![]() This dichotomy between the whimsical art style and playful platforming with outlandish tragedy and gross-out guffaws gives the game a strong personality in a genre that has historically aimed for the kiddie pool. Not only does it star a man, nay, a child born without skin, but his nemesis is a stillborn foetus who has no compunction about viciously slaughtering cute critters to get what he wants. The trend would be overplayed, but in 2010 it was novel to spot the obscure shout-outs.ĭeveloper Edmund McMillen's twisted sense of humour later spawned the disturbing child abuse allegory The Binding of Isaac, and revisiting Super Meat Boy today, it's even more apparent how cruel this love letter to arcade gaming can be. Super Meat Boy was one of the first indie games to feature cameos of characters from the developers' friends' games. It's a clever idea that adds texture and a feeling of progress as our hero paints the town red. Amusingly, the player's path is paved in blood, as Meat Boy's lack of skin ensures that he leaves a mess on any surface he graces. It helps that respawning is instantaneous and levels are varied, ranging from tight obstacle courses to more open plains where players can find their own path to success via one of the most refined two-button control schemes ever to grace a video game. The more you lose, the more epic and entertaining this inevitable reflection is. ![]() Most stages in Super Meat Boy are so comically hazardous that massive failure is expected, an idea made explicit by a brilliant feature that lets you watch all your attempts play out in unison as dozens (maybe hundreds) of Meat Boys brave a gauntlet of horrors until only one valiant soul remains. Instead, every time Meat Boy pleasantly pops into a pool of cutesy carnage, it's more funny than frustrating. Death comes frequently, but only in its final, lengthier stages does this feel like a frustrating setback. Most stages in Super Meat Boy last between 15 and 40 seconds. ![]() People came to Super Meat Boy for three reasons: it was easy to learn, engaging in the moment, and perfectly paced. The answer, of course, was: of course! Super Meat Boy didn't boast impressive tech, but that didn't matter.
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