McPixel 3 Review – Return of the Mc

McPixel 3 Review

In 2012, McPixel burst onto the scene to rescue civilization from a host of disasters. 10 years later, and the 8-bit hero is back to save the day again in McPixel 3. I know what you’re thinking, where’s number 2? Do not worry as you haven’t missed the second entry, in fact, this is it. Confused? Well, that’s just the start as this game keeps you in a state of bewilderment throughout this comedic adventure.

You take on the role of McPixel, a wannabe hero, who finds himself in a range of strange predicaments. Differentiating itself from most point-and-click titles, this game doesn’t actually have a story. Instead, it offers a variety of quickfire scenarios which you must solve. The combination of Monkey Island-esque silliness and WarioWare-style microgames feels fresh and will keep you hooked throughout.

McPixel with a Vengeance

As you wander the streets of McBurg, you’ll encounter paths you can explore and items you can interact with for a number of coins. Do this and you will find yourself in a series of catastrophic situations that you must halt. Each scene includes a timer which adds immediacy and tension to conundrums. When you fail a scene, which you often will, you are then thrown into another and will cycle through these until you solve each section.

The puzzles themselves are bonkers. Your actions are unpredictable which adds hilarity to each encounter. Want to interact with the old pensioner? Click on them and you’ll likely just give them a nice ol’ boot to the balls. Sos Sosowski creates an erratic atmosphere that forces you to think outside the box. Because of this, there is a wonderful sense of discovery, which permeates the entirety of McPixel 3. As every outcome includes a monetary reward that is required to enter new areas, experimentation is encouraged. Due to this, you’ll find yourself interacting with illogical items to experience their oddball outcome.

Tough Nuts to Crack

The comedy genre is tricky to pull off. There are a number of factors that come into play: timing, delivery, wit and a whole host of other aspects. While some creators look to offer insight and educate the audience about societal issues through the medium, others just find farts and piss hilarious. McPixel lies in the latter of these and for the most part, nails the humor. The surrealism of Adventure Time and the toilet humor of South Park amalgamate to create side-splitting segments throughout. Even though not every joke lands, due to the rapid nature of the game, a new quip is on its way to keep you at a constant chuckle.

References lace McPixel 3. Particular stages harken back to video games and TV shows of the past. Its implementation is earnest and due to this, feels like a homage even while there is a healthy dose of parody. With this, the point-and-click foundation also expands to harness elements of other genres. At times you’ll race through courses, beat up goons in side-scrolling action and even compete in all manner of sports in order to save the day!

Secrets are littered throughout. In addition to the many outcomes of puzzles, there is also Steve. Appearing in weird and unexpected places, Steve is just a random bloke, who does mundane activities. He enjoys the simple things in life but the game unleashes random hell upon them. These oddball segments are fun to stumble across and give you more reason to explore and interact with everything. 

The Last Action Hero

The game sports a classic 8-bit aesthetic. Each area and segment is well-designed and captures the theme of the sequence. Sprites are large which allows Sos Sosowski to add small details to characters that magnify their personality. This is backed by an energetic, pulsing soundtrack that maintains the pace of the game. Those fond of the era will love the authentic design, however, it may not be as appealing to modern gamers.

McPixel 3 is frantic fun. The mixture of minigame madness and point-and-click puzzles deliver ridiculous outcomes which continue to amuse throughout its relatively short run time. Frustration can build, especially with its often bizarre solutions, however, the humor quickly overrides this. Even though some jokes don’t land, it’s sure to make you laugh, particularly if you enjoy silly and slapstick comedy.

*** A Nintendo Switch key provided by the publisher ***