Another cute, quirky indie platformer for the new console
After years on the frontlines of, erm, writing about videogames, there's little space in my heart for the squishiness of sentiment. And yet, even I'll admit to being moved by this trailer for The Adventures of Pip, in which a lowly pixel strives to become a full-grown 2D sprite. It's enough to make you sob uncontrollably. Excuse me while I blow my nose on this expenses claim.

Created by Tic Toc Games of Los Angeles, the game is a side-scrolling platformer with RPG character progression and combat. "When the evil queen of a neighboring land swoops in and steals the kingdom's most precious resource--its pixels--all the villagers, guards, and even nobles are reduced to single-pixel life forms, the lowest rung on the social ladder," reads a blurb.

"With their power sapped and their hopes vanquished, it's up to one unlikely little hero to save the day. That hero is Pip!" WOO, PIP.
Pip must journey through regions far and wide to reach the Dark Queen's stronghold," it continues. "Through forests, swamps, caves - Pip has to fight through hordes of her demonic army to get closer to the Queen herself!

"Along the way, he gains experience from the pixels of his fallen enemies, growing into the hero his kingdom needs in the battle against the Dark Queen." Besides a cleaner, more detailed avatar, more pixels for Pip equals more weapons and abilities, such as a double jump or combo slash.

The game is still a fair few thousand dollars shy of its Kickstarter target. If you like what you see, by all means donate.