Spinch

Making a great 2D platformer is not as easy as it seems. So many developers have spent the last three decades attempting to recreate the fun and excitement of those old 8- and 16-bit games, with most of the attempts falling way short of expectations. That's one of the reasons why I'm so excited to talk about Spinch, the trippy new game from the makers of Onion Force. Not only does it have a psychedelic look that is all its own, but this little throwback also manages to get just about every aspect of the genre right. I think it's fair to call Spinch a great 2D platformer.

When I tell you that colors are real jerks, you're probably going to look at me weird. That's because you don't know that all those bright and vibrant colors you see in the world are actually a living, breathing species made up of mostly water and photons. The more important thing you need to know is that because these colors have an insatiable hunger, they have evolved into one of nature's deadliest predators, feasting on the delicious flesh of Spinch children.

You play one of the full-grown Spinch parents who refuses to let their offspring get gobbled up by those evil colors. It's our job to run and jump through six different worlds, each with a specific theme and four different stages to complete. The goal is to collect all of the Spinch offspring and then use them in the fight against the big bad bosses standing in your way. If you can do all this, then maybe your children will finally be able to grow up in a world where there isn't the constant fear of being swallowed whole by a floating face.

Unfortunately, the adult Spinch is not exactly known for having a lot of abilities. Beyond the typical running, jumping and climbing, their only other move is to dash forwards or backwards. This gives the game a unique feel, because so much of the gameplay involves using the dash as a way to run or even as a second jump, all of which you can combine into one fluid motion that has you traversing the levels in ways you didn't think were possible. There's a nice learning curve to the action, and the fact that everything controls so well makes this game a delight to play.

But don't let the simplicity fool you, because you're going to need to master the gameplay if you're going to beat the harder stages. Every world has its own set of enemies and obstacles, and let me tell you, this game gets tough. From dashing over ice to swimming through pink water to climbing up wooden faces, Spinch throws a lot at the player. And just when you think you've seen it all, there's a floating pill monster overhead throwing flash bombs that will kill our hero instantly if they aren't hidden undercover. Every single level is bursting with personality, and I absolutely love how much variety there is from one moment to the next.

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This is a game that manages to get all the elements right, even the little stuff. A good example of this is the checkpointing, which always seems like it's the perfect distance away. It also helps that the levels themselves aren't especially long, so it never feels like there's a lot of filler. That's one of the reasons why I like that the worlds only have a handful of levels to complete. So many platformers fall in love with their worlds and want to keep you there as long as possible, but this game is good about getting you in and out before the backgrounds grow stale. I love that.

On the other hand, the one thing I don't love are the bosses. This is one of those games where all the bosses are kind of the same. They all have different attacks and will use each world's obstacles against you, but they aren't all that memorable. This is kind of surprising, considering just how unforgettable the rest of the visuals are. Every one of these bosses can be defeated in the exact same way, which is another aspect of the fight that didn't work for me. I like the idea of using the captured kids against the boss, but these battles are the only parts of the game that feels repetitive.

Thankfully, you'll completely forget about the disappointing boss fights the moment you jump into the next stage. I can't believe we're at the end of the review and I have barely mentioned the incredible art design. This is a world brought to life by the award-winning cartoonist Jesse Jacobs, who somehow manages to make every single stage standout. It's a psychedelic fever dream that is bursting with color and constantly changing. I couldn't wait to see where the game would take me next, which is not something I often say about 2D platformers. You've probably played a lot of games like Spinch before, but I guarantee that none of them have looked like this.