Bit.Trip Saga Review [3DS]

rating: 4.0

Originally released through Nintendo€™s WiiWare online shop, the Bit.Trip games have gained critical acclaim and fan recognition for their unique mix of retro inspired visuals and fiendishly addictive rhythm based gameplay. For anyone who missed out on them first time round, all six games have now been compiled into a handy single 3DS cartridge titled Bit.Trip Saga. Created by Indie developer Gaijin Games, the six Bit Trip titles can be best described as a cross between Atari 2600 games like Pong and Pitfall, with the slow-building electronica gameplay of Dreamcast classic Rez. While the visual aesthetic recalls the simplistic pixel style of the 1980's, the gameplay is infused with both retro and modern influences, with a fantastic electro chiptune soundtrack to each of the six games. Bit.Trip even has its own iconic mascot in the form of Commander Video - a black and white pixelated chap with a glowing white eye. He wouldn€™t look out of place hanging out with Pitfall Harry and Q-Bert. Throughout the six unique games (Beat, Core, Void, Runner, Fate & Flux) Commander Video makes frequent appearances, but more often you€™ll be in control of a simplistic paddle or movable sprite. The core gameplay of each title varies considerably, but the main aim remains the same. You€™ll concentrate on building your mega meter by scoring points, which in turn adds layers of background animation and soundtrack to enhance the experience as you play. The different transitions of the mega meter are also carried across into each game, with skilled gameplay resulting in a cascade of audible and and visual delights. However, weaker skilled players will often find themselves in a basic pong-style black and white screen with only the solitary sound of blips and blops. The way in which each of the games build and progress visually and audibly as your skill improves, works to encourage you to keep achieving score multipliers and hitting each beat. Animated backgrounds become more complex, while the fantastic chiptune soundtrack from renowned artists like Anamanaguchi and Nullsleep perfectly compliments the evolving difficulty. Two of the six games - Beat and Flux - offer up a modern take on Pong, expanding the core gameplay with added power-ups and increasingly difficult waves of enemies. As you control your paddle up and down the screen, each successful hit will contribute to the soundtrack as well as a high score. As more and more enemies come flying towards you, Beat and Flux quickly become insanely difficult, but the building soundtrack and pretty visuals keep you coming back for more. While both Beat and Flux are unashamedly inspired by Pong, there€™s some minor differences between the two - most notably a more forgiving difficulty and a checkpoint level structure in Flux. Next up is Core, which is perhaps the most distinctly rhythm based of the lot and can even be compared to the timed musical gameplay of Rock Band and Guitar Hero. Taking control of a plus shaped cross in the centre of the screen, the aim is to target lasers at one of four directions, and fire with the B-button as beats fall from each side of the screen. For me this was perhaps the most unforgivingly difficult of the six games, with it quickly becoming hard to keep track of the beats falling speedily towards me. That said, it€™s still just as addictive as the other games, and despite sucking, I keep going back to try and beat Core. Void is equally unforgiving, and once again offers something entirely different to the other six titles. Here you€™ll navigate a spherical black void through an open space, attempting to hit black squares in order to build your mass. However, hitting white squares will not only reset your score combo, but will also cause your void to shrink in size. At any point, pressing B will allow you to cash-in your earned mass, but at the cost of losing a combo streak. My personal favourite of the bunch is Runner - which is also the largest and most substantial of the six games. Here you€™ll actually control series mascot Commander Video through complex platforming levels filled with traps and deadly enemies. Video runs though the level automatically, with the player having to to jump, duck, slide and kick your way past any potential threat. Hitting any single object results in harshly being sent back to the very beginning of the level, forcing the player to act with sudden and sharp precision. As an added bonus, collecting gold unlocks charming bonus levels inspired by Pitfall on the Atari 2600. Finally there€™s Fate - an on-rails shooter in which Commander Video is pitted against swarms of surrounding enemies. As you navigate along a set path using the circle pad, you€™ll need to aim and shoot at spaceships with the stylus, while avoiding fire and collecting power-ups and new weapons. Imagine a top-down space shooter spliced with Rez and you€™ll get an idea of Bit.Trip Fate. Graphically, each game in Bit.Trip Saga is presented pretty much identically to thier Wii counterparts, with smooth and colourful backgrounds which spruce up the otherwise simplistic pixelated look of the games. However, as always with the 3DS, you€™ve got the added feature of the 3D slider which gives the trippy and psychedelic visuals of Bit.Trip an added layer of depth. It€™s nothing groundbreaking however, and this sadly isn€™t a 3DS title which makes decent use of the feature. It€™s also worth noting that the games themselves take a significant frame rate hit with 3D turned on. This sadly makes playing with the slider turned off far more favourable. Aside from the 3D, you won€™t find any substantial added content - or even the bonus stuff from the WiiWare versions - but as a bundle of six excellent and varied games, you can€™t grumble at the value of Bit.Trip Saga. It might not appeal to gamers looking for a complex story and impressive 3D graphics, but it€™s almost impossible to not recommend Bit.Trip Saga as an essential purchase for the 3DS. The retro aesthetic and pounding electronica scores are genuinely stunning, and the gameplay is both challenging and fiendishly addictive. It may prove to be too frustrating for some gamers with its unforgiving later stages, but to find a genuine challenge like this in modern gaming is increasingly rare. Bit.Trip Saga is a superb addition to any 3DS library and shows that even the most simple gameplay and modest graphics can still be unstoppably engrossing. Bit.Trip Saga is available now on Nintendo 3DS.