SuperMash Review: The Classics Reborn (PC)

Miss the days of archetypal gameplay when 2D graphics and 8-bit music reigned supreme? This game has all your favourite genres combined for a truly unique game-crafting experience. I couldn’t put this one down. SuperMash was developed and produced by Digital Continue and Limited Run Games. It was released for consoles on May 8th, 2020, and is coming to PC on January 13th, 2021. I wasn’t expecting any real story to the game, only unique game combinations mashed together. I was pleasantly surprised, there is a lot of story and lore in this game.

SuperMash is available on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Epic Games for your regional pricing.

STORY – A MYSTERIOUS MACHINE

I didn’t expect a story for this game, to be honest, but there’s a lot of it! The narrative follows a small group of friends that finds a peculiar device that mixes up two-game cartridges into an entirely new game. I found it quite charming with a fitting story that most gamers can relate to. I feel like the main tale fits the game really well and that it was a very nice addition to it. SuperMash is relatable due to the comradery and generosity of the gamers and creators and the excitement of something to revive the classics. It follows a group of friends, one of which runs a video game store and found the mysterious ‘Mash Machine’ at a yard sale. It then goes on to creating and saving the mashed games onto floppy disks.

Each mashup also comes with its own unique lore that is described at the start of each game. I feel like Digital Continue really outdid themselves with the legends backing each rendition. I’d like to go into more detail about the stories of the mashups but there are just so many and all are randomized. They all boil down to one common type of goal which is either collect a certain number of items or kill a certain number of enemies in the allotted time. Once you throw in the ‘glitches’ it makes for some really interesting experiences.

Select two genres and mash!

GAMEPLAY – ADDICTING

Simple controls make gameplay in SuperMash feel fluid and fun. Simply select two genres and mash them together into a new and unique experience every time. Then, customize your combo in the Dev Dashboard with cards collected through the gameplay of previous levels. It’ll randomize your hero character and, unless changed through the Dev Dashboard, up to two glitches in the mix, which can be positive or negative.

I found this game very intriguing and fun. I’ve tried out all the genres in at least one combination or another; I did a lot of mixing with platformers, action-adventure and JRPGs, as those are genres of games I typically enjoy. Maybe you prefer shoot-em-up or stealth or Metroidvania; all are available to mash! I really enjoyed the unique levels that were created, although some were more interesting than others. 

Unique goals on each level.

Some combinations are downright weird, while others may seem unbalanced and could be either game-breakingly easy or very difficult. Don’t forget to save any of the combination games that you really enjoyed, and even grab a code to share them with friends. I can’t wait to share some of my favourite combinations. Not to mention, the main story comes with its own quests and side quests too. The only downside I found in SuperMash was that some of the controls are mislabeled causing a little confusion and having to play around with buttons for a bit until I was able to figure it out.

GRAPHICS AND AUDIO – CLASSIC

I love, love, love the graphics and audio in this game. They are so definitive of the beloved genres you combine. The graphics are a wonderful display of pixel art, giving you an old-school and classic feel. It screams classic Nintendo or Sega in its feel. The JRPG battle graphics also reminds me of older Final Fantasy games.

While the 8-bit music brings me back to my big platformer days on the Sega Genesis. I just couldn’t get enough of the graphics and audio in this amazing game. It brought me right back to the classics that got me started as a gamer. The audio is 8-bit music with matching sound effects that make the games feel more traditional.

SuperMash was reviewed on PC via Steam and was provided by Vicarious PR.