Dirk Valentine

This is going to be my last update for a while, since I'm going on yet another holiday, this time without any access to a computer. I still don't think the Nitrome bug has been fixed yet, but I managed to get enough game time in to finish Dirk Valentine. This is a very well done game, in my opinion. It has a definite plot, interesting levels, and a boss. The controls did take some time getting used to, as using both the arrow keys and the mouse at the same time is not easy, but once I'd mastered that art, I found I was becoming quite skilled in shooting chains wherever needed. The enemies were exactly the same, but it wasn't so much about killing as it was simply avoiding cannons and the like, which was hard enough in itself. Dirk Valentine is mainly a skill game, and there isn't much luck involved. I think that was why it appealed to me. The only real problem I had with it was that both the bosses were the same, just in different places, and that since they were the same, the second time you encountered it, it wasn't hard to beat at all. Apart from that, I recommend Dirk Valentine.

There Be A Problem

I'm sorry for the extremely slow updates, but Nitrome has been having a few issues lately, where the screen pretty much looks like this. Now, that would be fine. After all, it's the game that really matters, right? Unfortunately, there is a problem with the games too. And so, I can only play occasionally, when it goes back up. I will try my best to finish a game soon. Again, sorry :/

Avalanche

I feel a special connection to this game, as I was there when they put it up. But maybe it's just because it's my kind of game? I absolutely love the design, and think it's well thought up. The levels are challenging but enjoyable, and it keeps you constantly on edge; there is no safe spot to rest. And, you don't have to play levels - Avalanche keeps you coming back by having a 'beat your own time' option, which is always fun. As I've just discovered, this game is much bigger than the others, by an entire 150 or so pixels! However, I've got over my grudge, and can appreciate what this does for the game. Again, it's one where you need to be able to see a little way ahead so you can see all the obstacles in the way before they smash into you. Overall, an excellent game, and I can play for hours in Survival Mode without getting bored. The ending was a bit dull. I wanted a whole animation of the penguin sheltering from the avalanche, but instead it was an extremely short and small loop. Ah well, it couldn't be perfect.

Cold Storage

I'm playing one of the new games, and another winter one. Cold Storage. It has few levels, and is relatively easy once you get the hang of it. However, it is a very well thought up game, and a good time waster. It's technically a platform game, except you have to time your jumps to coincide with the swing of your yeti's body. There's really not much to say. There were no glitches that I experienced, and everything ran smoothly. It is a square game screen, but I think it needs it, you really want to be able to see what's coming next. And I got annoyed with the miniclip logo up the top. Who cares about sponsors, it's a Nitrome game! The only level I got stuck on was level 14. In the bit featured above, you have to bounce off the wall, and try and fall onto the moving bar. That took me a while to figure out, try and bounce off as close to the top of the diagonal bar as possible, then you go further.

Square Meal

I finally did it. Square Meal was the game I had been dreading playing. It had fifty levels, and each was slightly challenging, and took a while. I estimated years of mindless game-playing over it. However, contrary to what I expected, it only took two days, and it was rather enjoyable. The levels should have been repetitive, with only three varieties of enemy, and not many different blocks to eat. However, it wasn't. Somehow, the Nitrome developers managed to make 50 levels of same-ness into something fun. I did get annoyed with the game sometimes, because the creature had rather slow reaction times in regards to turning, and often I'd find myself pressing the left or right arrow key desperately, trying to get my monster to turn around. Not much to say about the game though. It was a good idea, but I also think cutting the number of levels would have been good - the sheer amount put me off right from the start.

Jack Frost

More winter games! This time I played Jack Frost, another one of those games that I've never really taken seriously. And I still don't. The game had lots of potential, but it was excrutiatingly repetitive, and had lots of annoying glitches. The thing I did like about it was the fact that the enemies were unpredictable and challenging to beat. Also, there were fourty levels. That had been another reason I'd tried playing - because I didn't want to leave all the games with lots of levels till the end. And, there was a bar at the bottom left that showed what percentage of the level you'd iced over! Way cool. As I got to the end of the game, I started to get worried, because I didn't know exactly what the plot was. Luckily, the success screen made that all clearer - apparently, my little Jack was trying to turn the world into a winter wonderland! To my annoyance, it didn't have a boss, which I thought was needed. After all, Jack Frost was technically trying to take over the planet. A tip for the levels; don't expect to get them straight away. Learn how your enemies work first, study their movements, and especially how they kill you. Then you'll be a master.

Thin Ice

I've decided to get into the winter spirit. Unfort unately, it's summer over where I live, but that didn't stop me from trying out some of Nitrome's winter games. The first, Thin Ice. I'd never really tried Thin Ice before, probably because I always failed at the first level. Luckily for me, I'd improved, and so Thin Ice didn't pose much of a challenge at all. There were a few levels which were harder than others, but the time limit was extremely long, and it was pretty much the same thing over and over again. I was disappointed that there wasn't a boss at the end, because I can imagine that being quite challenging, but the game itself was quite enjoyable. It was designed well, and it was very original, something which is hard to achieve these days. Another thing I liked was that the levels actually were easy - hard, and I don't think I would have been able to do some of the later levels quite as quickly if I hadn't done the earlier ones first.

The Fancy Pants Adventure World 2

Okay! I know! I have neglected this blog way too much. I have got a few excuses, but I hope that I won't need to use them, because they take up valuable space, and quite frankly, who cares? Anyway, hopefully all of you recognise the title. If you don't, you've probably been living in a cave your entire life. Because this game is famous. I know it deviates from the whole Nitrome theme, but I needed a break, and then one of my class-mates was playing this, and I remembered playing it, and loving it. So, I started playing. My one aim? To get the purple pants. Some say these are the hardest pants to get, and when I heard that I was like duh. They're purple.

I got the pants. It took me about a week, during which my internet suicided. So, I got the purple pants. I thought to myself, well that wasn't too hard. So, I ended up getting all the trophies, and all the pants. The thing about the Fancy Pants Adventures is that the actual levels themselves are no problem, and once you've achieved everything, the game itself is no fun anymore. Apart from the extra levels, which are always a challenge. One that gets almost everyone stuck is AfroNinja. I actually don't understand why. You start, and wall jump. When you get to the top, it isn't a perfect jump, so slide down a bit, jump to the left wall just under the spikes, then jump to the right, and onto the rail.

Next, jumping past that tower of spikes. You simply have to time your jump perfectly, and keep on moving! Don't stop on any wooden platform for too long, or you'll never be able to get back on.