What if there was an educational game that was not only packed full of information, but also a lot of fun? Not Bookin’ It, a gaming history book we looked at in the past, but an actual game. If you are anything like me you might be a little bit skeptical, but I am happy to report that Super Life of Pixel is a must play educational game.
Developed by Super Icon Ltd and published by White Moon Dreams, Super Life of Pixel follows the life of a small green pixel named Pixel. Pixel is tired of being like all the other pixels, he wants to learn of a time when the humble pixel ruled all. So his first stop is the Video Game Museum.
Travel Through Gaming History
This game is a 2D platformer that tests your jumping, gem collecting, and puzzle solving skills. Pixel starts at the beginning of gaming history with the ZX81. In the museum you see all of the different consoles in pixel graphic form with the first three consoles unlocked. Each console has 8 different levels for you to play through. The premise is very simple, you collect all the gems in the level to unlock the door for the exit.
This is where the game gets special as each console level plays, sounds, and looks like the console it is based on. Even the way the screen can move is unique to each one. Be prepared to make a lot of blind jumps when you are playing the ZX Spectrum levels since, at that time in gaming history, there were no scrolling screens.
So the ZX81 is in black and white with very simplistic graphics. After the ZX81 the Atari2600 is introduced followed by the ZX Spectrum. While playing through the levels, if you find all the special bonus gems you can unlock a special hidden console. Collecting items and fruit will unlock other bonuses.
In one level I found a pair of shoes and I unlocked 8 other consoles to play. The shoes gave me the ability to do larger double jumps which made things a lot easier. If you get stuck or frustrated while playing, you can move on to a different console.
As you progress and start playing levels on different consoles, Professor Pixel will show up. He’s a blue pixel that gives you information and tips to complete the level when you find him.
Trust the Blue Guy With the Mustache
Professor Pixel shows information screens that tell you about each consoles specs. Additional information includes release date of the console, CPU it used, amount of memory, information about the video like resolution, and amount of colors available. It will also tell you about the audio and information on the games themselves, like if they were on cassettes or cartridges, along with the year the console was finally discontinued. It’s hard to believe that the Commodore 64 was introduced in 1982 and wasn’t discontinued until 1994!
When you are playing through the levels on the consoles you will notice that there isn’t a ton of different bad guys. This allows you to easily see the evolution of the graphics on the common bad guys like bats and robots. At the beginning the bats were very simple but as time goes on the detail and their movements really improves. Some advice for you though, be sure to avoid the spikes and any water you see, they are fatal for little Pixel.
120 different levels over 15 consoles
My first gaming system was the Nintendo Entertainment System. I stayed loyal to Nintendo through all the generations. One of the first times I had played a non Nintendo console was when the Xbox released. I never played any of the other pixel based platforms, so I love being able to experience all of these consoles that never showed up on my radar before.
After 3 hours playing Super Life of Pixel, 11 of the possible 15 pixel based platforms were already unlocked. This gave me around 120 different levels to play through. When you do a run where you are successful it might take less than 2 minutes, but chances are it’s gonna take a few tries to complete each one.
The main menu has records with stats on your total playing time, number of deaths, time spent airborne, levels completed, and your accumulated best times. There is also an option to see how you stack up against people online.
This is a must play for anyone who loved pixel based games or who just wants to go back and learn more about how far gaming has come. I want my children to play through this so they can appreciate how much gaming has changed over the years.
Super Life of Pixel is available on the PS4, the PS Vita, and on Steam for around $9.99. Not only is it a great price, but you’ll also learn some things.
