Sound Shapes was one my top ten games in 2012. The creation stuff wasn’t for me, but the levels Queasy Games built into their game were satisfying and interesting enough to win me over. Mechanically speaking, the platforming wasn’t especially impressive, but the way it worked in tandem with the audio and visual design forged an experience unique in its medium. There hasn’t been anything else like Sound Shapes, and due to its high concept and relative exclusivity, there likely won’t be.
Unless, of course, the folks at Queasy Games delivered a brand new album of levels. Dubbed “Car Mini-Album & Creator Pack,” it’s the first major piece of downloadable content for Sound Shapes. Yes, there have been smaller packs sound and level building packs, but nothing in the realm of a highly concentrated, uniquely designed levels straight from the development team.
“Do You Wheelie Want To Hurt Me” is a mini album composed of only two levels and a tutorial. As one might guess by its name and album title, it principally revolves around a new car mechanic. Not unlike that cute UFO found in the base game, your little rollie ball avatar hops into one of two cars and zooms away quickly. Both of the new cars are extremely fast, and most of their challenge involves managing their speed and mid-air balance appropriately. As per usual you’ll be avoiding anything colored red, which, in the context of cars, amounts to flames and electrified floors – all of which somewhat resembling what a monster truck rally in Tron might have looked like.
The first level, “Hard Drive,” focuses on challenges for the first car. Basically a unicycle, it’s friendly to spinning around and quite frankly feels like a brief, long lost Uniracers follow-up. Spinning the car around in mid air with the L and R buttons makes for decent tricks and subtle interactive flourishes. It’s also worth noting that the accompanying music for Hard Drive rocks the f- out with its bass synths and monster beat. What Hard Drive lacked in challenge was overcompensated by its densely packed presentation.
The second and final level, Heck On Wheels, prefers substance over style. It employs a different car that explodes into a cool looking skull when flipped over. Naturally the ensuing level is packed with half arches, too-small ramps, and other challenges designed explicitly to test your resolve to balance the car out before it lands. At the rate of speed which you’d prefer to move (since, you know, your times are ranked), this placed Heck On Wheels on the upper tier of Sound Shapes’ level suite.
It might not take more than twenty minutes to get through the two new levels. This is alleviated by the fact that the content is only two dollars and comes with new sounds and pieces for the level creator. Again, I had mentioned that stuff wasn’t for me however; I am excited to see what others might do with it. While in a car you have the option to sort of bail out before an explosion (or whenever, I guess), which wasn’t ever necessary but nevertheless cool. A user made level that embraces that idea could be amazing. Anyway, the content also comes with new Beat School challenges and, appropriately, trophies to reflect mastery of that content.
Note: While not part of the paid-content, the new Sound Shapes update patch enables the Milkcrate selection of albums in the community tab. Inside are thirty five user created levels curated into six distinct albums by the folks at Queasy Games. It’s also free.
