Whoa Dave! actually deserves that exclamation point in its title

Whoa Dave! is one of those modern-retro games that makes you wonder if videogames weren’t close to perfect like 30 years ago. Deep down, all they really need is a setup mirroring Mario Bros., some pixel-y beasts hatching from eggs a la Joust, and a couple of players lapping up coins and trying to sabotage each other’s shit. Oh yeah, also needed: some algorithm telling the game to gradually ramp up the intensity from step aerobics to “Holy jeez, I can’t tell where my guy ends and the enemies begin!”

It’s impossible not to have a great time with local multiplayer games like these—that is, unless you’re playing against the guy who made it. When I sparred with the dev Jason Cirillo a month ago on his Ouya (the game is also coming to 3DS, phones, and Steam), he kicked my ass all over the place. But it was still pretty fun, actually.