8 Awesome Video Games That Have Launched 2016 With A Bang

4. A Boy And His Blob

The 2D platformer label has gone from describing the wondrous likes of Super Mario, Shovel Knight and Super Metroid, to the rollout of identikit pixellated toss we keep getting every month on PlayStation Plus or Xbox's Games With Gold. However, remember the good times and focus on the best the genre can offer, as when lovable sprites and a solid gameplay mechanics come together, there's nothing quite so immediately enjoyable. A Boy and His Blob is such a game, literally having the story be the titular Blob falling to earth, only for a small boy to find him, become friends and decide to conquer a series of puzzle-based levels in the process. That's literally it, but like all great games that excel on their mechanics alone, it's all you need. See, the Blob warms to the kid as it likes to munch on jellybeans. Different coloured ones morph the little orb into everything from an enemy-squishing anvil to a fall damage-preventing parachute, ledge-leaping trampoline and many others. Needless to say, if you've seen it in action or even through multiple still images, it's a truly luscious little title, with an art style that tips the nod to Japanese giants Studio Ghibli, retaining its own character through game mechanics and the Boy and his blob's interactions (there's even a hug button for when you survive perilous encounters). Eagle-eyed gamers will realise this originally came out in 2009 on Wii U, but with it finally getting a release on PS4 and Xbox One this past January, it's more than worth pointing out if you want a 2D platformer worthy of the genre's origins.