PIZZA TOWER “towers” above the other independent video game platformers by baking what should be a standard pizza into something with new and original ingredients. Platforming games are my favorite. When the kids finally sleep, I long to play minimal story games that create a fascinating world and can be completed in a few hours.
PIZZA TOWER owes its style to classic Nickelodeon cartoons like SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS. However, it should have to pay royalties to Nintendo for using Wario’s likeliness and stealing level design inspirations from WARIOLAND. Yet, that doesn’t take away from the fun you’ll have running at SONIC THE HEDGEHOG-like breakneck speeds through the five worlds and several unique levels as Peppino. My favorite moments come when it’s “Pizza Time.” A punishing in-game mechanism that forces a player to run back through the level they just beat with a giant pizza chasing them. It’s the ‘pepperoni’ on top of a near-flawless game.
I say flawless because there are times while playing that I wanted Peppino to zig, but he instead zagged, causing me to die. This minor nit is okay for normal gameplay, but it can be excruciatingly frustrating when you’re in the midst of a creative boss battle or Pizza Time.
I’m looking forward to replaying several of the levels in PIZZA TOWER. For $20 on the Switch, it’s a fun-filled evening cheaper than ordering pizza for the entire family.
I played it on Nintendo Switch.
