Bit.Trip Runner

Bit.Trip Runner is an indie game for PC, which probably most evokes the old-school sonic games. We play as Commander Video, a pixelated humanoid character all dressed in black, but for a single white visor, which serves as his face. The game revolves around guiding Commander Video across a two dimensional landscape.

Primarily, the game is designed around rhythm. The player must use the arrow keys and spacebar to make Commander Video jump, duck, kick, spring off special coloured tiles, and block incoming projectiles in rhythm with the game's soundtrack. The game world is filled with overly colourful beings that stand in stark contrast to the flat, dark shape that is Commander Video. As the player progresses further in the level, various complex patterns emerge, increasing the tension. If the player misses a single jump or hits a single enemy, s/he must restart that level. This greatly adds to the fun of the game. Upon failure, the game quickly rewinds to the beginning and restarts. There are no game over or failure screens to disrupt the flow of the game. Furthermore, the music in the game increases in volume and intensity as the level progresses. This also serves to up the tension of the game.