Super Hexagon

Developer: Terry Cavanagh
Steam Release: Nov 2012
Hours Played: 4.0
Similar To: Boson X / The Collider / Cosmophony / Velocibox / Unpossible
Rating: 2/5 Parsnips



GAMEPLAY
They say that the most simple ideas are often the best. Well, the maker of VVVVVV has stepped up to the plate again for another minimalist offering in the form of Super Hexagon; a game featuring a little triangle and a few lines. You begin by looking at a small hexagon in the centre of the screen and a tiny little triangle next to it. With controller or keyboard at the ready, you rotate the triangle around the hexagon. As the pumping music begins, lines from the peripheries converge towards you creating a tunnel like effect. You must avoid these lines, making sure your triangle continually exits through the one gap or escape route. The lines close in on you relentlessly and you forever dodge them in an effort to last as long as possible. Hit the solid lines and it's game over.  
 

BALANCE & PACE
Much like Bit.Trip Runner, the game continuously trains you as you become more accustomed to its pace and get more proficient. This makes it a great feel-good game when you're in the zone and zipping through it like a master. Be warned though, like Velocibox and the hardest settings of Unpossible, initially this game will seem completely unforgiving - even on the easiest setting (appropriately entitled hard). You'll crash constantly within ten seconds and wonder what the hell is the matter with you. Keep practising though and you'll soon adapt and tune yourself into the speed and nuances of the game. I can't say that you'll be gliding through the harder and hardest difficulty like Cavanagh himself, as most mere mortals won't last more than half a minute, but you'll soon be giving it a good crack.   

PRESENTATION & DESIGN

What helps make Super Hexagon such fun is the superb music. As soon as you dive in, you are greeted with a pulsating soundtrack which envelopes you and really draws you in giving you the incentive to not only last longer but to jump back in again and again to beat your best time. Along with the rhythmic music, you also get cool announcements along the way of geometric shapes. Whether these have something to do with the general geometry of future shapes you'll encounter is unclear but it splits up the action and offers encouragement very well nevertheless. Jumping in for another turn is load-screen free and instant, adding another reason why the game is so addictive.

PROGRESS SYSTEM
Navigating through the menus is child's play. Hitting Start Game from the opening screen takes you to the Hard difficulty screen and if you scroll through, you'll be taken to the Harder difficulty screen and then onto the Hardest. Hit Start while at these screens and it's away you go. When you've finished your attempt, you're shown a few stats and then you can either dive straight in or go back and scroll through the level-select screens; it's that simple. Navigation and transitions are instant and there are no load screens. Each screen shows your current high-score so you always have something to aim for. 

CONCLUSION

Apart from its simple design and kick-ass soundtrack, what is most impressive about Super Hexagon is its speed and efficiency - and this makes it a perfect game to jump in and out of for a few spins. You will, of course, mess up time and time again. You'll miss your high-score by a few seconds and let out an annoying groan regularly but it's all totally painless because restarting is instant and you're straight back into zoning into that mesmerizing tunnel, concentrating on that tiny triangle and listening to that awesome soundtrack again. Super Hexagon is the quintessential casual game and can be just the type of game you'll visit more often than that £40 Triple A title that you bought last week.