Similar Products, Different Systems: Bit.Trip Saga and Bit.Trip Complete are both compilations of the Bit.Trip game series, originally released as separate WiiWare downloads. They offer the same six games at the same price, and their contrasting strengths are such that they are both receiving the same overall rating; this review will cover both products.
The Bit.Trip series has done quite well in mixing rhythm mechanics with other genres, offering several games that are inexpensive and easy to learn but offer enough challenge to keep players coming back. Joined by a distinct ’neo-retro’ art style and strong chiptune music to go with it, even the worst games in the series have been enjoyable and worth their price. With Bit.Trip Saga (3DS) and Bit.Trip Complete (Wii), players who missed the original release can now get all six games in one product. Despite covering different genres, each Bit.Trip game has some similarities; they’re all very challenging and primarily reward the player’s success with good music to listen to. Failure is met with skips in the music, or even failing the level and having to start over. Both versions of this compilation have their own strengths which will be covered further in, but for now a quick overview of each of the Bit.Trip games is in order since they play similarly on the 3DS and Wii.
Bit.Trip Beat: Combines rhythm with Pong. You guide a paddle up and down, using it to block dots (serving as music notes) from leaving the screen. While this is pretty engaging on its own, Beat mixes things up by allowing you to access challenge segments where your paddle shrinks; successfully deflecting dots despite this nets you a much higher score than usual. A few other gimmicks help keep things fresh, but in general it is ’rhythm Pong’ and surprisingly fun.
Bit.Trip Core: A rhythm ’turret shooting’ game where the player controls a stationary plus symbol on the center of the stage. Notes will move into its four lines of fire, and you have to shoot them at the correct time in order to produce music. Some sections get quite frantic, so a screen-clearing ’bomb’ can be fired in these cases. Probably the easiest to learn of the series, though by no means the easiest to master.
Bit.Trip Void: It’s hard to find a direct comparison, though Snake may be somewhat apt in that you’re controlling a character that gets increasingly large and has to avoid collisions. Void has you guide a small blob that grows larger (and scores points plus music continuation) when it hits black dots, but bursts back to a smaller size when it hits white dots. Thus players must balance getting larger with knowing when you’re too large to avoid a white dot and voluntarily bursting down to smaller size. Doing so improves your score and avoids penalties, so quick decision making is essential.
Next: Additional game summaries, and conclusion.
