That Red Button

Entertaining gameplay mechanics can mean the difference between a successful video game and a failure. Even if the rest of the aspects are not up to standards, the fact that you keep playing in spite of them makes the game special. Tricky levels or challenging mechanics usually have this effect on people, because it’s always a blast to keep fighting against all odds.

That Red Button is a simple platformer with a very basic idea governing the gameplay, which actually gets more and more complicated as you keep playing. In essence, you have to navigate the levels by latching onto enemies through some kind of cloning ray, which allows the robot to copy the enemy’s behavior and path. Everything is possible this way, or at least everything required to pass the stages.

Story-wise, the entire plot actually spoiled in the title, because your job is to reach the red button and press it. There are many characters and monsters that try to stop you along the way, but with enough creativity and courage, you should be able to defeat all of them. Naturally, bosses are part of the fun as well, otherwise the term platformer wouldn’t mean a thing.

As far as the actual gameplay is concerned, it can be rather tricky to figure out what to do in the beginning. In essence, it’s just a matter of clicking on the enemies at the right time and letting them get you through walls. Sometimes, you either have to jump or let go at the right time in order for the trick to work, and it is also possible to switch enemies in midair, which comes in handy across large gaps.

Visually, everything is designed to look old and nostalgic, which means that you’ll have to cope with large pixels and simple animations. On the other hand, you might get a few flashbacks from the NES era, which is always a nice feeling. The level design is quite decent as well, and you can tell that the designers have put a bit of work into them.

In the end, That Red Button has what it takes to keep you playing until the end, even if the story is not exactly breathtaking. However, it’s the fun puzzles and tricky levels that keep you from getting bored too quickly.