Next stop, the 8-bit world of Pixel Whirled – all aboard! This one comes to us using the classic formula we know from Space Invaders but it has a slight variation. Instead of managing one character with waves upon waves of impending enemies, you take control of both a pirate and a ninja, put aside your differences, and fight together.
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Gameplay in Pixel Whirled is basic yet fun. Waves of enemies move side to side while descending toward your character. In the faint background, another wave is moving towards your other character who sits at the top of the screen. Instead of allowing you to control both at once, it’s a little more challenging. You have to keep an eye on both characters and enemy waves, and you switch between them with ‘RB’, the screen rotates upside down, and you work with your partner.
It sounds simple enough, but once you pass the fourth world, you’ll notice the enemies begin moving faster, and it’s common that you’ll get sidetracked with one character, and the other will die. Like many old-school games, you get 3 lives and there you cannot continue after expending all lives. It’s all about aiming for the enemies closest to your character, and timing your switches between characters.
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To keep things from getting stale too quickly, each level puts you in a different area. You’ll spend time underwater, in a haunted house, a creepy Egyptian tomb, and many more. The 8-bit graphics are decent, and each area has its own enemy designs, such as jellyfish when underwater, or spiders in the tomb. You can’t expect much more when working with both this style of game and the 8-bit visuals, so it works great for what it is.
Finally, the most spectacular part of this game, the soundtrack. The soundtrack was composed completely by Walz Music and if you enjoy 8-bit music, you’ll love it. Every single level has its own unique tune to accompany it, and they’ve all got a very fun ‘catchy’ sound. Sound effects are basic from the high-pitch swish of a shuriken to the bullets shot by the pirates’ pistol.
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Overall, Pixel Whirled offers some great fun if you enjoy this style, and if you’re into topping your own high scores, it’ll offer hours of enjoyment in the long run. Decent 8-bit graphics, wonderful soundtrack, and a constantly evolving challenge have quickly made this game one of the more appealing Indie games to me personally. I highly suggest you try out the demo, as it’s a great representation of the final product. The full version will set you back just 80 :MSPoints:.
For more information and to download the trial or full version, please visit the Marketplace.
Review by Bryan Tremblay.
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