Are you looking for some challenging platform action? Wishing for some robot blasting action? Interested in a game that makes you feel like you just booted up your console after a visit to a local game store in 1985? Well are you ever in luck, let me introduce you to Trophy, a new platform shooter from aptly named 8 Bit Legit.
Trophy hits that nostalgic NES era platforming feel just right. Conjuring memories of games like Mega Man and Bionic Commando, veteran platformers should feel right at home. Trophy takes all that old school platforming goodness you know and love without trying to break the mold, and gives it right back to you. This game gets a lot more right than wrong, and most important to me, the controls. They felt right on point, precise and tight. After a few test jumps to get a feel for the range and height, I never thought about them again, and could shift focus to getting through the game’s various stages and dealing with the unique enemies featured on them.
Each level offers a different feel and theme that at the same time feels new and familiar. It’s totally up to you whether you start your adventure blasting away in a jungle, or running through the box cars of a speeding train, as all eight levels are available at the beginning. I found some stages easier than previous levels I had tried and failed to complete, and I failed a lot. I’m looking at you Tundra stage, with your ice blocks. Missing a jump and plunging to the bottom of a ravine doesn’t have to be a bad experience every time, though. One such misstep led me to a hidden screen with a health power up that I was very excited to see.
Upon seeing the game over screen, which i became very familiar with due to my average platforming skills, you get a nifty code that retains all your progress. So you don’t have to stress if you managed to complete a particularly hard level and failed the next, all previous levels remain completed on code entry. The code only changes if you accomplish something new. This took some of the pressure off, and let me feel more freedom to explore each new level looking for those upgrades.
My only real complaint with Trophy, aside from the Tundra stage and a little bit of slowdown when a lot of bullets were flying, was the immediate respawning of enemies. During most of the stages’ gameplay this isn’t that big an issue, and can be a blessing as enemies sometimes drop health trophies or extra lives when you really need one. If the screen passes over the respawn point of any enemy after they have been destroyed, they respawn right then. There are a few spots, especially one with ice blocks on a certain stage, where as you dodge back to avoid incoming fire, a previously defeated enemy will spawn behind you as the screen scrolls back. That enemy will start attacking as soon as it comes on screen, which if you are already in the air dodging, can spell doom. Thankfully, these situations aren’t very plentiful.
Trophy absolutely scratches that platform itch, if you have it. Even though the stages can be at times very challenging, the deaths never feel cheap. The level of challenge never feels overwhelming or insurmountable. You always have the feeling you can get further on one more run. It’s hard to beat the feeling of accomplishment you get when defeating a stage at last, especially Tundra.
Game copy provided by the publisher. You can purchase your own copy at the Microsoft Store for $9.99.
