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The best series ever to grace WiiWare has now come to the Wii U. Actually, it’s come
to several platforms...but now more than ever, BIT.TRIP feels more at home on a Nintendo
system. And to be honest, it’s better on Nintendo’s system, too. Commander Video
is back in BIT.TRIP Presents Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien.
Long title short...this game is awesome, you guys.
So what’s BIT.TRIP, and why is it presenting? Well, BIT.TRIP was a series of six games released
to WiiWare from 2009 to 2011. The unique thing about BIT.TRIP was that each game was an entirely
different genre. BIT.TRIP Runner is a runner, BIT.TRIP Fate is a shoot ‘em up...BIT.TRIP
Void is a mind f*ck. But they all had the same approach.
Take a genre, give it a pre-NES style...and turn it into a rhythm game.
It’s sort of a weird idea, but it’s also a brilliant idea. The games were great, some
of the best on Wii, let alone WiiWare. Even though the original series is over, BIT.TRIP
is back for more...and as you’d expect, it’s once again doing something different.
Runner 2 is a direct sequel to the original BIT.TRIP Runner. And at least in terms of
its functionality, it’s actually very similar. This is a side-scrolling runner, like a platformer
on autopilot. Commander Video runs forward automatically, so all you have to do is jump,
dodge, bounce, block, slide...actually, there’s a lot you have to do. And as with the original
Runner, it all contributes to the game’s fantastic soundtrack.
Every successful duck, every kicked enemy...makes music.
So from a gameplay perspective, it’s actually the same idea that made the first game great.
The difference is...with Runner 2, it’s just much, much bigger. The levels are far
more elaborate, filled with hidden extras and secret exits. There are more characters,
there are unique worlds...which is one of the biggest changes in Runner 2.
It’s not a throwback anymore. Its actually found its own style.
So, yes...sadly, the pixelated retro look is gone, save for a few bonus levels you can
access by finding hidden Famicom cartridges. But that’s part of the charm. The game still
oozes retro love—it just places it in a more modern context. The levels have this
beautiful kind of weirdness, not unlike a Tim Burton kind of vibe. It’s really colorful,
somewhat demented...and the presentation is just much bigger.
I mean, it’s even narrated. By the voice of Mario, no less.
Of course, the hypnotic gameplay, the slick presentation...that’s present on all the
versions of Runner 2. To be honest, there aren’t that many differences between the
platforms, but the Wii U version does have two nice advantages. One, it has shorter loading
times than the Xbox version, and more importantly...you can play the entire game on the GamePad, which
frees up the television screen. And for a game this addictive, that’s really useful
for...avoiding living room disputes.
The BIT.TRIP games were one of the best reasons to own a Wii, and the series is picking up
right where it left off on Wii U. Runner 2 is everything that made the first game so
great, but more. More stuff, more creativity...more awesome.
If you have a Wii U, you need Runner 2.