Writings of Mass Deduction

I’m purchasing an Xbox Live Indie Game (XBLIG) every day, seeking out the quality titles that got lost in the shuffle and are not well represented in the top 50 lists on the Xbox Dashboard. Today is day #252, and today’s game is “Pixel Whirled”.

Pixel Whirled at first glance looks like a Space Invaders clone, but look deeper and you’ll see something more. Upon second glance it looks like a game inspired by “radiangames Crossfire” (a brilliant game I reviewed waaaay back on Day 5), but look again and you’ll see Pixel Whirled came out nearly 8 months earlier and has elements that makes it unique from Crossfire too.

Pixel Whirled has you playing on two separate playfields, and alternating between which one you’re playing at any given time. The inactive playfield is constantly visible, inviting you to respond to the attacking enemies there, neatly forcing you to employ strategies and tactics that will see you through to victory on both playfields.

First, from the developer (Holmade Games):

“A retro arcade shooter.. with a twist! Pirate and Ninja must combine forces to save Pixel World! Modeled after the games of yesteryear, this is the first entry in the Holmade Games 8-Bit Series.”

The game is simple, with pick-up-and-play controls that people of all skill levels will have no trouble grasping. The game is so simple, in fact, that my customary second portion of the review doesn’t have a lot to add to the description above. The game has pirates and ninjas being forced to co-operate in saving a princess, which brings together some normally incompatible themes. The “whirled” part of the title comes in when the screen flips to switch between you controlling the pirate vs. controlling the ninja, the other character (and the enemies bearing down on it) always visible ghosted out against the game’s backdrop.

This is a creative game that easily earns its 80 Microsoft Point cost of entry and is worth a download for almost anyone. It starts of easy and works itself up to harder and harder skill levels as you progress so everyone should find a point in the game that challenges them.

Click here to download “Pixel Whirled”, and then please come back after playing to rate the game.

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