Castle Crashers Review

It seems like it was ages ago when Castle Crashers was

supposed to see the light of day. I remember how excited

I was, yet somewhat hesitant to play this new game from

Dan Paladin, the creator of Alien Hominid. Every time it

was shown at a press event, it was met with critical acclaim

but for some reason, it always got delayed and pushed

further and further away. Well, with the game now

available on XBLA, I can comfortably say that the wait

was totally worth it. 

Castle Crashers is one of those games that, on paper,

sounds extremely cliched and somewhat boring, but its

execution is unparalled by any other titles that have been

released. At it's heart, all the game really is is a a simple

beat-em-up, in the vein of Streets of Rage, Final Fight,

or Double Dragon, but what it does is what makes it stand

out. The gameplay feels extremely solid, allowing the player

to actually improve in gameplay to the point where they

can make it through entire levels without taking any

damage, something that can't be said for many other games

in the same genre. The graphics are done in that same

style as Alien Hominid, his previous gaming endeavor. Just

like the game preceding it, it's easy to fall in love with the 

adorable, if vicious characters and enemies you encounter.

Just like any good sidescrolling game like this, there are three

main buttons you focus on. Hit. Hit harder. Jump away. Is there

anything else you need? Why, in fact...THERE IS! Instead

of ending there with just the basics, the game has a blocking

mechanic, an inventory that you can go through on the fly by

tapping the bumpers, and even a magic system. Another 

unique take on the genre is that instead of just going through

the levels in a linear fashion, you are able to increase your characters

stats as you level up from fighting enemies. Another bonus is that

instead of just stopping at two players, the game is four players,

with four characters availible from the start and many more are 

unlockable as you progress through the story. Just in case you

feel lonely, you are also able to find different pets, each with their own

unique abilities. Some assist you by helping you find items, others

boost stats, others even help you fight, even though they aren't the

most damaging things. 

The environments are extremely varied, and it's cute to see that

they implemented some of gamings cliches and embrace them

instead of trying to cleverly hide them. Boss fights? Check.

Ice world and Lava world? Check. Fighting teammates to the 

death for the love a woman? Check. It's all here, folks, and it's 

all done flawlessly. The fact that the game was rendered with

HD in mind really does help the characters stand out, looking 

incredibly vivid and it also breathes life into the environment.

Castle Crashers offers a few additional features that help

ensure that you get the most out of your money. One

of the things that's incredibly important for a title like this is

yes, it does have online multiplayer. Fully fleshed out at that.

You are able to go through the entire single player game with

friends or strangers, bringing your own character into the fray,

and the best part of all is that any money, items, pets, or experience

gained online is kept and allowed to be used offline as well, so

you don't have to worry about making separate characters. There's

also the offline four player, which is a feature many games are lacking

nowadays. 

In short, the game is long enough to keep you engaged, has

enough depth to keep you coming back for more, and 

is simple enough that you could play it with your family.

The humor will have you smiling throughout, and the imaginitive

environments will keep you coming back for more. All in all, I'd give

this game a solid 9/10. Once the few online issues there are are 

hammered out, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't have

this in your collection.