Impossible Pixel Review

By Dave Flodine, on January 6, 2013

Last modified 11 years, 1 month ago

Publisher: 99 Up Games
Genre: Action
Released: 15 Nov, 2012
Size: 34.1 MB
Price: FREE!

PROS

Silhouetted yet defined obstacles and art style.
Insane platform challenges, with the mechanics to make it work.

CONS

The controls don't always respond to your input, causing frustrations while playing.

VERDICT

Like Super Meat Boy, Impossible Pixel is a tough as nails platformer that is only let down by control response issues.

Full Review
App Store Info

In the last few years we've seen a surge in what might be called 'pure platforming'. Games that center around the platforming mechanics we're all familiar with, that put them to use in gauntlet after gauntlet of skill based prowess and mastery. Impossible Pixel is this type of game. Each level has the goal of reaching the exit (and collecting a secret coin along the way if you are so inclined), but the trick is mastery over the jumps and leaps available to you to avoid the sting of death that can come on all too easy if you're not careful.

Your character is equipped with a double jump, and the ability to slide off walls (which enables the wall jump). Your leap is quite long (especially with some momentum behind you), and these maneuvers can be combined together to create a beautiful effortless looking run through each stage, weaving through saw blades and avoiding spikes with the greatest of ease. That is when the jump works however. The double jump has a problem of not registering the tap of the on-screen button, and it's this little inconsistency that throws the experience into turmoil. In a game based around deviously designed levels and mastery of the simple platforming controls, having your double jump act as only a 'sometimes move' creates a heavy level of doubt in the player when they approach each new challenge, thinking to themselves, “Is it going to work this time”?

It's a shame because everything else is of high quality. The silhouette art style is very striking, with each obstacle clearly defined (and bearing more than a little resemblance to Canabalt), and the soundtrack does its job in being aurally pleasing but keeping the adrenaline going. Everything combines to keep you playing death after death, trying your hardest to overcome the next challenge.

So with some tightening and further testing of the control scheme, Impossible Pixel is an easy recommend to hardcore platformer fans. Those that easily adapt to control schemes will likely not have as much as an issue, and there's a good game underneath our concerns so it might just be worth a look.

Screenshots