Pure and simple gameplay is king in a new Wii U eShop title brought to us by designers James Motagna and Andrew Lim. Dot Arcade consists of three games: Mr. Snake, Dodge Club, and Rally Driver. Each game takes place on a simulated 8×8 LED arcade cabinet, each representing a different style of gameplay.
Mr. Snake is on the fly strategic decision making, picking up items and growing your snake in length, all while avoiding obstacles and running into yourself. Dodge Club is exactly that, dodging the other characters moving around on screen after. And Rally Driver is where it’s all about twitch reactions, moving you car left or right while avoiding the other divers coming down from the top of the screen. Wave after wave continually get faster and more complicated after every 10 successful passes. Each game keeps track of your successful collections, dodges, and passes, flashing them onscreen when it’s game over and posting them in the upper right corner of each game’s title on the selection screen, allowing you to take a screenshot and post it to the interactive online leaderboard that is Miiverse.
All three games have their own unique feel and “story,” thanks to the beautifully drawn Arcade Cabinet border art, which really spark the imagination and help bring these games to life. From Mr. Snake’s intrepid hero, who dons a suit of armor while controlling the Beast of Legend, a spunky young dancer trying to make a name for herself while dealing with the competition and impressing the judges, to a team of underdog drivers on the last race of a championship series trying to bring home the gold and get the girl. Don’t believe me? Check out Dot Arcade’s Miiverse page. All three games use simple direction inputs using the d-pad or A,B, X,Y face buttons on the Wii U GamePad, making Dot Arcade easy to pick up and play by anyone.
The Recommendation
If you are a fan of old school games and looking for a nostalgic trip into gaming’s past, or just looking for a fun and solid gameplay experience today, I definitely recommend picking it up. Dot Arcade hits all the right notes and, with simple, tight, fun, and addictive gameplay, shows that graphics aren’t everything and that gameplay still rules the day.