Muffin Knight

 
Developer: Angry Mob Games

Steam Release: May 2014

Hours Played: 8.9

Similar To: Room 13 / Super Crate Box / Super Mutant Alien Assault

Rating: 3/5 Parsnips

GAMEPLAY

Room 13 and Mutant Alien Assault are not the only two games that have tinkered with the Super Crate Box formula to good effect; we'll need to add Muffin Knight to that list as well. The basic gameplay mechanic is pretty much stolen unashamedly from the cult classic that is Super Crate Box. Enemies get dropped into the play area from above making their way to the bottom of the screen getting more numerous by the minute. If they reach the pit, they'll reappear at the top again in an angrier and faster form. You leap about from ledge to ledge avoiding contact with enemies as per SCB but in this mobile port to PC, instead of gathering crates you frantically collect muffins and instead of picking up different weapons, you change into one of 18 unlockable creatures and use their unique method of attack. 
 

BALANCE & PACE

For example, on picking up a muffin, you randomly change into the mage, archer, knight or cyclops (for a long-ranged attack); the zombie, gnome or dragon (for a short ranged attack); or the sumo panda or grizzly (for melee) - but the list does not stop there. Angry Mob Games have also thrown in some imaginatively bizarre creations to spice things up. In addition to those standard attacks, you've got Mr Rainbow who clears the entire screen for you; the frog who attacks with his tongue; the pumpking who rolls his own head and a unicorn that poops multi-coloured mines!  As you play you get xp for each kill, level-up accordingly and then upgrade your creatures or other perks to become more and more powerful. An average level might last around 2-5 minutes and success is measured in earning up to five stars per level.

PRESENTATION & DESIGN

You'll certainly notice that Muffin Knight has the hallmarks of a mobile game. At the level-select screen, you'll need to swipe through levels in carousel-like fashion and the menus really do not work well with an Xbox controller. The game is seemingly unable to detect what you're doing with the left-stick at these menus and it gets completely lost when you're at the upgrade screen but it's perfectly fine and receptive to mouse use. The game is very child-centred with a happy-go-lucky and extremely child-friendly soundtrack along with a cosy and friendly grandma-styled narrator. She'll be the one enthusiastically announcing which creature you've turned into on picking up muffins.
 

PROGRESS SYSTEM

Muffin Knight comes loaded with ten levels that get unlocked as you fulfill, initially, fairly easy-to-complete conditions. Each level awards up to five stars depending on how many muffins you're able to collect for each run. The game does record your best score for each level (most muffins collected) but you cannot review these at any high-score chart or stat-screen. In fact a high-score is only displayed when it tells you that you've beaten a previously set one after finishing a level. Other progress can also be measured at the upgrade-screen where you upgrade your characters who can be maxed out with up to three stars. Unfortunately, at around Level 7, with severe conditions in place to continue, the player hits a hefty barrier to progression and it then seems like a grind may be in order to ensure characters are strong enough to proceed.   

CONCLUSION

Muffin Knight is a fast-paced alternative to Super Crate Box that packs enough twists and turns to make it a decent contender. The 18 characters offer more than enough variety where you'll prefer picking up your favourites, who suit your preferred style, as opposed to those that you'll find are next to useless or not so much fun. This not only gives the game character but adds bite to the gameplay where you'll either rush quickly for muffins or take a little more time depending on whose shoes you're wearing. The combined nuisance of the absence of a high-score chart, the lack of motivation to improve 5-starred levels and the need to grind for XP to get beyond Level 7 does point to a flawed progress system though and does unfortunately weigh against an otherwise very well put together game.