GamesPlatformerThis pixel pirate platformer has some of the coolest movement I’ve seen this year, and a dash of Dig DugWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesPlatformerThis pixel pirate platformer has some of the coolest movement I’ve seen this year, and a dash of Dig DugWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Devolver Digital)
I have a new nemesis and it’s a bug-like creature with a horn, firing shots at me on the back of a giant orange beetle. This is the first boss battle in the pixelated platformer Pepper Grinder from developer Ahr Ech, which sees me use a powerful drill to carve through pockets of the landscape and take out enemies. Using the sand encircling the blunderbuss-wielding bug and its oversized steed, I dart in and out to avoid the increasing number of shots being fired in my direction. Everything is a matter of timing. I have to try to avoid getting hit as I wait for the beetle to move in just the right spot so I can plunge my Grinder drill right into its soft underbelly and knock the rider off. Then, I land as many hits on the buggy foe as it scrambles to get back onto the beetle.
It proves to be a challenge as I try to learn its attack patterns and avoid taking too many hits. Each time I whittle down the Beetle rider’s health, its projectiles seem to change, going from a single blast to a whole burst of them that splay out over a wider area, making it trickier to avoid hits as I wait for the beetle to move into position each time. The fight resets if your health completely depletes, which has me on tenterhooks every time I narrowly avoid a hit. My frustration only grows with each failed attempt, but when I finally beat it, nothing beats the cathartic moment at the end of the fight when I get to mash the ZR button on my Switch controller to dig my drill into the enemy and deliver a final blow.
If you were to ask me to try and sum up Pepper Grinder, I’d say it’s like a mix between Ecco the Dolphin and Dig Dug – but make it pirates. The movement is definitely its biggest strength, and the Grinder drill makes for a satisfying means of traversal throughout.
The grind
(Image credit: Devolver Digital)
Now I’m no pirate, but I reckon having your treasure stolen is the worst case scenario imaginable. Pepper Grinder begins with a shipwreck that sees titular hero Pepper washed up on the shore. You’re greeted with the sight of a mysterious figure sporting a striking hairdo who shows up and swipes your treasure chest. The gall! Clearly angered, you ready your drill and set out across various platforming levels to reclaim the gems that were taken from you. The Grinder acts as your means of traversal and also your weapon. With pockets of terrain that you can quickly churn your way through not unlike Dig Dug, you can also use the drill to propel yourself up out of sand or earth - it’s no wonder that even the developer compares it to Ecco the Dolphin, which instantly came to mind as I soared up to reach a platform like I was Ecco leaping up from the ocean.
Indie Spotlight(Image credit: Future Friends Games)I built the most peaceful tiny homes in a cozy building sim that prioritizes creativity, and now I want to move in
Indie Spotlight
(Image credit: Future Friends Games)I built the most peaceful tiny homes in a cozy building sim that prioritizes creativity, and now I want to move in
(Image credit: Future Friends Games)
I built the most peaceful tiny homes in a cozy building sim that prioritizes creativity, and now I want to move in
It’s fast-paced, fluid, and visually pleasing thanks to its retro pixelated style. From what I’ve played so far, I’m already curious to see what other levels and challenges await me as I progress further through its hub world to reclaim my stolen treasure. If you’re a big fan of colorful platformers that feel good to play, Pepper Grinder definitely ticks those boxes.
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Pepper Grinder is out now on PC and Switch. Check out what else we’ve been enjoying in ourIndie Spotlightseries, or see out what’s on the horizon with our roundup ofupcoming indie games.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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1
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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
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3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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3
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4
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5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”