Platform: PC
Developer: Vlambeer
Release Date: 11th May 2010
Super Crate Box is a fast paced shooter game for PC (although its also an app for iPhones etc.) where the aim is to collect crates with weapons in, which will replace your current weapon, whilst avoiding enemies raining down from above and patrolling across the level, or shooting them to get rid of them. If enemies reach the fires at the bottom of the screen, they become angry and move even faster. Playing as various pixel representations of characters (including an astronaut and a chicken), you're set a target number of crates to unlock the next goodies.
Unlockables include new levels (3 in total), weapons (13 in total), characters (14 in total), and game modes (3 in total). The real important category of unlocks here is the weapons. As the main of the game is collecting crates, which change your weapon when collected, you'll be seeing all of them in fairly equal quantities, once unlocked. The clever thing with this game mechanic is that you'll need to plan what you're going to do once you get each weapon, but you can't plan ahead since you don't know which weapon you're going to get.
The game's graphical and music style is 8-bit, simplistic and stylish. There's only 4 different types of enemy (6 if you count recolours), but the game's frantic pace and variety of weapons works well with the simplicity of the graphics and enemy types. Knowing which weapons are good at clearing the room helps to strategize across the 3 different levels, and any more variables may just offset the balance of quick decision making and fast paced action.
That's not to say the game has great replay value, its fun and somewhat addictive for a while until you get frustrated, or bored of the repetition. Gameplay boils down to alternating between crate runs (getting as many crates as possible in a short time) and clearing the room of enemies when a decent weapon turns up. The game's simplicity is it's selling point and its weakness, but at least its not attempting to dress itself up as something more grand, how often do we see fairly simple games attempting a long, pointless narrative?
The 3 levels that there are, are well designed and pose slightly different challenges to the player in terms of clearing the room of enemies and positioning themselves, although there could have been more levels in game, the same concept applies almost universally across levels so without a radical change in level design, more would add nothing. The music itself is energetic, to suit the game and goes well behind the scenes, the sound effects are inoffensive also.
The other unlockable modes feature tweaks to the gameplay, adding more enemies into the equation for a more difficult challenge. Practice makes perfect though, once you know how to use each weapon, these are decent additions to the game and play pretty well. All-in-all Super Crate Box isn't a video game epic, but something more akin to a well made flash game, with good gameplay mechanics and addictive challenges. Its simplicity both invites you to play and allows you to decide when you've had enough "collecting boxes and shooting stuff".
Rating: 63/100
Grade: C
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