Platformers are games that constantly provide challenges in new and interesting ways. While we started out with humans and animals, made our way over to aliens, and then started to include objects to be the protagonist to the story, each one had their own ways of been beaten.

Thinking outside the box, Prospect Games brought us a brand new title that would fit right in with my childhood memories of the games from the 90's with Unbox: Newbie's Adventure!

Story

Global Postal Service, or GPS, has been working on creating self-delivering boxes and they think they may have finally perfected it! You play as Newbie, the latest box from GPS technologies and is considered to be top of the line in its class! But you must first go through training before you can be trusted out on the field and take down a few of the Wild Bosses who help run the evil Wild Cards organization!

There seems to be something more going on as well with a Mystery Box showing up and speaking in vague sentences. What more could happen within a boxes life? Who knows?! You're the first of the best!

Gameplay

Unbox plays just like an old-school 90's platformer game. You roll around the map, jumping and skipping thanks to the corners on your box, and have only so many control options. You are able to jump and have a limited double-jump that can be used until your limit is reached.

The goal is to collect stamps in order to be able to face off with the Wild Boss of each area. Stamps can be collected by finding them through the map or completing various challenges for your fellow box kin. Once you have enough stars, I mean stamps, you can face Bowser, I mean Wild Boss, and get a key, I mean lift, to reach the next area of the game!

The game is hard to control, which is half of the challenge being a box and all, but once you figure it out the speed is a lot of fun! There is also a multiplayer mode with six different game styles to play with up to four friends! My personal favorite is racing, but other modes like Oddbox are fun to play as well.

There is also a lot of customization options that become available as you complete challenges, but there will also be plenty to choose from on the initial visit.
Check out some of my gameplay:

Graphics

The visual is very cartoony, but smooth. It really does look just as the gameplay feels; a modern version of childhood platformers from the 90's. It was a good scheme to go with and match the silliness of playing a literal box protagonist!

Sound

The music is always upbeat, even when trying to be dramatic. I always felt like I was playing a fun game that didn't have much pressure on it, aside from your growing frustration from the difficult challenges that is!

Replayability

There are a few versions of collect-a-thons, such as the gold (duct) tape, and many stamps to find throughout the maps. Once you beat the challenges, you can always go back and do them again for any reason, such as aim for a better score. Then there is the multiplayer, which is always fun. Game has plenty of potential for replayability!

What Could Be Better

May have just been my experience, but the transition between areas was not smooth and it would of been nice for that to have its own tutorial or just an overall smoothed transition. I found out you can go back to the HUD, which is basically where you go to pick the location you wish to visit, but that was after checking the initial island for the helicopter shown at the end cutscene after beating the first Wild Boss.

I also would of enjoyed even more challenges, or perhaps a second wave where if you return after completing them there is a hidden, or unlocked, challenge to the challenge that makes it even more difficult to complete.

Final Verdict

The game is a lot of fun and I certainly will be finishing my playthrough of it! I enjoyed the feeling of being back in the 90's, carelessly challenging myself to complete each challenge without giving up, no matter how hard it is! Easily addicting!