As a father to three kids, I often find myself without the time to take on a 40-hour AAA campaign or the innumerable matches required to "git gud" at a multiplayer game. So when a game is cheap and cheerful, offering me 2 to 3 hours of focused gameplay that can be eeked out in small bites, I can appreciate it when it's done well. Moustache Mountain is one such game.
There's a common misconception these days that in order for games to be worth your while, you have to be able to put several if not dozens of hours into them. Not only is this just not true, but it really limits the experiences you allow yourself to have with video games as a whole. You wouldn't choose Monopoly every time you want to play a board game just because it takes the most time, and you should feel the same way about video games.
Moustache Mountain is, at its heart, a simple platformer. Your character can jump, wall jump, and slide down walls. That's it. You guide your little mustachioed muscle man through 15 pre-defined-but-randomly-selected levels, each one just a little bit harder than the next. You want to avoid falling (obviously) and spikes at first, then as you progress to the higher levels, you will also have to avoid arrow traps and triggered floor spears. You only get three chances to get to the end.
Where this little gem differs from other similar indie games is in the execution. The controls are tight, meaning that each death certainly feels like your fault. A timer adds urgency for achievements and leaderboards, adding some replay value to the admittedly short experience.
Like I stated earlier though, the length of the game is deliberate, and its cost is appropriate due to that fact. It's certainly not trying to be anything it's not, and even though its backstory is completely ridiculous, this also seems intended. After all, everything you need to know about Moustache Mountain you can almost get from the name itself.
At the end of the day, I felt like I got what I needed from my playtime with Moustache Mountain. I could take 15 minutes here or there and try a few rounds, steadily getting better at certain jumps when a particular level would get put in my way. When I finally got to the top of the mountain, it felt like I earned it, and when I did it under the time needed to get that last achievement, I felt I had gotten my money's worth.
If you're looking for something short, sweet, and not too damaging to your wallet, then Moustache Mountain is the way to go. It's not revelatory, but it's worthy of your time if you happen to like precise platforming.
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Decent pixel graphics from the guy who brought us There Was A Caveman. Levels are basically all the same textures.
The chiptune soundtrack isn't terrible but it is repetitive.
The controls in a game like this really have to be responsive, and they are here.
If you want to get all achievements, you'll have to play (and replay) the game for probably at least a few hours.
For the price being asked, the experience is appropriate, if you like platformers.
PROS / CONS
- Clean, colorful pixel graphics
- Tight, responsive controls
- Good level design
- Steam Leaderboards
- If you don't like short games, steer clear
- Repetitive soundtrack and level textures
- Wall slide to jump is occasionally spotty
- Co-op is kind of meh
