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GDC 2010: Bit.Trip Runner Hands-On

When we tell Commander Video to jump, he jumps, but getting him to stop moving is another matter entirely.

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Gaijin Games has carved out quite a little niche for itself on Nintendo's insanely popular console. Three of its quirky Bit.Trip games have already surfaced on WiiWare, and these retro-themed rhythm games use blocky visuals and catchy soundtracks to great effect. But its next offering is taking a slight turn. Don’t worry, the endearing aesthetics remain the same, but the genre has shifted significantly from the established rhythm-action fare. In Bit.Trip Runner, you take control of a simple hero who merely wants to get from one side of the stage to the other without being killed by a hovering UFO or bottomless pit along the way. We grabbed a Wii Remote and tried our darnedest not to succumb to the many obstacles that threatened to thwart our progress.

Bit.Trip Runner is a platformer, but it's not as predictable as you might imagine. You control Commander Video, an all-black blob with protruding sticks representing his arms and legs, and you have only limited say in exactly how he moves. Commander Video is an impatient hero, so he will not wait for you to push right on the D pad for him to begin moving. Instead, he jogs at a steady rate all the time, and you have to time your jumps, slides, and karate chops in time with the obstacles to keep your plucky protagonist alive. It's not particularly easy, but it is a lot of fun.

There are a handful of different objects to avoid as you begin your perpetual run to the level's finish. UFOs fly dangerously toward your head so you must slide smoothly below them; gaping pits threaten you with immediate death, but a quick leap will clear them; and crystals are tall and formidable, but a sliding attack breaks them into benign little pieces. These dangers represent the expected ways to die in a platformer, but you have one other thing to fear in Bit.Trip Runner as well: ledges. If you mistime a leap and hit your leg on a protruding ledge, you will die and have to restart the whole level over again.

Just like in real life, annoying obstacles are counterbalanced by rewarding pleasures. In this case, gold bricks dot the landscape, serving as a rich reward for making it past a purple crystal unscathed. Every level has a dozen or more wealth-expanding collectibles, and it takes quick reflexes, as well as a bit of memorization, to nab every one and still make it to the end alive. There are bonus levels as well, which draw on the rich history of the video game industry. We played one level inspired by vintage Pitfall, and it stirred our nostalgic hearts to see that 4-bit forest brought to a modern era.

This nonstop platforming action is complemented by a soundtrack that sounds like it was plucked from the classic years of gaming. Bit.Trip Runner looks like it continues the tradition of the Bit.Trip franchise, but we'll find out for sure later this year. It's currently scheduled for release some time this spring.

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