Did you enjoy the frantic rage inducing action of Super Meat Boy? Are you also a fan of simple, colourful graphics from the Commodore 64 days? Well then, Slime-san Superslime Edition is exactly what you have been waiting for!
Blending bright simple colours with fluid and precise action, Slime-san Superslime Edition will feel instantly recognisable to fans of the aforementioned Super Meat Boy. This is hardcore, rage inducing platforming at its best, full of charisma and bouncy energy. It is a game you will find hard to put down.
In Slime-san you play as a tiny slime that has been swallowed by a giant worm, the aim therefore is simply to jump, swim, dash and climb your way to freedom. This takes the form of incredibly quick moving platforming levels, most of which take place over a single screen. Each level is broken up into four segments that all offer an implied route through, although it is entirely possible to try taking your own faster route if you know how.
The game has an unusual aesthetic that harks back to those from the mid-1980s, and the developer has used this simple style as a gameplay mechanic itself, each level using just three colours to clearly indicate to you everything that is going on. White indicates neutral surfaces, red indicates enemies or traps, whilst green signifies objects that can be used as a surface or passed through with a hit of the left trigger. However if you don’t like this colour scheme you are completely free to customise the colours any way you like.
The sound as well is top notch with a soundtrack produced by some of the best artists in the chiptune world, with pumping energetic tunes during levels and a more relaxing soundtrack for the side areas of the game. It all fits in wonderfully and some of the tracks just add to the manic nature that unfolds, while others will play in your head long after you have finished playing.
Controls-wise and things are fairly simple; you move the slime with the left stick, jump with A, dash with RB and slow down time to pass through certain objects with LT. Games like this need snappy and intuitive controls in order to work and that is exactly what you get here, with everything feeling really fluid which in turn means you never feel cheated. Every mistake is one you have made and it dampens the build up of rage just enough to keep you hooked.
Levels are fast paced and constantly introduce you to something new, be it new enemies, traps or gameplay mechanics. It all runs at breakneck speed and even if you do die you’ll be back at the beginning of the level in less than a second. This is a must for this type of game as it allows you to just keep going without letting the frustration build up or boil over.
Initially Slime-san is a simple platformer, but as it progresses you will be introduced to more and more puzzle elements. This is a refreshing twist and ensures that the game is constantly adding something fresh to keep you coming back for more. Towards the end you will be juggling speedy platforming with solving puzzles to allow your small slime to reach the end of each level.
Included are four surprisingly long campaigns, each consisting of 400 rooms along with a few levels exclusive to this version. In each of these campaigns are additional hub world’s full of charming characters, shops for a whole raft of cosmetic items, filters for the screen, unlockable art, some little arcade games and many other secrets. These hubs are absolutely chock full of hidden areas that allow you to meet various characters, some of which will unlock a few achievements. It is these areas where Slime-san shows its charm the most and it gives you a relaxing break from the pressure of getting through the tough levels.
My only gripe is that the campaigns can drag on a little. 1200 levels is a lot of rage to work through and it can occasionally get a little tiresome. That said, the hub worlds do a good job of relieving this but you can occasionally feel a bit of boredom creeping in.
It is refreshing to see that Slime-san offers up such a complete package and honestly you can’t go far wrong with just the basic content described above – but that just wasn’t enough for the developer. On top of the 1200 levels available, along with the various hub worlds and mini games you also get New Game+, a test room with various scenarios to practice the fast paced platforming, a fiendishly difficult speedrun mode and, once unlocked, a boss rush mode for tackling each boss in turn. Honestly this is a game that is just bursting with content to keep you playing long after you have finished the four campaigns.
In all Slime-san Superslime Edition is an absolute no brainer, with addictive fast paced gameplay, a great sound design, bright stylish graphics and an absolutely insane amount of content that will give you countless hours of utter joy. It is easily the most complete package I have seen in a long time and that all adds up to a game that is worth every single penny of the asking price.
