Antonblast

For as long as I can remember, game critics have wanted to pretend that December doesn’t exist. They’ll get to the end of November and then immediately name their Game of the Year awards or publish yet another top ten lists. But I’m here to tell you that great games come out year-round, even in December. And just in time to prove my point comes Antonblast, quite possibly the most 1995 video game you’ll ever play. With its extreme 32-bit pixel graphics, zany cartoon sound effects and a hero who is so in-your-face that he comes with his own scream button, this brand-new side-scroller is one of the most chaotic and explosive platformers you’ll ever play. But is that a good thing? Find out now when I review Antonblast by Summitsphere.

You know who sucks? Satan. Not only because he’s vain and narcissistic, but also because he breaks into Dynamite Anton’s place and steals his prized collection of Spirits. What a jerk! Now it’s up to Anton (or his fussy coworker Annie) to use the Mighty F’n Hammer to slam, smash and utterly annihilate anything and everything in a series of extremely creative side-scrolling levels.

From the opening set-up, you know that Antonblast is going to be a series of increasingly chaotic moments woven together by one explosion after another. It’s like Michael Bay made a Sega Saturn game with a character who is a mix of Wario, Bomberman and Hammerin’ Harry. The pixel graphics all have sharp edges and weird proportions, like a 1990s shows on the Cartoon Network. It even sounds like a 1990s cartoon, both with the goofy sound effects and the insanely catchy rock soundtrack. Whether intentional or not, this is a game that took me right back to the dawn of the 32-bit era.

Antonblast is the kind of game where you’re always in control of the character, even though it doesn’t always seem like it. A lot of the action revolves around that mighty hammer and the destruction it causes. You can use the hammer in a lot of obvious ways, like smashing the enemies and plowing through crates and other obstructions. You’ll also need to slam that mighty hammer on the ground to do a high jump and whirl it around to get a little air in your leaps. And these are not just recommended moves you’ll use to find hidden collectables, because you’ll quickly discover that the level designs are built around you perfecting Anton’s various moves.

Speaking of level designs, one thing that really impressed me about Antonblast is that this is not a simple run from left to right affair. Although the levels look simple at first, you’ll quickly discover that there’s going to be a lot of exploration involved, and not just if you want to find all of the collectables. The stages are long and windy and full of paths that may or may not lead to the prize. And even when you get there and snag the stolen Spirit, you’ll still need to high-tail it out of there, running all the way back through the entire level (without dying) before the timer runs out. The whole heist angle is really exciting.

In a lot of ways, the level designs in Antonblast remind me of Wario Land on the Virtual Boy. If you missed out on that mid-90s black-and-red classic, then the gimmick was that you could jump from the foreground to the background in order to avoid obstacles and find new paths to take. You’ll do the same thing here, which means that you’re constantly going to need to pay attention to the two different layers, because that dumpster in the background may be your ticket out of here. You’ll also run into items and characters that will transform our hero in fun ways. In one section you will fly through the air with reckless abandon using a jetpack, while later on you’ll need to be killed by a certain type of enemy so that Anton’s ghost can fly to even greater heights. This game is goofy and over-the-top in the best ways possible.

And just wait until you see the bosses. There’s no traditional boss battle here, because every one of these over-the-top creatures brings a craziness that is all their own. There’s a one-on-one fight with a wrestler that sets the tone for the game, but that’s just a taste of what you can expect. One of my favorites is a cigar-smoking big band singer and his zoot suit army, who will use card tricks to try to gain the upper hand. Speaking of entertainers, you’ll also have to dodge curse words hurled at you by an opera singer. And did I mention hat you’ll go head-to-head with a demonic bell? It’s not just that these battles are deliciously random, but they are also intense and require the player to pay close attention and use all of Anton’s moves to come out on top.

For as much as I love the gameplay and boss fights, there are a couple of things that hold Antonblast back. One of them is the way the levels are separated into small chunks. This reminds me of those mid-90s handheld games where each section of the level has to be short due to technical limitations. You’ll spend a few seconds in one part of the level, only to exit into another small part of the level. This is always separated by a cut to black, which I found blunted some of the momentum. It’s a minor complaint, but I wish each section of the level was longer and not cut up as much. Constantly changing areas messes with the flow.

There are other small nitpicks, like how some of the levels might go on a bit too long or how some of the gameplay could use some tightening up. That said, the game is usually really good about introducing new elements, even late in each stage. Plus, the stages themselves are all incredibly memorable, with each bursting with character. Even when you think you’ve seen the theme done in other platformers, such as a pinball stage, Summitsphere has found a way to make it stand out and fit into the unique world of Antonblast.

So much of what makes this game work is in the way it looks and sounds. This is the kind of throwback game that not only feels authentic, but actually gave me real nostalgia for the mid-90s. The pixel graphics are chaotic and manic and outrageous and, most importantly, stunning. Every stage and boss fight is a delight, and I couldn’t wait to see what came next. It also helps that the soundtrack rocks harder than just about any other game released this year. Every song in this game is a catchy earworm that you’ll be humming throughout the day. It perfectly matches the extreme energy we get from the visuals and stage designs.

If there’s one good thing I can say about 2024, it’s that it has been a great year for indie games mimicking triple-A platformers. From Akimbot replicating the Ratchet & Clank series to Nikoderiko taking on Crash Bandicoot, and now Antonblast taking a page from Wario Land, the last twelve months have been full of mascot characters going on platforming adventures. Antonblast is my favorite of the bunch, thanks to its chaotic style, explosive action and memorable boss fights. It’s the perfect way to close out the year with a bang.