Indie games are a dime a dozen, so they have to have a flashy gimmick to make them stand out from the pack. In Spinch‘s case, it’s just about as flashy as can be, as anyone with a pair of eyeballs will be dazzled by its vibrant, exuberant colors drizzled about on the screen. I knew I had to get my hands on this game mere seconds into its trailer, as I was simply mesmerized by the visuals, a big draw for me as evidenced by my love for Sayonara Wild Hearts.

Now, as important as the visuals are in a video game, a platformer has the necessity of feeling tight and fluid. For Spinch… it’s not the best. The gameplay warrants a lot of dashing and while the speed boost feels nice, it dies off a bit too quickly, making precision-platforming a bit of a nuisance. Players will need to get used to this quirky movement scheme but, thanks to checkpoints, won’t have to retry entire levels after mistakes.

It’s safe to say that Spinch plays like a Mario title of old. With a bouncy level select screen, you will navigate worlds sprawling with enemies, jumps-a-plenty. The presentation is top-notch, with music from James Kirkpatrick composed on “modified Gameboys and circuit-bent, hand-made instruments.” The visuals are courtesy of Canadian cartoonist Jesse Jacobs and are a remarkable helping of eye candy worthy of a screenshot at any given point.

Unfortunately, I got pretty hard-stuck on the game’s first boss. Much like the sun in the early Mario games, the boss will pursue you incessantly throughout the long stage, dropping a “color bomb” that instantly kills you unless you are under a strategically-placed hill. This became a real pain considering the checkpoints are scattered about, rendering one bad dash to set you back 20-30+ seconds.

It’s tough spots in games like this that tend to mar the experience for me. When the levels prior were so noteworthy, periods like this leave a bad taste in my mouth and wanting to switch to something else. Nevertheless, I persisted and was met with more entertaining levels, so while it was a roadblock, it was worth it to progress and have more fun. It’s levels like that where more QA should occur so that every demographic gets enjoyment, considering the game is marketed as “welcoming to players of all experiences.”

Enough complaining. Spinch is captivating in appearance and is most-definitely catered to fans of similar titles like Mario, Super Meat Boy, and more. Even so, the game has a meager six worlds, so it’s even more confined to the whim of completionists and speedrunners looking to reach perfection. As such, Spinch really isn’t for everyone, as it claims to be. Perhaps the best route for casuals to take would be to experience Spinch through a video playthrough. The game is a work of art but is better enjoyed without the duress of its loose feel. If the game gets a control-catered patch, maybe I’ll return to it, too!

A PC review copy Spinch was provided by Akupara Games for this review.

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Spinch

$14.99

6

Score

6.0/10

Pros

• A Visual Marvel
• Bombastic Music
• Performs Well

Cons

• Doesn't Control Well
• Some Unfair Checkpoints
• Frustrating Bosses