99999 Demo

Modern video games are anything but simple, especially since gameplay mechanics have advanced a lot in the last couple of years. This is especially true for RPGs and strategy games, because sometimes you have to go through lengthy tutorials just to understand how to use your character’s abilities. On the other hand, there are still games that are simple to understand, yet anything but simple to beat.

99999 is a retro platformer with fast-paced gameplay mechanics and simple graphics, in which your goal is to go around an arena-like level and collect all the weapons that spawn as quickly as possible. This is made more difficult by the constantly spawning enemies, which get progressively more aggressive and tougher to defeat as you advance through the stages, although you also get better weapons along the way.

You don’t have too many tools in your arsenal, but everything is designed to be as fluid as possible, which is why your character can jump, double jump, slide and shoot as quickly as you want him to. The weapons can be chosen from the loadout screen, although you are constantly switching between them depending on how they spawn around the level. In essence, your weapon instantly changes to the one you pick up, and you cannot manually switch between them.

The first levels are fairly simple to navigate, but they get trickier as you manage to advance. Walls, high platforms and all sorts of traps make an appearance later on, not to mention the fact that the enemies evolve as well. While they simply spawn and patrol aimlessly at first, they quickly become able to pursue you, as well as shoot back. Since you can only take so many hits before the game over screen takes over, it’s wise to avoid their hits.

You can also obtain various special abilities later in the game, all of which can be equipped from the loadout menu as well. It is also possible to replay levels in order to pursue high scores, which is a great way to encourage multiple playthroughs. Lastly, the retro graphics go very well with the concept, and the music is very well-designed as well.

Even if 99999 can be a bit frustrating at first, it’s obvious that the true lovers of the genre are going to have a blast with it. Hence, we can only hope that the full version is going to be just as fun, although all it needs to succeed is more levels and more enemy types.