Legacy of Litter Gulch

Gorgeous pixel-art, charming characters, the only reflex-based game I've ever enjoyed playing, outside of, like... WarioWare/Wario Land 3 minigames. (Which I would consider high praise!) I think it's the nesting of multiple axes of reflex being tested all at once, and the package it was placed in. Just the act of waiting while the 16-bit wind howls made me have to hold my breath. A similar second-guessing, creeping of doubt after every stand-still after the shot-- I swear, in-spite of there being no discernible difference, I sometimes felt like I could see something change right before the character would fall in defeat.

I appreciate that, while arcade-difficult (I'd compare it to the original Crash Bandicoot), it was also difficulty within reason. Also, way to squeeze every last drop of enjoyment out of every asset (sound, visual, animation, etc.)-- that, I think, is one of the keys to being a really good gamedev. Not just making LOTS of assets, but using them in exciting new combinations. Creating those throughlines, I think, always feels more meaningful and leads to a feeling of reward and cohesion for the player.

For anyone wondering, it's five baddies to take down, and it took me roughly an-hour-and-a-half straight to complete. You can do it, kid! Reclaim your legacy!