Independent Games Spotlight #3

Not since Super Metroid have I played a 2d game this atmospheric. I stumbled onto this game (not "little game" ...why do people do that to indie projects?) by chance and I'm glad I did because this is one of the best gaming experiences I've had so far this year (came out last year, but played in 2008).

Nifflas' Knytt Stories

Knytt Stories is a series of 2d platform adventure games very much in the vain of a Metroid or a Castlevania. The major difference is you do not actually fight the enemies. There are enemies, challenging ones at that, but your goal is to simply get past them. This is because the core draw of the game is in the platforming and exploration, not any form of combat.

Much like Samus, Knytt has to find all his/her abilities again in order to navigate around the environment. The controls are very simple, but they have a Mario like tightness to them that needs to be experienced to be really understood. Whether you are climbing walls, gliding across a cavernous pit, or skillfully jumping to avoid an annoying enemy, navigating the world is truly a joy.

But don't be swayed by the graphics. The presentation in this game is top notch. The music was all made by the creator and is honestly some of the best game music I have ever heard. Nothing more than pallet changes are used to graphically set apart the different environments, but the music bring each area to life. The sound effects are also pretty rad. You will be hearing the Knytt wall climbing sound for days after you play this game.


I beat the main adventure "The Machine" in a few hours so this game isn't a huge time commitment. The creator, Nifflas, has made other "stories" using this engine including a pretty cool abstract world with some awesome verticality. Be sure to download the expansion from the site as well. He allows others to use his tools to make their own "stories" and makes them available for free as well, but I recommend starting with "The Machine". You can find the game here. I haven't tried his more recent work, but I'll be sure to check it out and report on it later.


Have fun


Brad