Bzzzt – Second Opinion Review

The indie scene on the Nintendo eShop isn’t short of a 2D platformer or two – or maybe even three! Recent big-hitters in the category have leaned heavier into the metroidvania sub-genre, being the style at the time, whilst others have landed somewhere on the spectrum between being more puzzle orientated (Inside, Limbo), a classical throwback (Shovel Knight, The Messenger), or, as the Manchurian candidate from Liverpool would say, just dead, dead hard (Cuphead, Celeste, Super Meat Boy).

That’s isn’t even to mention the amount of actual retro classics from yesteryear that are now easily accessible on most platforms and have also aged like a fine timeless wine. Anyone for a pint of Pimms and a round of Ristar? Anyone? Anyone!? One element that most of these platformers do have in common is the need for pixel-perfect precision andBzzzt, here, really is no different. But hark! Hitherto, and most importantly, what it does have is a spiffy robutt as the main playable character.

Saturated though the market may be, Bzzzt mainly breaks free from these tried and true trends by blending a modern one-more-go sensibility with an altogether more nostalgic style of level design that feels closer in execution and presentation to something out of the Amiga, MS-DOS, or shareware era. This could be taken as to mean it feels dated, but there is also a lot of modernity represented in the stages here which creates a nice mix between the two philosophies, creating generally short and engaging stages in a way similar to that of Super Meat Boy’s structure. Certainly as soon as all of Bzzzt’s abilities are acquired it locks the player into a fairly breezy rhythm and a somewhat demanding time. This includes many a frustrated (but in a good way) respawn, but there are plentiful enough difficulty options present for those desiring or requiring a gentler ride, however.

It’s all a very pleasantly no-nonsense experience, comprising of 52 main story stages and more than enough collectibles and bonus challenge layered on top to boot. Inevitably, and though it could be said of every 2D platformer, it takes some influence from Super Mario Bros. too. Whilst there is a light smattering of story to thread between the stages, it takes a note out of Mario’s book in that it’s just enough to motivate and invest in the characters, yet the narrative generally takes a backseat in favour of gameplay. It is undeniably charming.

The art style in particular, everything from the animation to the visual cues, exudes a playful personality. There is character in every sprite and frame. It could be said that backgrounds can be a little bit bland and not particularly varied, if there was one criticism to make on the art style. The same could be said of the soundtrack, which is serviceable enough, but offers up no real memorable melodies to stick around in one’s head. Very minor issues, really, as they don’t do enough to detract from the core appeal, critical elements, and immediacy that Bzzzt largely gets right.

Cubed3 Rating

Despite some minor criticism, it’s surprisingly difficult to find anything really to dislike about Bzzzt. It might be missing some of that “special sauce” that elevates it into the pantheon of recent great modern 2D platforming giants, but what is there is an undeniably good time. Tight controls, an enjoyably brisk pace, boss battles, and then also plenty of replayability through special stages, time challenges and bolt collectibles. Factor in the budget asking price and you end up with something that is quietly dependable for the 2D platforming aficionados, delivering a sense of satisfaction that actually must be harder to achieve than it looks.

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Bzzzt

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