2023 Proved Indies Can Outpace Their Inspirations

This year has been monumental for AAA releases, yet I find myself embarking on a quest to relive my younger years through the indie scene. Growing up in the era that I did, Nintendo was a pivotal part of my childhood and my choice of games and consoles. Whether it was with the Super Nintendo and games like Mega Man X or the Gameboy Advance with titles like Wario Land 4, I was always ready to embark on whatever the developers were willing to put out on these systems.

As I got older and hit my teens, Nintendo wasn’t “edgy,” and I wanted to jump into a new world with new games. Enter the original Microsoft Xbox and titles like Jet Set Radio Future that helped shape my taste in games for years. However, 2023 brought my nostalgia to a screeching halt with releasing a few particular games.

Even though I’ve been enamored by indies since the Xbox 360 era, with games like Super Meat Boy and Braid taking my attention away from some of the heavy hitters of the day, these indies, in particular, have taken my attention by the horns and are ready to drive me into gaming heaven.

It’s Pizza Time

I also spent plenty of time growing up watching cartoons that I should likely not have been watching. Shows like Ren and Stimpy corrupted my young mind, and its unique art style has been something I’ve loved since my youth. Enter Pizza Tower, the debut title from Tour de Pizza that has had its hand around my throat since I discovered it.

Evoking the style of 90’s Nickelodeon shows and setting it in motion in a way that screenshots can not properly show off, Pizza Tower has taken obvious inspiration from not only this era of animation but from the classic Wario Land series of games, Wario Land 4 in particular. It isn’t shameful to borrow more than a few ideas from this portable powerhouse of a platformer and implement them into its general ebb and flow in masterful ways.

One part Wario and one part Sonic, it’s filled with classic gross-out humor, precision platforming with a need for speed, and a variety of memorable enemies on the standard field and boss battles; you’ve got a recipe for something that will become not only a cult classic but something that is getting the recognition it deserves through events like The Game Awards, where it was nominated for Best Debut Indie.

Not only does Pizza Tower deliver a delicious slice of platforming goodness in its visuals and gameplay, but its eclectic and electrifying soundtrack deserves a note of recognition. At the end of each level, you’ll need to speed your way back to the entrance, with one of the most anxiety-inducing tracks I’ve ever heard in a video game blasting direction into your cranium. It’s absolutely hot and ready and delivers some funky beats fresh out of the oven.

Pizza Tower came into my life at the perfect time, and it’s something that I’ve gushed about before on Prima and on previous sites that I’ve written for. It’s a unique experience that sets the bar at new heights for platformers and something I don’t see being dethroned from my Top 3 favorite games of all time anytime soon.

The Gravity Of The Situation

Mega Man, both in his standard form and X form, has hugely influenced me. While watching the general quality of the X franchise implode from the inside, it’s a franchise that has always been near and dear to me from the first time I experienced Mega Man X at my childhood friend Jerry’s house. However, it’s been quite some time since a game has nailed the aesthetics, gameplay, and sound design as perfectly as Gravity Circuit has in my eyes.

I’m also a sucker for sick Robot designs, something that Gravity Circuit delivers in spades. The main controllable Circuit, Kai, evokes another bit of nostalgia for me, as they look like a suped-up Power Ranger. Design isn’t the only thing that Gravity Circuit has going for it, thankfully, but it plays an essential part in the overall game. Level design, character design, hell, even the sound design, is a near-perfect replication of the classic series.

A platformer can be made or broken by poor-level design, and Gravity Circuit stands on the highest pedestal when it comes to Mega Man-likes (is that an actual term? If not, you heard it here, folks!), giving you a straightforward path that is easy to follow. Yet, the trained eye can spot cracks in the generalized design of the stages, leading to further chances to explore the world around you. With the variety of collectibles you can find while exploring the unique world spread out before you, it’s a great feature within this particular world.

Can you listen to this soundtrack and not be excited and ready for some 90s goodness? Composer Dominic Ninmark captured the vibe of the classic franchise perfectly while adding his own unique flair to help Gravity Circuit stand out in a crowd. No matter if you’re embarking on this journey for the first time or you just need something to listen to and vibe with while you’re working, the OST is nearly impeccable.

