Castle Crashers

"This game doesn't just crash castles. It DEMOLISHES them."

It's the opinion of quite a number of gamers that there are few games on Xbox Live Arcade that can stand out as gems amongst hundreds of pebbles and coal. There's no denying that there are some games that are unfairly underrated, but out of many of them, there are few that many will agree is an incredible arcade game. With the recent raising of prices on many downloadable games, the thought of spending their precious Microsoft Points on a potentially awful game has gamers shaking in their traveler's boots.

Fortunately, there's a game that shines among the mass of mediocre games. Castle Crashers is a hack and slash adventure game created by the gaming company The Behemoth, the same company that created Alien Hominid. It incorporates beat ‘em up gameplay with RPG elements, such as the ability to level up, improve your stats, and change weapons that will provide various bonuses. The recipe is fairly basic, but the method in which it is executed is simply entertaining.

Story: 10/10

With such a basic idea for a game, it's hard to imagine a game such as Castle Crashers to have a moving story behind it. Truth be told, the story is as straightforward as the gameplay. Your kingdom becomes attacked by an enemy menace, and your four princesses are kidnapped. It's your job as one of the kingdom's valiant knights to defeat the enemy and rescue them. You read right; it's your average damsel in distress scenario. However, that's the beauty of it. There's no real story to try to comprehend, no twists to worry about. It's a simple game to have fun with. The plot is so basic, it's silly. It's feasible to suggest that the creators never intended for the game to be taken seriously, as can be seen in many instances throughout the game. You'll find yourself laughing at many of the comical events scattered throughout the game. The story, if you can find it, matches the game perfectly.

Gameplay: 10/10

Castle Crashers' gameplay is remarkably addicting, with its side scrolling movement, hectic battles, and entertaining combat system. The overworld is comprised of several paths that you can take to different levels. There's no long traveling to get to different places, a nice touch for gamers who like getting to places quickly. In the actual game, you can attack with such things as your weapon, magic, a bow and arrow set, a boomerang, and much more. One item even lets you become super sized, allowing you to deal large amounts of damage. Another interesting feature is the inclusion of animal orbs. These items can be found throughout the levels, and once you find them, they'll automatically join you. Each animal comes with unique powerups, such as increasing your stats, improving your chances of finding items, and some even attack enemies. There's also a large selection of weapons to find as well, each with a different set of bonuses and features that will enhance or lower some of your abilities. The gameplay isn't rocket science, but it's surprisingly deep, and offers plenty to enjoy.

Music: 9/10

Castle Crashers is definitely full of catch tunes, as well as large, moving tones that will match the mood of each level you're in. The overworld has a catch sound that you'll find yourself humming when not playing it. Boss battles are accompanied by epic scores that heighten the conflict, and sound effects are often comically made. The sound of your attack is nothing special, and many enemies' battle cries and such can more often bring out a chuckle out of the gamer. There aren't any special sounds that will grab your attention immediately, but for the most part, Castle Crashers doesn't fail in delivering a soundtrack that's pleasing to the ear.

Controls: 9/10

The game's control scheme is fairly simple: jump, attacks, items, and shielding. The left and right bumpers are used for swapping between items, the L trigger is for shielding, and the R trigger goes into magic. It's basic, and takes only minutes to learn. Using the attack buttons in different orders can lead to different combos, as you learn different combos as you level up. The only flaw that's enough to knock down the score from a perfect 10 is the way the magic is implemented. Once your magic is at a certain level, you'll be able to use the B button to shoot a magical projectile. However, many gamers will find themselves accidentally using their items, as they forget to hold down the R trigger to use the magic, or they don't hold it down long enough or hard enough. It's a minor flaw, but other than that, the controls are simple, and won't leave players struggling to remember how to do certain actions.

Replay Value: 9/10

It's almost impossible to become bored with this game. With a story mode that can be played with up to 4 players, an arena mode for heated character duels, an eating minigame entitled “All You Can Quaff”, animal orbs to collect, unlockable characters, and online play, you won't find yourself done with this game for quite some time. There are a multitude of characters the player can unlock, but since the control scheme is fairly the same with each of them, players will soon find themselves feeling as though they're just playing the game over again with little changes. Even more so, the story itself is fairly short, and can be completed with a couple of hours, depending on how much time is used to actually try and beat it. Nevertheless, the addictive gameplay will have you hooked, and you won't mind spending hours trying to level up and finding secret items.

Overall Score: 10/10

Castle Crashers certainly isn't a perfect game, but it comes dangerously close to it. With plenty to accomplish, secrets to find, and a gameplay style that will draw you in and hold on tight, don't be surprised if you find yourself playing until the early hours of the morning. The package may be small: a simple story, basic controls, and pleasing music. However, this game is more than just that. It has much more. Awesome boss fights, comical references, and plenty of fecal matter to go around.

-sykilik101

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/15/08

Game Release: Castle Crashers (US, 08/27/08)