Cubit: The Hardcore Platformer Robot (Hands-On) (Nintendo 3DS) Preview

Cubit: The Hardcore Platformer Robot presents a style of gameplay that has become somewhat commonplace in app stores across multiple platforms. The concept is simple; the player avatar moves relentlessly forward and has the option to jump or double jump to various platforms and over and through obstacles. The angle here is that Cubit is much harder than its competition; the player may hear the death wail of the dear avatar hundreds of times before completing the six available stages.

Cubit makes no attempt to deceive the player - the developers are forthright about the challenge that awaits perspective buyers. The very name sends a clear message that those who tread in Nintendo's blue waters ought to look elsewhere. Cubit definitely delivers on its promise to test the patience and reflexes of the player, but there's a problem here: much of the difficulty comes from the controls simply not working when needed.

Classic hardcore games like Contra can be merciless, but they generally feel fair. The player dies ceaselessly, but understands the error of his ways and looks to improve. But Cubit's problem lies in the fact that its actual jumping mechanics simply fail at the most inopportune times. The game relies heavily on a double jump command that frequently decides to ignore button presses.

The developers have explained that the game is programmed on a small delay - there has to be a tangible time gap between the first jump and the second. They claim this is to prevent accidental jumps by nervous fingers. This explanation is baffling; is the game for hardcore players as they claim, or not? On the one hand, they're trying to test the player's skills with trying platforming, and then on the other, making patronizing design choices that only serve to make the experience maddening.

The reason it's so darn frustrating is because it feels impossible to gauge just how long this delay should be. It's no exaggeration to say those who struggle through this title will come very close to snapping their 3DS in half as they watch Cubit crash directly into exploding obstacles or sail off moving platforms, having failed to register a lifesaving button press mere moments earlier. It's an aggravating experience to say the least.

That's not to say there's nothing to like about this runner, however. When the button press issues don't rear their ugly head, the challenging gameplay is to be commended. Too many games these days are meant to be easy to the point that completing them gives little real satisfaction. Furthermore, Cubit may even conjure nostalgic feelings in older gamers, who recall bygone days when a game would prove so challenging, the controller would be passed from friend to friend until someone could finally figure out how to beat a level. Cubit holds this kind of promise, but it needs to fix the single most important thing in any sort of game revolving around precision: the controls.