Indie Follow-Up: Confetti Carnival

Earlier this year, we got a chance to check out Confetti Carnival over at the Game Developers Conference. While we were there, we got to try a few levels and see more of the game. What we saw was a fun action puzzle game that left us desiring more. Now, a couple of months later, we got our hands on a more updated build of the game, and we were able to test it out for ourselves.

The first thing we noticed with this build was the availability of many more levels. Not only did the levels increase in quantity, but they were also different enough from each other that the game didn't feel repetitive. The levels changed consistently, from dangling confetti bombs that had to be destroyed, to looping ramp slides, which really enhanced the gameplay experience.

In addition to the levels, there were various stunts provided in the game that mixed up the gameplay. Using the buttons on the Xbox 360 controller, you can perform numerous stunts to try to destroy the confetti bombs in as few turns as possible. For example, you can slam into the confetti bombs at top speed or change direction on a whim midair, which gives you more points as you combine more stunts.

The one problem we had with the stunts was that as we progressed further into the game, we’d often find ourselves forgetting about certain stunts because of the sheer quantity available at our disposal. While you can view the list of stunts by checking the menu, it would be nice if there were a legend onscreen that could be toggled on or off to be viewed more easily for the more challenging levels. But having too many awesome stunts is still more of a good thing than a bad one, so we didn't mind this as much.

While the addition of more levels and the variety of stunts really enhanced this build, we also found ourselves enjoying the star-system rating at the end of each level. With it, you get a rating of one to three stars based on your overall performance. While there does not seem to be a reward for earning all three stars yet, we look forward to seeing a reward system in place in the final build.

Confetti Carnival is still as fun as we remember, and with many more levels to browse through, we'll enjoy playing it as we eagerly await the next build or its final release. For more games like this one, check out the Downloads Blog on GameSpot.