Video games have evolved in ways previously thought impossible since their inception, largely thanks to the rapid growth and improvement found in iterative hardware and the importance of such devices in the digital era. What was once a rudimentary open-world game like The Legend of Zelda pales in comparison with Breath of the Wild, both games offering freedom and exploration in vastly different ways. Because of the rapidly-changing standards, however, titles that were once considered the highest quality of their era are constantly challenged by newer efforts. What was once hailed as revolutionary is now considered a relic, usually only in terms of aesthetic, nothing more. So when developers claim that they are attempting to evoke a "classic" feeling, what are we to expect from their product? It isn't necessarily the same as what is "retro," which, depending one your tendencies, is anything produced within the previous fifteen to twenty years. As men...

Jools Watsham is one of the most underrated faces in independent video game development. Co-founder and former employee of Renegade Kid and current founder of Atooi Games, Jools has created a number of quality DS and 3DS titles that have found their way to other platforms. In particular, his most recognizable Mutant Mudds and its Super Challenge sequel happen to be two of my favorite platformers of all time. However, Watsham has been vocal in highlighting disappointing sales figures for a number of his more recent releases like Chicken Wiggle, a basic, yet absurdly polished platformer with a built-in level designer for 3DS, as well as the Mutant Mudds Collection, recently released for Switch. Before either of these, however, the then-still-existent Renegade Kid published a small Metroidvania on the 3DS called Xeodrifter, the subject of this article. In short, Xeodrifter's own stubby captain takes players on a brief, but enjoyable ride that is comprised of brutal surviva...