Vibrant splashes of neon, fast-paced combo-intense action, and a catchy-as-hell soundtrack are all it takes for me to fall in love. And let me tell you, did I fall completely head over heals for Vertex Pop’s latest game, Super Crush K.O.
Super Crush K.O. is Vertex Pop’s follow-up to Graceful Splosion Machine – a smart, addictive shooter that charmed the pants off of gamers in 2017. Swapping out spaceships for fisticuffs, Super Crush K.O. stars a neon windbreaker-clad lass caught in the middle of a robot uprising. To make matters worse, your AI adversaries have also gone and cat-napped your sweet kitty; John Wick, anyone?
The first thing that really snatched my attention was the game’s super slick and stylish visuals. Vertex Pop is no stranger to color, and the razzle-dazzle on display here pops off the screen with plenty of gusto. The overall look had a distinct anime feel to it, coupled with a dash of Saturday morning cartoon flair. I always appreciate a bold visual look. For as much as a sucker I am for retro graphics and pixels, it was really refreshing to see a game stand out from the sea of sprites that tended to dominate the PAX East indie scene this year. So kudos to Vertex Pop for being so wonderfully different. However, visuals alone don’t make a great gaming experience. Fortunately, Super Crush K.O.plays every bit as good as it looks.
Combat is a simple endeavor: you punch, kick, and blast your way through hordes of mechanical menaces. As a brawler/shoot-em-up hybrid game, chaining combos are key in keeping your score – and rank for that matter – as high as possible. This is where your trusty blaster comes in handy. Below your Health Bar is a meter that indicates the number of shots left in your firearm. This meter will charge while you punch bad-bots in their electronic face-holes, so don’t expect to spam shots all willy-nilly. Your blaster is meant to bridge the gap between punches and kicks so you don’t lose your cherished combo counter. It adds to the kinetic vibe that Super Crush K.O. is trying to create, and it does so in spades.
All in all, the vertical slice of gameplay I experienced at PAX East 2019 was exceptional. Juggling combos made the gameplay very fun and very frantic. When you take into account the very zen-like tone the visuals give off, it makes for one of the most promising indie titles I’ve played in a long time. When my time with Super Crush K.O. ended, I was hankering for more. The combat was just an absolute blast. From diving around in all directions, juggling bots in the air, to then uppercutting them into oblivion, and then setting my blaster’s sight on the next enemy as stylishly fell to the ground –Super Crush K.O. combo-ed its way into my heart.
If you haven’t heard about Super Crush K.O., you will soon enough. There is no way Vertex Pop can keep something so fun a secret for much longer. Expect this gem to drop on PC and Nintendo Switch in 2019.
You can follow Super Crush K.O. on Twitter: https://twitter.com/vertexpop.
