[h1]10/10 - What an incredibly fun ride! More please?[/h1]
At first glance, Go! Go! PogoGirl is like a familiar face from the 90s that greets you with a warm, nostalgic smile. Even with the clear nod to Sonic (primarily in art style), this game has its own personality that aims to honor the classics. And in many ways, it does! GGP (can I call ya GGP?) is a textbook example of that dusty old chestnut, "easy to learn, difficult to master" that’s been said of many platforming hits of the past. Your trusty [i]Spring Steed[/i] creates some remarkable opportunities for clever mechanics and stage design to shine, but the pogo life also comes with unique risks and considerations. While there are plenty of familiar platforming elements here, the fact that you’re constantly jumping up and down breathes new life into those challenges.
To be clear, you aren’t stuck going up and down all samey-wamey boring-style. PogoGirl can step off the [i]Bounce Master 9000[/i] and hold it against the ground until it begs for sweet release, building up a ton of potential energy in its big ol’ coil. This effectively halts your movement until you let go of D-Pad down, at which point you’ll get to ride the lightning – as long as there are clear skies above you, of course. When you have enemies with various movement patterns and stage hazards in uncomfortable places, it can be difficult (but satisfying!) to maneuver with these big girl jumps. After bouncing off the ground, you also get the opportunity to do a sweet spin move that keeps you in the air a bit longer. Combining these two abilities with simple left and right movement is [i]critical [/i]to improving your skill, and it’s enough to get you just about all of the collectible gems. You can also hit the gas at the apex of your bounce, drop it like it’s hot, and drape your pogo in the blood of your enemies (and get a quick boost). However, if you’re like me and want to go for 100% completion, you need to learn how to get higher than this or a fully charged bounce would take you…
Like discovering that somewhat-hidden mechanic, there are several moments of joy to be found while playing, whether it be in finding a new secret, getting your first no-retries medal for a stage, or [i]just plain nailin’ sick jumps[/i]. Invisible hands guide you in certain areas, pushing you to explore and experiment with the tools you have. Not only are you required to use each variation of the bounces if you want to fully complete every stage, but as you’re introduced to new things to pogo your stick on, you’ll need to learn when to take advantage of them and when to avoid them. Things like moving platforms and balloons can both help and hinder you, but you don’t want to bounce into the wrong neighborhood. Which would be spikes. It’s a neighborhood full of spikes.
If you stop and smell the flowers (of which there are [b]several[/b] kinds!) in each stage, there’s a lovely bit of scenery to take in. The backgrounds are simpler in comparison to the foreground, but that creates an atmosphere akin to the source of inspiration and draws the focus to where it should be. I’m reminded heavily of SEGA’s absolute [i]unit[/i] of a masterpiece Sonic CD, a game I grew up playing on our family’s beige Compaq Presario desktop computer, with an Intel Pentium processor and 64MB of RAM. The art style is a great hit of nostalgia, while the gameplay stands alone as a fresh experience. Keeping localization needs to minimum, the only required reading belongs to the text in the menus and a few “press this button” signs in the first stage. Otherwise, the game communicates everything you need to know through animations and invisible tutorials. Plus, you can never go wrong with shiny rocks. You see ‘em, you want ‘em. It’s basic math.
Collectibles are on a refreshingly short list, which is nice to see in an age where several games seem to squeeze every ounce of time out of you just to get another number on the screen. Little gem bois litter the seasonal stages, with three of them being placed in hidden or difficult-to-reach locations. These gems are very generously designed in that their collection is somewhat permanent – you only need to re-collect them if you restart the stage (dying/retrying is fine!). PogoGirl medals are awarded to those with the chops to step up to the footplate and spring into action. There are 3 per stage – two for gem collection, one for getting to the goal with zero retries (deathless). You may find yourself mashing the restart button at some points when going for the third medal, since [b]you can only take one hit[/b]. Despite this immediate dismissal to the grave upon making a mistake, finding ways to improve your pogo prowess and overcome what you’re facing is immensely satisfying. Achievements can help push you to find new secrets and better movement strategies, which prepares you for the Master stages beyond Winter. Interestingly, those stages are the only ones that don’t have unique music (they share the boss fight song) – but that’s not a problem.
Releasing the soundtrack alongside the game seems to be a staple these days for many indie titles, and I’m all for it. The soundtrack in GGP is undeniably catchy and chock-full of jams.[i] [/i]In fact, it’s so full of jams, the jams are literally oozing out of the game files, trying to reach your speakers so you can soak in their sweet juices. And honestly, you [b]should [/b]soak. Give it a go. Unless you’re unable to reach the credits screen, you’ll get a chance to enjoy all 7 tracks without purchasing the album. However, considering the base game is such a reasonable price already, [i]just buy the album, [/i][b][i]coward[/i][/b]. My favorite music from the game can be heard in the main menu, the Summer and Fall seasons, and the credits screen. Truly, each song is full of character and life to match the seasons, and it’s executed quite well. The loops are tight, the sounds are crisp and deep, and there’s plenty to appreciate about the melodies and progressions throughout. I’ve found that the music does a great job of matching the game’s energy in each season, striking a great balance of excitement, carefree adventure, and discovery. That’s why it’s not a problem that the Master stages re-use the boss fight music – you’re pogoing for your life out here at the end of the game! [i]Of course you need boss fight music![/i]
For the most part, with lighthearted design comes a lighthearted story, and it’s a cute tale that doesn’t overstay its welcome. I was pleasantly surprised to find it had some depth while remaining minimalistic. That’s compounded by the fact that there isn’t any dialogue, so you’re left to interpret the story for yourself (but it’s very understandable). You don’t need a reason to get gems and stomp baddies anyway, do you? No, you don’t, but the game does give you one to extent. In terms of the ending, it was an unexpected twist for me, and I can always appreciate when a game can deliver a positive message without drowning me in wholesome vomit. The subject matter was interesting and touched on a situation that may be underrepresented in games. I’m sure others will appreciate the developer making this consideration as well.
In short, there is something truly special about Go! Go! PogoGirl. Discovering everything the game has to offer is a complete joy, and an addicting one at that. The 9 hours of gameplay I have on record (currently) were experienced in a span of less than 24 hours after release. The pogo stick mechanic alone is a blast to play around with, and the game constantly rewards you for doing just that. The art brings back welcome memories of simpler games, and while it's got plenty of similarities, it still has some unique charm. The music is just incredible! I encourage anyone who enjoys platforming, pixel art, and straight-forward gameplay to buy this – it’s an easy yes. I’ll be watching for DLC levels and a sequel.
