino will do. The polished feel isn’t just in its gameplay, it is found in the level designs. There are 20 levels in Pizza Tower (not counting boss fights and the race at the end) and each one has it’s own concept. There is just a ton of variety packed into each level. And once you are comfortable moving about each level the game makes you loop back to the start on a timer. A mad dash before the main antagonist, Pizza Face, can eliminate you. The crude aesthetic of the game fits so well and it looks good. It’s just a vibe of MS Paint and old school 90s cartoons. Peppino, his friends and enemies are all incredibly expressive. The animations are great. Peppino goes from a hapless pizza man into a whirling dervish of pain, suplexing and throwing guys as he sees fit. It rules, it’s a game anyone one of any level can play and beat.
In essence: Someone found Wario Land in the freezer, defrosted it and it rules.