ShareThis
4. Armillo: The Parallel Universe Mystery (Wii U)
Current Release Date: Q1 2014
Although Fuzzy Wuzzy Games’ Armillo: The Parallel Universe Mystery was shown off during the last Nintendo Direct, most gamers are focusing on other notable indie releases instead, leaving this to be one of the greatest looking games that no one is bothering to talk about. Armillo is a gorgeous action puzzle platformer, inspired by games like Marble Madness and Super Mario Galaxy, in which you control an adorable space armadillo that is trying to save his friends. Yes, you heard that right! Platforming mascots don’t get much cooler than space armadillos. Armillo can roll around, jump, and boost to traverse each spherical world, collecting various orbs along the way that can be used to upgrade his abilities.
Armillo spices up its main gameplay in a big way with its focus on a parallel universe. In these instances, you are brought to an alternate reality in which the atmosphere threatens to suffocate you, leaving you with only a set amount of time to escape. There are also hidden 2D levels scattered throughout the game, which heavily reminds me of side-scrolling platformers like Sonic the Hedgehog. Both of these elements, combined with the core gameplay, help make Armillo something to get excited about. Plus, if the trailer is any indication, the soundtrack is going to be incredible as well!
Two things. First, if they were further along in development I’d add the Kickstarter projects Hyper Light Drifter and Paradise Lost–and fairly high up–but since they’re really still at the stage of hopeful we can just keep them in mind for a similar list this time next year. Second, if you made a list of the top ten anticipated major studio games, I’d be hard pressed to say which I’d rather play, especially if you excluded games like Zelda U and X, which are similarly not far enough along (so far as we know). I hope that says more about indie gaming than it does the major studios.
Really anticipating Two Brothers, that game has a lot of potential and makes me happy to see a developer showing appreciation for Game Boy’s graphical stylings; GB games are often unceremoniously slammed for their graphics, which is a real shame.
Interested in 5 out the 10 listed… including a couple that I hadn’t heard of before this article. Not bad!
Lots of indie games don’t live up to the hype, but there have been enough really *really* good ones to make up for any disappointment. 3DS eShop has been by far the best part of that console for me, and it looks like Wii U has a lot of great content coming before long too. Awesome!