Whilst 2010 was certainly a great year for the big AAA titles on the gaming circuit, 2010 also bought us many great third-party indie games. Much like the music industry, times have changed and a new downloadable, digital era is being issued in. Within a huge list of new downloadable games, there are only a few nice and shiny gems, one of which is Joe Danger.
Joe Danger puts you in the motocross boots of an old biker named Joe Danger, who, after a near fatal accident, is trying to get back on the bike and astound the world with his new death-defying tricks. As you can probably tell, the story is not important, but it adds a nice little depth to our friend Joe which beefs him out a bit. However, the area where Joe Danger really accelerates is in its fantastic gameplay.
With a mix of realistic physics and then insane trickery, Joe Danger is a fast paced, over-the-top masterpiece in game design. Set out like a bits 'n' pieces back garden, Joe Danger has you charmed from the first second you lay eyes on it; and experience that you rarely get bored of. The actual levels are fantastically created, giving the player many different experiences, whether it is trying to get the biggest air or attempting to beat the clock, Joe Danger has a level for everyone. Full of crazy obstacles (such as shark pools), the tracks are incredible as they give you the choice to simply play them once, or learn them and master them, an aspect that many games lack.
As well as the impressive physics and beautiful tracks, Joe Danger also includes a simple trick system. The tricks are simply pulled off with the shoulder buttons and when combined with a triple back flip or front flip, the experience brings back the memories of classics such as SSX and Tony Hawks. As many challenges consist of combo-ing the whole level 100%, the introduction of wheelies and endo's is a pure godsend. It is great to see the combo meter rising and rising, until the point where you touch your wheels down and a huge score pop's up in your face.
And that's what Joe Danger is about. The over the top, impressive moments which give you the feeling of mastering the game, when you have only been playing it for a few hours.The initial career mode houses many unique challenges; of which you can chose when you wish to attempt them. These challenges range from combo the level to a tense coin dash, but overall, they give this little pokey title a great sense of longevity. Riding alongside a deep long career mode is the, once again, simple sandbox tools. It may not be as deep as other create games such as LittleBigPlanet, but the sandbox mode gives you enough freedom to create a fun track which you can be proud of, and what else do you want really? Accompanying these two modes is the lovely splitscreen races. Just as fun as the single player levels, these offer some new challenges which a great fun to attempt with a buddy.
Overall, Joe Danger is one of the most polished, fun and enjoyable games of 2010, which comes to a great surprise as it was only created by a team of 4 guys, nothing big and fancy. Instead of spending £5 on something menial, I urge you to buy Joe Danger, as it is an incredible little game that deserves you uttermost attention. All I can say is that Joe Danger is the best £5 I have ever spent, and it is a flipping good game. Joe Danger is wonderful.
James Ward
9/10
