Over the last two years, Gaijin Games have conducted one of the most intriguing experiments of this console generation by releasing the "BIT.TRIP" series. Six separate games that have all starred the same character, Commander Video, but played like entirely different games. Heavily inspired by retro classics, and scored with some of the best chiptunes ever created, Commander Video's entire voyage home has now been collected on one disc and re-released as "BIT.TRIP Complete" for the Wii.
THE BASICS
All six of the titles in the "BIT.TRIP" series ("Beat," "Core," "Void," "Runner," "Fate," and "Flux") are included in their original WiiWare form as part of "Complete," with some serious additions. For the "BIT.TRIP" fan that has played all of the games, there are 120 new challenge levels, online leaderboards, new difficulty modes and tons of unlockable content, all of which help round out Commander Video's interplanetary excursion.
THE HIGHS
Six Astounding Indie Classics
With six separate releases, it's quite possible that one, two, or all of these games may have fallen off of some people's radars, particularly since they were WiiWare games. Each title in the series brings its own charm, along with hours of enjoyably frustrating gameplay, as you try and best your high score, or just complete the next level. Whether you missed out on one, or all of them, "Complete" offers the definitive version of each amazing release all in one place.
More, More, More
Gaijin Games could school just about every other company on how to re-released a game. The amount of content included in "Complete" goes above and beyond some of the expectations that certain franchises have set over the last year or so. It's not just the games that are included, but there are also 120 new levels to play, meaning that even if you have BIT.TRIPPED before, there's something new, and challenging for you to justify picking up "Complete."
Challenging Challenges
In keeping with one of the major themes of the series, "Complete" includes some of the most challenging gameplay since the actual 8-bit era. The additional Challenge Levels that are included with each game, are just that - challenge levels. There's literally hours and hours of gameplay built into these additions since they are just so hard, and require a good amount of repetition to finally beat them.
Unlocking Quality
Helping to define the "complete" in "Complete," the multitude of unlockable "BIT.TRIP" bits are wonderful rewards for besting some of the most challenging games to be commercially released in years. Not only does finally finishing any one of the "BIT.TRIP" games come with an overwhelming sense of self satisfaction, with "Complete" now you get audio and video prizes to go along with that.
THE LOWS
How Do I Win That?
With all the great content included as unlockables on the disc, it would be really great to have some indication on how to actually view it. Audio, video and images sit behind 8-bit locks until you happen to unlock them. Not knowing what you're going to be rewarded with is acceptable, but some indication of how to do so would have been appreciated.
Zapper Compatibility
Touted both on the front and back of the box … at this point, is this really necessary?
THE VERDICT
"BIT.TRIP Complete" is exactly what a re-release should be: it includes not just the amazing core games than fans love, but also oodles of new content that can appeal to anyone, whether they have played the originals or not. Small gripes aside, "Complete" is an amazing compilation that collects the cream of the WiiWare crop all in one place, and then layers on a whole bunch of new content. "Complete" should appeal to fans of the series, as well as anyone with a Wii, especially those folks that may have perhaps been too timid to test the WiiWare waters. Beware though, these games are not for the weak or easily frustrated, when you decide to get your "BIT.TRIP" on, it gets serious... seriously hard.