A lot of things were going through my mind when I came across, “Super Tower Rush”. Is it a tower defense game? Does it involve constructing towers quickly to meet some unknown goal? I was surprised to learn that it was something far different, as it introduced mechanics that I don’t normally see in the world of reviewing games. Before we begin looking at what this game is all about, I’d like to thank Lorena Casanova for sending me a free preview copy. It’s important to note that this game is currently in the Alpha stage of development, which means that the game isn’t finished yet. It also means that the features and content that I describe in this article are subject to change.
Super Tower Rush (PC)
The main menu allows the player to access single and multi-player modes, learn the game via a tutorial, shop (not sure what this does), and adjust game options. At this point in development, the single player and shop menus are unavailable. Multiplayer requires a username and password, which I don’t have. The two player mode seems to be the only mode available for play testing, but it’s easy to switch back and forth between both characters if you’re flying solo (or you can grab a friend). The tutorial revealed a single screen that gave me an overview of the game and its mechanics. I felt that it did a good job in priming me for the game. The options menu lets you set keybinds for both players (yes, there is two player keyboard support) and turn on/off the music and sound. It’s worth noting that there is presently no mouse support and that I had to navigate the menus with the keyboard.
Options Menu
“Super Tower Rush”, to sum it up, is one epic race. You’ll choose a hero and attempt to get them to the bottom of the tower before your opponent does the same with their hero. There are quite a number of heroes to choose from, though I didn’t see any special reason to pick one over the other except for cosmetic preferences. While you’ll both be descending a tower, the screen will be split so that you can’t directly interact with each other. The levels of the tower appear to randomly generate, so level thirty-five may look one way for you, but not the same way for your opponent. At the top of each tower is a number, which informs the player what level they are on in relation to the bottom. These numbers will change as players descend their respective towers. Players will also be able to see how many coins they’ve collected and what spell is currently qued to affect them along the sides of the screen…more on that in a minute.
Character Selection
The controls are incredibly simple in “Super Tower Rush”. Players will be using four directional keys for up, down, left, and right movement and two buttons for special actions. In this case, the up control jumps while the down control digs through the floor. Digging is helpful for when you need to clear a path straight down through troublesome platforms, but it takes time. As you descend these levels, they become progressively more difficult and as such, digging may end up becoming a necessity in some cases. Besides navigating the environment in an attempt to descend the tower, players will be able to pick up power ups to help themselves and auto-cast spells to slow up their opponent in some fashion. What’s more, players will be able to upgrade these spells by spending five coins (per upgrade), bringing the hurt to their opponent even more. As a defensive measure, players will be able to spend five coins to downgrade the spell currently played on them to make it less hazardous. Effects of a spell don’t actually take place until the affected player reaches the next screen / level, which gives the defending player time to react.
Some spells cause the enemy’s screen to go dark while others summon a bunch of annoying little slimes.
The first player to reach the bottom of the tower, or progress ten levels beyond that of the other player, wins the game. It’s a simple goal, but players will find that getting the jump on their opponent is harder than they think. Players will be focusing a lot on the levels as they appear, making it difficult to keep an eye on their opponent. Luckily, there are visible ques that present themselves to keep you apprised of the situation. For one, your tower’s background wall will get redder and redder as your opponent nears the “10 levels ahead” victory condition. You’ll also physically see spells hitting you as your opponent runs over them, and the icons over your head help to keep track of their intensity should your opponent decide to upgrade them. I have to give the developers credit, these ques helped me to easily keep track of the gameplay.
Dying brings you back to the top of the current level, but won’t set you back too much.
Overall, I found “Super Tower Rush” to be a lot of fun. For a game that is simple to play, it will challenge you to think quickly on your feet. The inclusion of spells and the ability to spend coin on them provides players with some unique strategies while helping to liven up the gameplay. The game is currently being sold for $4.99 on Desura, which I think will be more than fair of a price once all of the features are in place. I’m personally looking forward to seeing what else the developers have in mind in terms of gameplay mechanics. If you’re a fan of head to head action / arcade games, add this one to your watch list!
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You can learn more about and purchase “Super Tower Rush” by visiting the following websites:
http://www.desura.com/games/super-tower-rush
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