Review: Castle Crashers delivers another XBLA hit
Posted on 05 September 2008 by Erik
Before we get into Castle Crashers, I’d like to point out that it’s not a stretch to say that I’ve had more fun playing $15 dollar or less titles this summer than any of the big name–and big priced–titles for the Xbox 360. Now this may change once we get closer to releases Fable II, Fallout 3 and Left 4 Dead, but it’s undeniable that the arcade extravaganza Xbox Live has served up this summer is one of the best smattering of games I’ve come across; I can only hope that this is just the beginning of the digital distribution revolution.
The decision to save CC for last was a wise one, after getting plenty of time to run around with Geometry Wars 2, Bionic Commando and Braid, I was prepped for another new title that implemented the retro tried and true tactics into itself. If Geometry Wars reminded us of the fun we had playing Asteroid and Braid felt like a darker, more puzzling Mario Bros, then what does Crashers bring to mind?
Castle Crashers throws you back into the arcade (or in front of your NES) as the 4 main color coordinated characters hold an unmistakable quality reminiscent of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles titles of old.
What makes CC a vast improvement from the archaic side scrolling titles is that it replaces the dust with a beautiful glossy finish; and in addition to the cherry, the game adds the whipped topping and chocolate sauce on top in representing the beat ‘em up genre.
Looking on the surface, you’ll find that Castle Crashers is full of vibrant colors, legitimately hilarious sequences and a nice variety in how you go about killing your enemy ; but you really don’t see your 15 dollars stretch until you get into some of the deeper qualities of the game.
With the stat/point system implemented, you can improve your character through magic, strength, dexterity or defense as you see fit, and playing through with a couple of my friends it was quite clear that while certain attributes came in handy on certain levels more than others, there was no wrong way to level up your character.
Speaking of characters, I was delighted to discover that most every standard enemy you encounter is an unlockable character with its own brand of attacks to master, add this to the incredibly difficult ‘Insane Mode’ unlocked only after you beat the game in its formidable regular mode and you end up with more than a few handfuls of replay value.
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Tags | Castle Crashers, NewGrounds, Review, XBLA, XBOX 360, Xbox Live Arcade
September 5th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
No mention of the animal orbs? gots to have my Beholder!