Lately I’ve been making a point to try some of the top-rated XBLIG games regardless of whether they’re new or old. One that really hooked me is The Impossible Game by developer FlukeDude and it’s available for just 80 Microsoft points.
The game is simple in that it’s a side-scrolling platformer with minimalist graphics. Your character is represented by a red square that is constantly in motion. You have no control over speed in this game, so it’s up to you to jump over or fall under the obstacles in the game. You cannot run into any objects. You cannot land on any spikes. You have to avoid falling into the many, many pits in the game. All of this has to happen without giving you more than a split-second to think about whether you should jump or don’t jump.
Thankfully the game is merciful enough to allow you to plant a flag in any destination of your choosing while you’re moving. A death will result in you returning immediately to the last flag you placed. Ideally you want to plant one as soon as you overcome a really troublesome area so that you don’t have to repeat it. The game keeps a tally of how many attempts you’ve made to finish the level. For the record, I have yet to finish a level. This is a game that requires both skill and patience and is absolutely worthy of its name.
I highly recommend everyone at least try the demo. You’ll get a decent feel for how the game plays and at least a taste for the difficulty level. Like I said it’s also pretty cheap for those of you who take a liking to it.
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