Bit.Trip Complete (Wii) Review
Posted by Mark Salmela on 09.30.2011
An independent game that tries too hard to be indie.
Title: Bit.Trip Complete
Publisher: Aksys Games
Developer: Gaijin Games
Genre: Action
Players: 1 - 2
Rated: E for Everyone
Bit.Trip Complete is a collection of 6 WiiWare games developed by Aksys Games. This collection also includes a soundtrack from all the games, new difficulty modes, and new challenges for the games. I’m going to look into each game specifically.
Bit.Trip Beat is a variant of the classic Pong game. You control a paddle, moving it vertically up or down by tilting the Wiimote side to side. The objective of the game is to bounce back dots that come across the screen in various patterns. One theme throughout all of the Bit.Trip games is that all of the dots bounce back in-tune with the music. The game gets increasingly more complex as time goes on, and it becomes extremely hard to keep up as dots appear to be coming at you from every angle. There isn’t a whole lot of depth to the game, just keep on tilting that Wiimote as the intensity ramps up.
Bit.Trip Core is similar to Bit.Trip Beat in that dots are flying across the screen and you have to catch them. In Core however, instead of controlling a paddle and bouncing dots back and forth you shoot lasers. You can shoot a laser up, down, left, or right using the d-pad to catch the dots, and just like in Beat you’ll find yourself falling into a rhythm due to the dots flowing in-tune with the beat. There are no motion controls in Core, and Core is quite possibly the most confusing of the games, since it’s hard to keep track of all the dots flying across every section of the screen.
Bit.Trip Void is a game where you control a black sphere, and your job is to eat black dots while avoiding white dots. You have complete control over your sphere, and using an analog stick from the nun chuck or classic controller can move anywhere along the screen. The trick to Void is that each collected dot causes your sphere to grow. The larger your sphere is the higher your point total grows, but eventually you’ll have to shrink your sphere back down to avoid hitting a white dot. You’ll have to decide when’s the best time to give up on your multiplier so you don’t get hurt.
Bit.Trip Runner is a platformer where you control the “face” of the Bit.Trip games, Commander Video. Commander Video constantly runs, and your goal is to jump, slide, block, and kick past obstacles in the environment. One hit equals death, so you’ll need to get into a rhythm and practice. As with the other games you’ll find your jumps, slides, and other actions going in-tune with the music, meaning you’ll often want to use audio cues just as much as visual cues for your actions.
Bit.Trip Fate once again puts you in control of Commander Video, this time in an on-rails shooter. You’re given a path that Commander Video must stay on, but you’re free to move back and forth on the path as enemies send projectiles at your character. You point the Wiimote at the screen to fire at enemies and collect upgrades.
Bit.Trip Flux is very similar to Bit.Trip Beat. Once again you control a paddle and must bounce dots back in a fashion similar to Pong. The difference between Flux and Beat is that Flux adds in various aspects from the other Bit.Trip games, such as obstacles to avoid. Once again the gameplay is in-tune with the music. Unlike Beat Flux features co-op for up to 2 players.
Pros
- Each game attempts a new style of play.
- Each game with the exception of Flux has a unique feel to it.
- Each game is fun to play.
- The games have a simplistic, unique graphical style harkening back to the Atari 2600 days.
- The music is pretty awesome.
- New levels, difficulties, and other unlockables for each game.
Cons
- There’s very little lasting appeal to each game. You’ll grow bored of them.
- Each game has very little to offer in terms of gameplay. There’s one key mechanic, and with the exception of Runner and Flux doesn’t really expand upon it.
- The default difficulty for each game is rather extreme. Checkpoints are few and far between, causing frustration.
The 411
Trippy…
Bit.Trip Complete is a collection of 6 WiiWare titles. Considering each WiiWare game came out at 6 or 8 dollars, you’re not getting much of a deal. Yes, there’s new content, but most of these games are around 2 years old and have been ported to other platforms since then for cheaper prices. As someone who loves independent games and games that try new things, Bit.Trip Collection is a disappointment. There isn’t a whole lot of gameplay to each game. Each game is based around one, bare-bones mechanic and hardly, if ever expands upon that one mechanic. I appreciate the attempt to come off as a unique indie game, but I feel that the game tries too hard to be indie, and suffers in the gameplay department. You’ll grow bored of each game after around 10 to 15 minutes.
Graphics
8.0
A simplistic, but effective art style that harkens back to the glory days of when bits were king.
Gameplay
5.0
Each game with the exception of one tries something new, but unfortunately each game revolves around one bare-bones mechanic and doesn’t expand upon them.
Sound
8.0
The music is very catchy and is in-tune with the gameplay.
Lasting Appeal
3.5
I grew bored of each game after 10 to 15 minutes.
Fun Factor
6.0
You’re completely in the zone and in-tune with the gameplay for the first 10 to 15 minutes of each game, but then you’ll realize each game doesn’t add anything new and you’ll lose interest.
