Splosion Man
'Splosion Man is a Platform Game for the XBox Live Arcade service, created by Twisted Pixel, makers of The Maw. This aptly-named title follows the adventures of the eponymous, slightly deranged, experimental subject as he escapes from a variety of dangerous laboratories. To navigate the many hazards that he faces, he is blessed with the power to spontaneously explode without harming himself. This ability functions as a jump, as well as a temporary shield from projectiles and a means of offense.
A follow-up, Ms. 'Splosion Man, had a July 13, 2011 release date.
This game provides examples of:
- Action Bomb: 'Splosion Man himself.
- Airplane Arms: One of 'Splosion Man's silly running animations.
- Anti Frustration Features: The game lets you take "The Way of the Coward" if you die enough on a level. It does, however, force Splosion Man into a frilly pink tutu for the next level.
- Award Bait Song: Parodied with "The Splode Beneath My Splosion" during the end credits.
- Axe Crazy: The player character is arguably a heroic version of this. Just listen to his psycho giggle.
- Black Blood: In possibly the weirdest application of this trope, the scientists bleed meat. No, not bloody chunks of meat from their 'sploded limbs, but steaks, ribs, legs of ham.... and donuts.
- Boss Arena Idiocy: Justified in that the boss in question is a giant hungry monster, and thus doesn't even know what a good or bad idea entails.
- The Cameo: A certain purple blob from Twisted Pixel's first game released on XBLA makes an appearance. You even get an achievement for finding it.
- Death Course: Acid traps, Spikes of Doom, water, Inconveniently Placed Conveyor Belts and walls of electricity make later levels hard to navigate.
- Distaff Counterpart: Ms. 'Splosion Man.
- Easter Egg: "The Donut Song", sorta. It's not hidden, but it does require you to make a specific action and you interrupt gameplay for it.
- Easy Mode Mockery: Take the "Coward's Way Out" just once and you get a bow 'round your midsection until you finish a level by yourself.
- Exactly What It Says On the Tin: Really, what could I say here?
- Exploding Barrel: Two kinds. The first one is a regular barrel that reignites 'Splosion Man and sends him a few feet in the air. The second one throws him really far, but the player can't control the direction he goes.
- Genius Ditz: 'Splosion Man. Ms. 'Splosion Man even more so.
- Grotesque Cute: A hyperactive, cheerful chap who giggles and coos at practically everything he sees... and
explodes'splodes at random and literally reduces anyone who crosses him into pieces of meat. If it weren't so cartoonishly hilarious and fun, this game would mentally scar quite a few people. - Idle Animation: A great variety that include everything from jumping jacks and shadow boxing to juggling fireballs against a wall.
- Keet: 'Splosion Man.
- Made of 'Splodium: Well, duh.
- MST3K Mantra: Invoked during the end credits.
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How is that possible? |
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- Nintendo Hard: Sweet Jeebus, just try some of the later multiplayer levels!
- The game in general can be this at times. See Platform Hell.
- No Ending: More like a random music video.
- No OSHA Compliance: The game's levels take place in what are ostensibly laboratories,with constant hazards of spiked walls, spinning blades, and insane burning men running about.
- Phlebotinum Rebel
- Platform Hell: Some of the later levels border on this.
- Press X to Not Die: Some levels can border on this.
- Psychopathic Manchild: BORT BORT BORT BEEP BORT BORT
- Rule of Fun: The game is founded on this principle. It works.
- Rule Sixty Three: Now with MIZZ Splosion Man!
- Basically not called 'Splosion 'Oman because this is a puzzle-action platformer like Ms. Pac Man.
- Rise to The Challenge: The game's many Scrappy Levels often consist of these, both the water and spiked wall varieties. Considering that 'Splosion Man is made of magma, his death on touching water is perfectly plausible.
- Shout Out
- "Get to da choppa!"
- "See you at the party, Richter!"
- Mighty Eternal: "Wake up, time to die."
- Perhaps the most hilarious is "We're done, professionally!" from Christian Bale's infamous rant on the set of Terminator Salvation.
- In one cutscene, Splosion Man dodges bladed projectiles in mid-air ala Peter Parker from the first Spider Man movie.
- "Video Game Achievement: Not A Portal Reference."
- The end boss seems to be a reference to the Gene Worm final boss of Half Life: Opposing Force.
- Something Person: "'Splosion Man" has a nice ring to it.
- 'Splosion Man, 'Splosion Man, does whatever a 'splosion can... Can he swing, on a web? No, but he can 'splode you dead, look out! Here comes the 'Splosion Maaaan!
- Stop Trick: Present in the credits video.
- Stuff Blowing Up: The Game. In an average level, a player will probably blow themselves up about 150 times. There is an Achievement for 'sploding 300 times in one level - this is by far the easiest Achievement to get in the game.
- Totally Radical: The first boss thinks it's "so uncool" that you're 'sploding in his face and reflecting his missiles.
- Turned Against Their Masters/Hoist By His Own Petard: 'Splosion Man vs the scientists.
- Twinkle Smile: Present in one of the cutaways during the climax of the final boss.
- Videogame Caring Potential: You can go through a few of the levels without killing anyone. There's even an achievement for it.
- Widget Series: An exploding, artificial lunatic with ADHD rampages through the complex he was created in whilst eating roughly forty cakes. Yes.
- What Do You Mean It Wasn't Made On Drugs?: Pretty much everything about the final boss and the ending.
- Your Head Asplode: It happens a lot.