HOP TOP
- February 27, 2024
- Miracle
Get on SteamHop Top is a shoot 'em up platformer where you help Hop the Dodo Bird retrieve his wings from troublesome bugs across five tower floors. With three modes of play, including Campaign, Endless, and Arcade, players can enjoy pick-up-and-play fun while facing off against various insect patterns and aiming for high scores. Assist Hop in his quest to reach the top and defeat a range of formidable flies and wasps.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Incredibly faithful homage to classic Namco arcade games with a unique twist, featuring excellent pixel art and a fantastic soundtrack.
- The gameplay is addictive and challenging, combining elements of classic games like Galaga and Doodle Jump, providing a rewarding experience as players master the mechanics.
- Offers multiple modes, including a classic arcade mode and a campaign, making it appealing for both casual players and those looking to grind for high scores.
- The game can be needlessly difficult at times, with certain enemies and mechanics causing frustration for players.
- Some players noted a lack of a looping system or additional content to extend replayability after completing the campaign.
- There are minor technical issues, such as missing text prompts and unclear mechanics like screen wrapping, which could confuse new players.
- gameplay12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a satisfying learning curve, where players gradually master mechanics through practice, with fair enemy patterns and multiple progression paths enhancing the experience. It combines elements reminiscent of classic arcade games, offering a fun and addictive loop that balances accessibility with challenging platforming and enemy interactions. Overall, the charming visuals and sound design complement the solid gameplay mechanics, making it an engaging experience.
“It took me a long time to master even getting past the first few levels, but the natural osmosis over time through playing is greatly satisfying and rewarding. Failure is almost always on the player, as the enemy patterns are fair and predictable with their own unique behaviors and layouts. The platforms are laid out in such a way that there are almost always multiple ways to progress forward, even if you slip up on the first jump and have to retry, especially once you get accustomed to crossing over from one side of the screen to another by warping across, like in Pac-Man and other arcade games with screen wrap mechanics.”
“Charming, great sound design, lovely artwork, and addictive gameplay.”
“For the gameplay, it feels like Doodle Jump and Gaplus had a child, and while that sounds fun as an idea, it doesn't quite deliver.”
“As for the gameplay itself, it's not too difficult to understand everything, but it does prove to be challenging and requires the player to be on their toes with certain platforms and enemies.”
“It took me a long time to master even getting past the first few levels, and while the enemy patterns are fair and predictable, the overall experience can feel frustrating at times.”
- music12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its nostalgic and catchy soundtrack, reminiscent of classic Namco titles, effectively enhancing the arcade experience. Each track is described as a memorable "banger," utilizing arcade instruments to their fullest potential, contributing to the game's charming aesthetic and engaging gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack complements the fresh blend of platforming and classic arcade difficulty, making it a standout feature.
“The soundtrack is similar, every track is a banger utilizing the arcade instruments to their highest potential in short but memorable tracks.”
“The music in this game is fantastic as it sounds exactly like Namco's own 'Namco Classic Collection Vol 1 & 2', and it fits perfectly with what the game wanted to be.”
“Hop Top is a mashup between Galaga and Doodle Jump, with classic arcade difficulty, a wonderful soundtrack, beautiful art direction, and an absolutely charming feel that feels like a breath of fresh air in 2024.”
“The soundtrack is similar; every track is a banger utilizing the arcade instruments to their highest potential in short but memorable tracks.”
“The music in this game, though, I thought was fantastic as it sounds exactly like Namco's own 'Namco Classic Collection Vol 1 & 2'. I think it fits perfectly with what the game wanted to be.”
“The visual and musical aesthetic is incredibly nostalgic, but the play experience is a fresh blend of platforming and space invaders.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their stellar pixel art, evoking nostalgia while avoiding the pitfalls of lazy retro design. The visual presentation is complemented by a charming aesthetic and great sound design, with distinct modes that enhance the overall experience, reminiscent of classic arcade collections from the PlayStation and Saturn eras. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's addictive gameplay and nostalgic appeal.
“The presentation is stellar, with excellent pixel art reminiscent of the era, akin to the later 'arrangement' Namco games graphics, which look phenomenal. It really utilizes this style rather than using 'le retro' graphics as a crutch for bad or lazy art.”
“The visual and musical aesthetic is incredibly nostalgic, but the play experience is a fresh blend of platforming and Space Invaders. Not to mention that it has classic arcade difficulty for sure, and those ladybug enemies will haunt my dreams with how eager they are to end a run.”
“This game offers three distinct modes, one being a classic arcade mode with a simplistic charming style, and the other two being a unique endless and campaign modes that introduce the graphics as if they were included in a PlayStation/Saturn era arcade collection, which is a really neat touch.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and lacking clear design intent, often feeling that it rewards prolonged play rather than skillful performance. This has led to frustration, as the mechanics seem to encourage less effective gameplay.
“I don't really see the design ideology behind that, as it is rather tedious and lacks intention. It usually just rewards you for playing worse and taking longer, which doesn't make much sense.”
“I don't really see the design ideology behind that, as it is rather tedious and lacks intention. It usually just rewards you for playing worse and taking longer, which doesn't make much sense.”
