Developer / Distributor: Secret Base
Release Date: 18 Jul 2011
Rating: ESRB - Not Rated
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Case in point, Tobe's Vertical Adventure.
Tobe's Vertical Adventure (TVA) by Secret Base is a retro style arcade platformer game that is sure to bring back memories of the good old days from the 8-bit era. TVA gives you three ways to play - take control of either Tobe the video gamer, Nana his materialistic girlfriend, or both of them in a fun co-op mode.
You will be embarking on a quest that will take you through 4 islands, each having 4 challenging caverns for you to explore. Your ultimate goal is to find the treasure of King Garuza, but along the way you will also be collecting gems and rescuing helpless fluffy animals.
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| Welcome to Tobe's Vertical Adventure |
As you'll discover from little help notice posts in the first cavern, both Tobe and Nana are nimble and dexterous despite their huge block-like heads and tiny bodies. They can walk, run, jump, long jump, roll (a la Sonic the Hedgehog), climb ropes and vines, hang onto ledges, slide on walls (allows you to slide down walls slowly), and use special tools.
The biggest surprise during your first level will be when you come to a seemingly dead end only to realize that the way forward is to move off the left side of the screen so that you reappear on the right side. Brilliant!
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| Tobe's peeking at one of those tutorial posts |
Tobe can also perform a special wall run to run up walls for a short distance, while Nana can perform a special douple jump to reach those difficult spots. If you're playing in co-op mode, both Tobe and Nana can bounce off each other and even grab the other player while one is hanging onto a ledge. Talk about cool moves!
Each cavern will have you trying to reach the lowest point in the level to find the goal chest. It's an extra large chest with lots of supposed goodies hiding inside. You'll have to open every one of the goal chests you find, but get ready for a nasty surprise every time. They're all trapped!
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| At last the goal chest lies just ahead |
Like something out an Indiana Jones film, you'll now have to escape by hastily making your way back to the top of the level before a timer runs out. But there's a huge twist here... the earthquake that ensues starts to alter the original maze that you just traversed to reach the goal chest. That means, you'll have to take a new path to reach the surface.
Gasp! Talk about twists... the last level of each world even has a rising platform full of spikes that's ready to tear Tobe and Nana to digital bits. You can definitely feel the adrenaline flow as you have even less time (and definitely much more excitement) to complete it.
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| Reach for that lifeline before time runs out! |
Each of the 4 worlds are so alive and unique that it's hard to say which set is my favourite. There is a regular cavern tileset with cascading waterfalls, an ice cavern tileset with momentarily invisible ice crystal tiles, a lava tileset with bubbles that you can bounce on, and a mystery tileset which I'll leave you to discover by yourself.
Look out for the selection of cute wild animals that will steal health points from Tobe and Nana. Luckily, you can jump on them to knock them out silly for a few precious seconds.
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| Nana trying out the teleport door |
There are a couple of boxed collectibles worth trying to grab during play. One shows a heart symbol - it replenishes your health; another shows a rope tool symbol - you'll be able to throw a rope which will adhere to the ceiling and drop down a certain length, this is useful for getting to those hard to reach places; the last type contains a balloon tool icon - grab these to land safely from high places.
Oh yes before I forget, height does kill, so make sure Tobe or Nana don't go plunging foolishly into the stygian blackness without back pedalling against a wall surface to slow down.
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| Each world has new surprises that await you |
Of course, you mustn't forget to collect gems and rescue the helpless fluffy animals that are lying around the level. Rescuing more animals and gems will help to unlock more health points and the ability to carry more tools (ropes and balloons).
Not all animals and gems are easily reached in the game, you will need some skill and nimble agility to get to them (like holding down a switch to leave a retracting door open). In fact, some of these are even entombed behind walls. But, don't worry too much about the,, because once you unlock the goal chest, a particular wall will crumble to provide you access. So, do you save your skin or go for the treasure and rescue the fluffy animals?
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| Tobe and Nana on their journey to a Vertical Adventure |
The graphics in TVA is delightfully cute. There are a couple of panels at the start and end of the game that tells a simple story. The artwork looks consistent and professionally done for an indie developer. The game can be played with your keyboard or a controller, although it may take some time for you to get used to the key config for the former; you have the flexibility to change it though.
The audio soundtrack is rip-roaring chip music that brings back fond memories of the 8-bit era. Each world has it's own theme and is real catchy. The sound effects are clear and crisp and they suit the game's cutesy atmosphere very well.
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| Lend me a rope any time! |
Pros:
- Tobe's Vertical Adventure is pure arcade platforming bliss!
- The graphics tilesets are irresistibly cute.
- This game is also great for puzzle buffs who have an itching for a platforming arcade game.
- Tobe and Nana's each have some really interesting moves.
- The level designs are ingenious!
- You get an excellent twist whenever you open the goal chest - work your way back up, but the route may have changed and you're under pressure before you realize it's game over.
- Co-op mode is truly fun with a friend who is willing to take on the other character.
- The game truly sparkles with all the retro feel, look, and sound.
- If you truly persevere, you can unlock the artbook and soundtrack waiting for you on Secret Base's website.
- Tobe's not only on the PC. Find out more here.
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| You're going to need as much help as you can get! |
Cons:
- Strangely, you can't change graphics resolution; only resizing the game's screen is allowed.
- The default key configuration setting (J, K keys) is not conventional for menu navigation. Whatever happened to Enter and Escape?
- There's no true online multiplayer mode.
- I noticed a few minor message pop-ups that thankfully did not throw me back to the desktop.
- The story could have been developed further in Tobe's Vertical Adventure... perhaps in a future release?
- Here are some gripes from one who has completed the game - Only four worlds (not that I completed the game in record time)? Can't we have more tilesets and levels? And, where's the level editor? A DLC would be great!
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| A leap of faith |
Darn, now if only there were plush toys of some of the cute characters and monsters we see in Tobe's Vertical Adventure. It might just give those funky Angry Birds a run for their money!
[Editor: You can read an interview with Rayteoactive from Secret Base over here.]
Daily PC Game Review Score: 8.5 / 10
Review Date: 23 May 2012
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