There are thousands of free games out there but only a select few that are of the quality of Super Crate Box. This game feels a lot like the arcade classic Mario Bros. with the weapon selection of Serious Sam. Vlambeer is well respected for their high-quality arcade throwbacks and this is no exception. The pure simplicity of this addicting game is the only decent excuse not to charge anything for this experience. Once you get a hang of the game you just want to keep playing round after round. There is no reason not to give this game a try but if you need more convincing I'll try my best.
In Super Crate Box you play as a tiny character running around one screen maps. Your goal is to collect as many crates as possible. Each crate counts as one point towards your score and equips you with a new weapon. You do not receive any points for taking out the enemies but you must do so anyway because if one touches you then its game over. If one of the enemies escapes your fire and makes it to the bottom of the map they will come back down the top. These enemies will turn red and move at double speed. This is an incredibly fast paced game and most rounds won't last more than a minute.
The weapons obviously play a huge roll in helping you survive. There are fast weapons like dual pistols, machine guns, and miniguns; each shooting faster than the last but with more recoil. There are explosives such as mines you lay down, straight shooting bazookas, and bouncy grenade launchers. The katana, shotgun, and to some extent the laser rifle all good for close quarters combat. You'll need a variety of weapons to deal with the three different types of enemies. There are lots of little runners that go down quick, big runners that are slow but take a lot of hits, and flying skulls which are weak but hard to hit.
Strategy is actually quite important for both survival and high-scores. On one hand you need to know when to go and grab boxes to increase your score. While on the other hand you don't want to put yourself in a tight spot, especially when you never know which weapon you will pick up next. There are times when you have a good weapon you'll just have to clear the screen and give yourself some breathing room. As you play you'll unlock a handful of extra weapons, a couple new characters, and a total of three increasingly difficult stages.
This really is a wonderfully crafted game that begs to be played over and over again. Most of the weapons are immensely satisfying as you cut down the hordes of enemies. It always feels like with just a little luck or just a bit of extra caution you get achieve a slightly better score. After you die a single button press instantly brings you right back into the action for another shot. You really can't go wrong with Super Crate Box. Jump on Steam and add this little gem to your library.