Gravity Circuit is a love letter to 90s action platforming but feels modern enough to stand up with some of the best in the business. It’s a game that will be stuck in my brain for quite some time and maybe my go-to the next time I’m craving a replay of classic Mega Man games. It’s just that good.

It’s Time To Get Funky

If you can’t join ’em, beat ’em. Jet Set Radio is a certified classic, not only as one of the few Dreamcast games that folks remember but for setting a visual style that no one has since replicated to near perfection. That is until Team Reptile came crawling onto the scene with Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, a spiritual successor to the long-dormant Jet Set franchise.

Not only did it perfectly emulate the style of its inspiration, but it also helped advance the gameplay into the next generation. Rather than being confined to rollerblades and general punkiness, you’ll be able to command and deliver a swift dose of Street Rat Justice while riding on BMX bikes, Inline Skates, and Skateboards. It’s a feature I didn’t know I needed, but it makes me flinch at the thought of returning to the originals.

But, enough from me. It’s time for me to hand the reigns off to Jason Roberts, our resident Bomb Rush Cyberfunk fantastic:

Growing up, I learned how to rollerblade because of Jet Set Radio Future (JSRF). I also tried dancing while on rollerblades to imitate Yo-Yo, Corn, Garam, and the like. I did learn how to blade, but the dancing could use some work… 

Needless to say, the series was vastly influential on my life, and I was waiting a lifetime for a sequel to JSRF. Bomb Rush Cyberfunk (BRC) was the “sequel” I needed, and it delivered on every front it could have. From the soundtrack to the graffiti mechanic, BRC took everything the Jet Set games did and made it better. 

Yes, I know that may sound sacrilegious, but I truly believe it. And I also think the BRC OST is better than any of the Jet Set games. If you disagree, that’s ok! Just know that nostalgia might be messing with your judgment…

The legend behind many of the Jet Set games’ best tracks, Hideki Naganuma, returned to make a few hits for BRC. JACK DA FUNK is an excellent tribute to those games and a nice one to listen to while warming up to the BRC universe. 

Some of my favorite songs in the game include:

Refuse – Swami Sound: If you love music from the Jet Set games, you probably love breakcore. This song plays with the genre and is a great tune to vibe to in the hangout. 

Operator – GRRL: Looking for some adrenaline? Here you go. 

Plume – LEGOVE: A hauntingly-sick song that precedes cutscenes with the baddies. It instantly shifts the mood of the situation. Still gives me tingles. 

condensed milk – cyber milk chan: After going degen-mode and grinding BRC for hours, listening to songs like this in the game is a great way to decompress.

Now, let’s talk graffiti. One of the coolest things about Jet Grind Radio was how you had to input certain commands to paint the streets. It made you feel like you were painting what was showing up. However, the process slowed down the gameplay, so they probably changed the mechanic in Jet Set Radio Future. 

BRC perfected the graffiti mechanic by combining fast-paced spraying with an actual command. Each graffiti design in the game has its own unique series of inputs that you can perform when spraying a location. You can perform the inputs in under a second, so you never have to slow down. Also, this unique command mechanic means you always have access to every single graffiti design in the game. Gone are the days when you have to select a single design for each size of graffiti. Now you can have them all. 

There’s something wonderful about memorizing and inputting some of the commands in milliseconds while you grind around the city at top speed.

2023 was, and still continues to be, a wild year for gaming. While many eyes may be focusing on the AAA scene for the years to come, I know I’ll be looking back with loving eyes on this particular year, especially for the indie darlings that came onto the scene to blow me away more than some of the biggest releases of the year.

Starting with my obsession with Super Meat Boy back in the day and coming full circle with games like Pizza Tower, Gravity Circuit, and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, it’s easy to say that I won’t be falling out of touch with the indies any time soon. Let’s see what comes in the future, see how these types of games continue to advance and evolve, and see if we’ll finally see them get the recognition they deserve.