Tobe's Vertical Adventure - 240 Points - Xbox Indie Game

The rundown from Xbox.com:
Tobe's Vertical Adventure is a classic 2D platformer, where players join Tobe on his quest for the treasure of King Garuza. Play the game in single or co-op modes through hours of platforming fun, in 16 levels, on 4 unique islands! Get ready for Tobe, the little guy with the big head, big adventure!


Pros
- Very polished design and great 'pixel-y' graphics
- Clever level design - the levels change within themselves. You make your way down, then they change as you make your way back up.
- Cute cutscenes
- Multiple save slots
- More than just jumping - you've got a balloon (ie. parachute) and a hook ladder (ie. chain) that you can use beyond just jumping. You can also sprint and roll.
- Collectibles! You can save chickens and collect items for bonuses.

Cons
- Awkward controls on account of...
- Reliance on the awful Xbox 360 D-Pad

Really, thats the biggest bummer, but it's a deal-breaker for me personally. I was eager to jump into the great looking levels, but found myself missing easy jumps because of the mushy D-pad. I'm not generally one to bash that D-pad, but it really hurts an otherwise interesting game.

Overall: A nice title that just made one (unforgivable) wrong turn.
C

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