TECHPACK

Quirky little indie arcade game. Fun to play for 5 minutes or 5 hours. Would definitely recommend trying it out

Techpack is a relentlessly faithful 80s arcade throwback, almost to a fault. The difficulty is high, but there's a surprising amount of depth to the mechanics. I adore the art style and especially the running animation, which recalls Sonic. However I wish that you could utilize the run function without jumping first. I understand this was a purposeful balance decision, but the game would be more fun without it. There's a lot to like here. The visual design is phenomenal, both in-game and the surrounding bezel. Available options are basic, but that's in line with most 2D games. You can turn v-sync on or off as well as a fullscreen toggle and DIP switch settings allowing you to alter the game's balance (which disables achievements) - a very nice detail that showcases just how passionate the developer is about old arcade games. Even the DIP switch menu looks fantastic. Gameplay follows early 80s platformer tropes, meaning you have to time jumps very precisely. It's a little smoother than Donkey Kong movement, but that's the closest comparison I can offer. The combination of being able to run, which dramatically increases speed, and having the option to escape enemies by running up walls create a remarkable level of complexity, it's not a difficult game to learn but the skill ceiling is incredibly high. It's a shame no one knows this game exists, I'd love to see what a devoted score chaser could do with it. Compared to Super Techpack, Techpack feels much more authentically retro. The gameplay of the sequel is smoother, but somehow less charming. Both are worth your money and time. I did encounter one minor bug while playing, after being pushed up from one of the spring pads in the first level I got stuck in the ceiling and had to reset. Hopefully this isn't a frequent occurrence, I've only seen it crop up once so far. The other major point of frustration is that, as far as I've found, the game doesn't allow you to exit it gracefully from fullscreen. There's no menu option and it also doesn't respond to alt-f4. Right click and close after alt-tabbing works fine, as does windowing the game and then closing it, however it's a needless inconvenience that I'd love to see fixed. Overall, Techpack is a strong package. It never goes on sale, but the $5 asking price is entirely fair for what's on offer. This is an underappreciated gem and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves 80s arcade games.