Let me start this by stating that I have not played any of the Wario Land games, HOWEVER I would highly recommend Pizza Tower even if you’ve not played any of the Wario Land games, because it’s VERY good.
Pizza Tower is a game that never rests on its laurels. I think that if you’re like me, you probably noticed Pizza Tower because of its highly animated, expressive art style which has been described in a myriad of ways already, but I’ll say that it certainly speaks for itself! It is so visually striking that it’s become almost immediately iconic, although it wouldn’t have become iconic if the game weren’t also good; and my God, is this game GOOD.
It controls good, it’s animated beautifully, the music is S-tier bops and bangers from start to finish, and really, it’s just super fun to play. It’s also pretty short? I finished my first playthrough in under five hours, but there’s plenty more that I’d like to return to for completionist sake.
For now, here’s some of the many things this game does that I really love:
(SPOILERS)
- Almost every level has a unique gimmick that may only appear once or twice, meaning new playstyles are introduced fairly regularly, and are all super intuitive and fun to play with
- Characters and bosses you defeat will appear in the main hub and hang out
- Second playable character only appears in a few levels despite having fleshed out and well-rounded mechanics, never overstays his welcome
- The “FNaF” level incorporating chase sequence + jumpscare mechanics and ending with a shotgun rampage is super satisfying
- The entirety of the level “WAR,” from its soundtrack to its time-based gimmick
- The multi-phase final boss + boss rush doesn’t overstay its welcome either, incorporating older bosses but significantly reducing the hits they take to provide an excellent catharsis and spectacle (plus, amazing OST obviously)
- The final level being a mad dash down the pizza tower through the main hubs from top to bottom, collecting every side character and boss along the way to escape, to the best song on the entire OST
My nitpicks are minor, Peppino does feel a little uncontrollable sometimes, although this may just be a Skill Issue™. Some levels are not as memorable as others, but they’re always fun to play through. Maybe that’s just because I haven’t started a second playthrough yet.
Already a strong contender for Top 5 this year.
Pizza Tower is a game that never rests on its laurels. I think that if you’re like me, you probably noticed Pizza Tower because of its highly animated, expressive art style which has been described in a myriad of ways already, but I’ll say that it certainly speaks for itself! It is so visually striking that it’s become almost immediately iconic, although it wouldn’t have become iconic if the game weren’t also good; and my God, is this game GOOD.
It controls good, it’s animated beautifully, the music is S-tier bops and bangers from start to finish, and really, it’s just super fun to play. It’s also pretty short? I finished my first playthrough in under five hours, but there’s plenty more that I’d like to return to for completionist sake.
For now, here’s some of the many things this game does that I really love:
(SPOILERS)
- Almost every level has a unique gimmick that may only appear once or twice, meaning new playstyles are introduced fairly regularly, and are all super intuitive and fun to play with
- Characters and bosses you defeat will appear in the main hub and hang out
- Second playable character only appears in a few levels despite having fleshed out and well-rounded mechanics, never overstays his welcome
- The “FNaF” level incorporating chase sequence + jumpscare mechanics and ending with a shotgun rampage is super satisfying
- The entirety of the level “WAR,” from its soundtrack to its time-based gimmick
- The multi-phase final boss + boss rush doesn’t overstay its welcome either, incorporating older bosses but significantly reducing the hits they take to provide an excellent catharsis and spectacle (plus, amazing OST obviously)
- The final level being a mad dash down the pizza tower through the main hubs from top to bottom, collecting every side character and boss along the way to escape, to the best song on the entire OST
My nitpicks are minor, Peppino does feel a little uncontrollable sometimes, although this may just be a Skill Issue™. Some levels are not as memorable as others, but they’re always fun to play through. Maybe that’s just because I haven’t started a second playthrough yet.
Already a strong contender for Top 5 this year.