Super Life of Pixel

If you're old like me, then you've been around long enough to see the video game industry grow from the earliest days of rudimentary 8-bit graphics to the photo-realistic 3D models we see today. Super Life of Pixel is a brand-new platformer that wants to celebrate the stepping stones that turned gaming from a niche hobby into a world-wide obsession. It's a game where the levels are based on classic computers and consoles, like the Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Commodore 64 and Super NES. That's a cool concept, but is it enough to make up for the shallow gameplay and boring character?

This is the story of a curious pixel who decides to visit a video game museum that allows him to experience what it was like to be in old 8- and 16-bit game consoles and computers. This is a chance for developer Super Icon to not only introduce the green pixel to a wide range of 2D platforming clichés and art styles, but also give us players a much-needed history lesson on the classic machines that made gaming what it is today.

What's cool about this game is that every console has a different look and sound. We start out with the Sinclair ZX81, an 8-bit computer with a monochromatic display and simple sprites. This makes way to the Atari 2600, which adds a few colors and new enemies. Before long we'll get to the Commodore 64, which adds independently scrolling backgrounds and more detailed graphics. There's also the Game Boy, which sends us down the path of jumping into the Nintendo Entertainment System. And if you're persistent and can conquer a bunch of platforming puzzles, you'll be introduced to 16-bit consoles, like the Super NES.

This is a great concept that goes a lot deeper than I was expecting. Beyond covering most of the consoles that made their way to the United States, Super Life of Pixel also spends a lot of time showcasing computers that were substantially more popular in Europe. I'm talking about the BBC Micro, Amstrad CPC464, and Amiga 500. I like that every console in this game comes with its own introduction that highlights the system's specs, history and impact. This is a great touch.

No matter what system you jump into, the object is always the same. Your goal is to pick up every gem in the level and then find the exit. We start out doing this in single-screen stages, but as technology advances, we begin to tackle huge levels with all kinds of hidden secrets. Each of these systems offer eight different platforming levels, each with their own unique set of obstacles, bad guys and gimmicks.

As you would expect, the game slowly unlocks new abilities as technology advances. You'll be able to double jump and gauge your height by pressing the button longer. There are also a few temporary power-ups you can find in the levels, such as a bubble and skateboard. I like how the levels become more complicated as we jump from one system to another. It's a great way to illustrate the advancements in technology.

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This isn't the first time we've seen a 2D platformer attempt this sort of concept. I reviewed a game a few years ago called BiT Evolution that had you switching between 8-, 16- and 32-bit characters in order to solve puzzles. Super Life of Pixel isolates that idea to a bunch of different consoles, but the similarities are easy to spot. Sadly, these two games don't just have similar conceits, but also suffer from a lot of the same problems.

The issue that I have with games like this is that they rarely go far enough to demonstrate the differences in hardware. Super Life of Pixel basically uses the different systems as a way to shake up the art design. Sure, we get a double jump and other abilities, but they don't do much to highlight the gameplay and interface differences between systems. Side-scrolling platforming simply didn't feel the same on the Atari 2600 as it did on the Nintendo Entertainment System, and I wish the developer would have leaned into these subtle and obvious differences.

It doesn't help that the pixel character isn't especially interesting. It's basically just a block with little to no personality, which makes sense from a storytelling perspective, but doesn't have the charm or attitude of characters from the 1980s and 90s. It often felt like a lot of these levels would have been better served by a character who had something to say about these consoles. Maybe a pixel who was constantly amazed by the advancements, noting how things are changing. You can go so many directions with that idea, which is one of the reasons why the green pixel is such a boring and disappointing choice.

I'm also not a big fan of the steep difficulty spike around the 16-bit era. It's worth mentioning that this is an expanded port of the 2014 game Life of Pixel, which focused on the early 8-bit systems. This Switch version includes a bunch of new consoles and computers to play around with, including the Super NES, Apple II and Amiga 500. The problem is that these levels are substantially longer and more difficult than anything in the first game. We go from trying to collect 15 gems to tracking down 80, all without any checkpoints. The game excels when the levels are only a couple minutes long. Dying 8 minutes into a stage because of a hidden spike is a recipe for frustration, and there's way too much of that in the second half of the game.

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The game is at its best when it's trying to emulate the look and sounds of those classic gaming devices. There's no question that Super Life of Pixel nails a lot of the nostalgia, right down to some of the quirks and imperfections in those old games. I liked recognizing recreated versions of old school classics like Ghosts 'N Goblins, Rush 'N Attack and Super Castlevania IV. All this worked on me, even if the shallow gameplay and uninteresting hero left me cold.

If what you're looking for is a stylish platformer that pays tribute to the classic consoles and computers you grew up with, then Super Life of Pixel is a great fit on the Switch. However, don't go in expecting an especially deep game, because the newest release from Super Icon falls short of its potential. If nothing else, Super Life of Pixel is a great teaching tool that will hopefully inspire players to seek out the classic games and systems that inspired it. That's not something you can say about most modern games.