(Image courtesy of SteamDB.) “Antonblast is available on Steam for $19.99.”
Aaron Preziosi
Connector Editor
Everybody loves a good platformer. The likes of Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, and more are veritable classics beloved by all gamers, hardcore or casual. Following in the footsteps of these genre-defining titans, Summitsphere’s “Antonblast” is steeped in a fun, bombastic art style bursting at the seams with color and character, addictive and fun gameplay, and memorable, eclectic level designs that never lose their charm. The characters are masterfully drawn and animated with care; the pixel art is extremely charming and moves as if straight out of a ‘90s cartoon, and the game wears these influences on its sleeve, blatantly referencing MTV’s “Beavis and Butthead,” Cartoon Network’s “Cow and Chicken,” and the sound design of “Ed, Edd n Eddy.” These influences add to the over-the-top, cartoonish vibe and make players feel as if they’re playing something right out of the era.
The gameplay itself is highly refined, and at times, experimental. “Antonblast” has players taking control of one of two heroes: male Dynamite Anton or female Dynamite Annie, both sharing an explosively unhinged personality and simple-yet-effective moveset. The lack of difference in moveset affords players the freedom to choose either hero to their liking.
The moveset in question consists of a jump, slide, and a signature “Hammer Clutch,” where the character charges forward and bashes whatever they hit with an enormous hammer or mace. While in the air, the hammer can also be used to perform a “Hammer Bounce,” which smashes whatever the character lands on and sends them higher than a normal jump would. Another option they have is the “Antomic Bomb,” where the character slams headfirst into the floor. All of these tools are used in unison in each of the game’s 12 levels, usually in combination with level-specific gimmicks that modify the character’s abilities in novel ways. Players can expect to be transformed into a twister, pressed into a living bomb, and even crammed into a pinball as they dash, smash, and most of all BLAST their way through each level in one of three modes.
Not to mention, the eight bosses “Antonblast” pits the player against are nothing short of immaculate. Each one is nothing short of a bombastic, screen-filling, death-defying duel with a unique foe. Roughhousing these rouges and busting up their sneering, smarmy faces feels amazing, and really makes the player feel like a powerful force of nature that settles for nothing less than utter destruction of every obstacle in their way, much like the game advertises its protagonists to be.
But what is the point? Why is the player making Anton and Annie smash through all these levels and bust up all these bosses? It’s simple, really: Satan, the Devil himself, is jealous of Anton’s bright red skin. So he steals all his Spirits, magical booze, which causes Anton to go on a quest to get them back and destroy the dark lord for daring to mess with his booze. The characters are delightfully vulgar and lighthearted. Satan acts like a hammy, over-the-top Saturday morning cartoon villain and treats all the other bosses like minions; a perfect match given the game’s visual inspiration.
There are few things “Antonblast” does poorly. It commits to every single aspect of itself and is unapologetically loud, stylish, explosive, and vulgar. Every player will find something to like.
Grade: A
