Don’t say I didn’t warn you. On Thursday, with the help of game publisher Namco Games, Gaijin Games released its popular Wiiware title Bit.Trip Beat for iOS devices. The game – which is certain to put a significant dent in your daily routine – is on sale now in the App Store for $1.99, and is worth every penny.
For those of you unfamiliar with the game, it’s a little bit like if Pong and Guitar Hero had a baby. You control a bumper on the left side of the screen and bits come flying towards you in rhythm with music playing in background. Make sure you play this game with your headphones plugged in, otherwise you’re doing it wrong.
The music is what makes this game so enjoyable. The bits fly at you in rhythm, and as you deflect them back across the screen it’s as if you are playing along to the song. You can choose to control your bumper by tilting your device or with your finger. I prefer the latter, though it does obstruct your view of the oncoming bits.
The music is in the resurgently popular “chiptune” style – “tunes made using hacked sound chips from video game hardware,” says Namco. The artistic style of the game is equally nostalgic, featuring 8-bit style blocky graphics that fit perfectly with the music. The game has been so popular as to warrant the sale of its soundtrack on popular online music stores.
Bit.Trip Beat is the first in a series of four Bit.Trip games that have launched on Wiiware, with a fifth coming later this year. The most recent addition, Bit.Trip Runner, mixes the free-running style of games like Cannabalt and Mirror’s Edge with the musical rhythm found in the previous Bit.Trip games. The iOS version of Beat features Apple’s Game Center, so get playing and upload your scores!
(Via Namco Games)
