Published by Sometimes You, Sigi – A Fart for Melusina is an 8-bit-style action platformer with a simple objective: run to the right, avoid enemies and obstacles, and defeat the occasional boss. Also, for a game with “fart” in the title, there is a surprising lack of flatulence. Sigi performs a short jig at the end of each stage and releases a tiny toot, but that is about the extent of it.

Taking obvious inspiration from classics like Super Mario Bros., running and jumping serve as the primary actions throughout the 40-minute campaign. Sigi can also acquire projectile weapons to attack enemies. Some fire straight ahead while others travel in an arc, and certain enemies can be defeated by bouncing on their heads. The Mario influences are impossible to miss, especially since collecting coins rewards players with extra lives.

The challenge remains easygoing throughout most of the adventure. The only real difficulty comes from the final boss, a clear rip-off of Hulk Hogan. Fortunately, by that point players will likely have accumulated dozens of extra lives thanks to all the coin collecting, ensuring the ending is seen. It is also worth noting that the controls can feel somewhat loose and slippery. As a result, navigating some of the game’s secret tunnels can be trickier than intended.

Thanks to occasional secrets and four collectibles hidden within each stage, gameplay offers more than a straightforward run-and-gun experience. Sometimes Sigi must attack a suspicious wall to reveal a hidden passage or uncover a secret item. The overworld map conveniently identifies which stages have been fully cleared, making collectible hunting relatively painless. Unfortunately, one Achievement requires players to discover and travel through every secret passage, yet the game provides no way to track which ones have already been found. I hate when games assign laborious tasks like this without offering any sort of tracking system.

It is difficult to nitpick Sigi’s latest adventure because it is so playful, casual, and lighthearted. Its laid-back charm and straightforward design make this low-cost digital download easy to recommend, especially to fans of retro platformers.

By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com

X/Twitter: @ZackGaz

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