20 Most Jaw-Dropping Games of 2012

By Javy Gwaltney IV /

13. Super Hexagon

Super Hexagon, the brainchild of developer Terry Cavanaugh, will have you ripping your hair out over how difficult the game is, but €” and this important €” it€™s never unfairly difficult. Any time you lose the game, it€™s because you screwed up. You failed to turn your little pointer in time to avoid the various shapes speeding toward you; you forgot which way to turn; perhaps you looked away from the game for less than a second. That€™s all it takes. It€™s that brilliant balance between being insanely hard and being fair that makes Super Hexagon so hypnotic. Plus, it€™s almost awe-inspiring to see just how much entertainment value Cavanaugh created out of so little: a swirling 360 degree control scheme, incoming shapes, ridiculous pace, and Chipzel€™s addictive music. That€™s it. If Super Meat Boy and The Binding of Isaac weren€™t enough, Super Hexagon should serve as proof that you can create an entertaining video game without a multimillion dollar budget or the latest Unreal engine. If Dark Souls was one of your favorite games of 2011, then you need to check out Super Hexagon. The game€™s beatable but it makes you work for your victory.