Dear Readers,
Today I'll talk about starting this novel and highly enjoyable platformer that's like a cross between New Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong Country Returns, with a bit of the original Sonic The Hedgehog in there as well. I got it in a recent eShop sale!
What a great concept for a downloadable game! Love how the graphics have that old photo realistic style look, yet everything is fun and goofy and video game like. Imagine the GameCube times if developers weren't trying to be so serious about graphics and story but very serious about what makes a game fun. Though I guess that's what the Wii era was all about. Man there were great games back then...
The character models have that real/serious look, but often do goofy video game things like on the loading screen, where Dumpster Bear is falling between bumpers and coins and taking a daredevil skydiving stance, all set against a beautiful blue sky! These guys know a thing or two about bringing the magic of classic video games into the modern era and it made me smile straight away!
But yeah, after watching trailers, reviews and a few let's plays, I really wanted to take a big dumpster dive for myself.
The title screen has nice rolling hills, a cool logo with an angry bear coming out of a dumpster and the title emblazoned on the side. It's got riffy, movie-like music to accompany it that's easy on the ears.
The short opening story is highly entertaining and straight to the point: "AN EVIL CORPORATION DESTROYED HIS FOREST..."
Accompanying this is a cut scene of me walking through a bleak ruined landscape with a pipeline in the background(timely!)
"...FORCING HIM TO EAT DUMPSTER FOOD TO SURVIVE."
Then it's me swiping in frustration at a dumpster.
NOW IT'S HIS TURN TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH"
Finally it's me letting out a roar before starting my epic journey as Dumpster Bear.
Now for the first world, Dumpster Road. Lots of levels on offer on the map! 7 normal stages, 2 more challenging optional stages to unlock via secret level warps and 4 optional puzzle platforming stages to unlock after collecting enough salmon coins. Really like the gentle and chill theme that plays on the map screen too!
The loading times aren't bad at all. Much shorter than say, Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze. Plus it displays bear facts and precautions about dealing with bears in real life. Quite nice and fun! Though it wouldn't really apply here in Ireland. We'll never be caught paying for bear tax anyway!
The first level's music is great and really fun. It's a lively and groovy barn dance theme. I never get tired of it :)
I absolutely adore the graphics in this game. The backgrounds have parallax scrolling and in this level, green grass, mountains and blue skies. Bright and cheerful with some trees too. Some of that argument about "detail vs abstraction" comes in here but I always appreciate this kind of thing.
Straight away we see hop and bop gameplay like in Donkey Kong Country, along with that game's running theme of animals dealing with man made stuff like crates and barrels. The two hearts thing is just like in DKC Returns. We see Sonic gameplay with springs and ramps and speed grinding on rails, bringing a sense of speed and fun. There's also the bouncy bumpers straight out of Spring Yard Zone. We see Mario elements like pure fixed side scrolling, wall jumping and having three special coins to collect. Those crocodiles coming out of barrels like piranha plants are a very nice touch too!
In this level, the three red salmon coins are straightforward enough. You can get them all if you keep taking the higher ground.
That end of level belly flop on the target is pretty silly and fun and has the studio audience reaction thing from the newer Mario games too. They thought of everything!
So that was my first impressions and thoughts about the opening of the game and first level, Fresh Bear Activity. Many more levels ahead! Over 70 according to the official website!
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