It’s been nearly five years since Bit.Trip Presents… Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien returned the unique rhythm platforming action of CommanderVideo to screens around the globe. Since then, the development studio has changed its name from Gaijin Games to Choice Provisions Inc., and branched out into a series of casual games, mostly developed under the MiniVisions label. But the wait is almost over. A new Runner game, with the newly shortened official title of Runner3 is heading to Steam and Nintendo Switch on May 22nd. Prepare your platforming skills!
At PAX East, I had a chance to try out a demo build of Runner3 on the Nintendo Switch. Despite not being especially skilled at platformers, I’ve always enjoyed the Runner series, even if the first game did kill a controller. When things are going well, the blend of music and platform rhythms work the player into an almost zen-like state where jumping gets easy and the game feels like a platforming music video. When things go badly though, it’s wall, after wall, after missed jump, after missed slide, after broken controller. To be honest, I was a little concerned about playing the game on a Switch console in portable mode.
Runner3 builds on the best parts of the previous two games. The core mechanic of a building musical score perfectly matched to the player’s actions remains, as does the bizarre cast of characters. Also returning are the lush, busy backgrounds of Runner2, now even prettier and more distracting than ever. This is the rare platformer game that’s equally enjoyable to watch as it is to play, simply to appreciate all the action that flashes by too quickly when you’re the player trying to make the next jump/slide/kick combination. Retained too, are the game’s tight, responsive controls, a must for a good platformer. Pixel perfect jump requirements are fine with the controls can match the action, not so much when a laggy or capricious control scheme becomes as much an enemy as the environment.
Get ready to jump!
A big change with Runner3 is the expansion of branching paths. Where Runner2 did feature some vertical path choices (necessitating at least two trips through the level for 100% completion), Runner3 adds lateral changes. No longer is the path through the level restricted to elevation changes, now the path weaves in and out around obstacles, creating all sorts of new visual challenges for players.
One of Runner3’s classic theme levels.
Returning players may also find Runner3’s basic levels slightly easier. Not easy, to be sure, but one of the developers took time to point out that they wanted the main path of Runner3 to be accessible to everyone, not just the super hard-core platform experts. For those folks, however, the challenge levels have been retained, and are more difficult than ever. I personally couldn’t complete the first challenge level, at least not in the allotted demo time.
Here’s one of those curved paths that players will be following.
One of the big thrills of the Runner series, or any good technical platformer, is nailing that perfect level run and seeing your name hit the leaderboard. Runner3 and its gorgeous backgrounds retains all of that and looks bigger and better than ever. Oh, and the Switch survived my demo. Hopefully, my trusty Xbox 360 controller will as well when the game hits my PC.
Players interested in learning more about Runner3 should check out the game’s website, Choice Provisions Inc. on Twitter, or the game’s Steam page.
