It's been a pretty good week if you're a fan of retro platformers. There was the impressive Jump'N'Shoot Attack, and now there's Tiny Dangerous Dungeons.
This one's even more retro, with a green-glowing Gameboy aesthetic and a Metroidvania heart that's as cruel as it is entertaining.
The controls are smooth, the main character has a cheeky grin, and while there are a few niggles here and there it's still well worth a look.
BatsThe game sees you running through the titular dungeon, leaping over traps and monsters and trying to find your way to the exit. There's a lot of back-tracking, but it's good back-tracking, and gives the whole thing a sense of exploration.
You find new equipment as you venture through the dungeon. There's a glove that lets you push blocks over, throwing knives that let you tackle monsters, and a map that shows you where you've been and where you need to go.
These pieces of kit unlock previously inaccessible areas, and a clever save system involving some idols means you're never too far away from a checkpoint when you inevitably die.
There's a decent level of challenge here, but it's never particularly frustrating. Once you get a grip on the pace of things, you'll make pretty serene progress through the lovely nostalgic environments.
KnivesThere are a couple of little annoyances here, mainly that the jump button is the same button you use to get through doors, and you'll often find yourself accidentally swapping into a different room instead of leaping into the air.
But it doesn't really spoil what's an enjoyably adventurous platformer that's dripping with retro charm and solid, if not remarkable, ideas.