Chances are, if you are a video game enthusiast, you likely don't need me to tell you what a looping path is. If you're a video game developer, the notion of explaining such a fundamental part of environmental design may seem laughable. Many exploration, adventure, and role-playing titles utilize this technique in order to create satisfying gameplay loops out of their game worlds, rather than just their gameplay mechanics and systems. It is one of the textbook ways to perpetuate a feeling of momentum within a video game world, making sure traversal does not become tedious by slicing off chunks of backtracking.

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...