Review: Super 56

The WarioWare series is still going strong, with a new title on the horizon for early next month. The shoes are not yet empty, but Onion Soup Interactive is looking to fill them anyway with Super 56. That’s bold, but while they’re doing some heavy lifting to the formula, they’re bringing along their own drinks to the party. To be fair, it isn’t even WarioWare’s party. Puzzle & Action: Tant-R has been dancing since ‘93, but even I’m not certain they were the first to arrive.

Super 56 is a microgame rush. To draw further comparison to WarioWare it leans heavily into nostalgia for older games. It also digs into absurd humor until it hits paydirt. So, I guess what I’m saying is it’s not the absolute most original game, but it still has a lot to offer.

Super 56 (PC)
Developer: Onion Soup Interactive
Publisher: WhisperGames
Released: October 11, 2023
MSRP: $6.99

You’re cast as a human (try to pretend) who is on a cultural exchange to Hell. While, normally, cultural exchanges don’t get much worse, they at least have video games in Hell. You become roommates with monsters Brones and Kronos, and because neither of them is well suited to pressing a button, they decide to leave the latest, hottest game, Super 56, in your flesh-covered hands.

To add to the sitcom-like hijinks, John Zombie, the muscular cad from next door, also has Super 56, and he is darned certain that he can out-microgame you. So you and your roommates band together to prove him wrong.

Super 56 is, as we’ve already established, a series of games that you try to complete as best as possible. As the name implies, there are 56 of these microgames, and they cover a wide assortment of styles. The catch is that you only use one button to control them. In earlier versions of the game, you even had to use that one button to navigate the menus, but Onion Soup Interactive has acquiesced to allow you to use the d-pad there. Nonetheless, as you battle your way through the various activities, you only use one button.

That button goes a heck of a long way, as the microgames spoof everything from Doom to Sonic the Hedgehog. While the WarioWare series tries to wrap up its activities at an even pace, Super 56 has more variety and less focus on speed. You gain points for various criteria, sometimes including score. Other times, you need to experiment to find the various intricacies of each microgame to figure out the best way to complete them.

The microgames themselves show a similar irreverence to WarioWare, especially when it comes to the achievements you can earn in each. There are a lot of butt-shooting and familiar video games put through a bizarre filter, like the facsimile of the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 bonus game, which uses a biblically correct hedgehog in place of the familiar blue… thing.

The points you earn in each minigame get converted to an experience that drives you higher and higher in the rankings. Each time you cap out the bar, you’re treated to another vignette involving the demons, which are usually pretty entertaining. I haven’t hit the top yet, but that’s mainly because my progress was wiped in a pre-launch update, and I haven’t had the gusto to push through it again.

I have a somewhat funny issue with Super 56, and that’s its main theme. The game has a really unique way of approaching its soundtrack in that it only has one song, but it gets twisted a bit to fit each game. This sounds really excellent, as some of the variations are really interesting and sound great. On the other hand, you’re listening to the same song for the entire playtime of the game, and that isn’t insignificant.

My problem isn’t the song. The issue I have is that playing Super 56 drives that song further and further into your brain until it’s impossible to dislodge. This is the same reason I hate department stores.

What I do love about Super 56 is its consistent attitude and humor. Putting together a microgame collection isn’t always as easy as it sounds, especially when there are so many intricate variations, hence the save-wiping pre-release patch. However, tying it together in a satisfying way is perhaps even more difficult. Onion Soup Interactive does a great job of this by using a distinct separation from the “real” world and what goes on in the game using its storytelling and analog presentation for games.

It’s satisfying in its approach. The heavily compressed and crunchy voice that roots you on between every game is so enjoyable, and the VHS filter really takes you back to the days of RF connections.

The mini-games, on the other hand, are less consistent. Some of them are really detailed and well-designed, and a few others feel almost phoned in. Nothing totally intrusive, but when there are 56 games, you kind of notice.

If you manage to power your way through the story, there are daily challenges that you can tackle, as well as leaderboards you can climb. Super 56 even gives you the ability to customize your profile to stand out in the rankings in weird ways.

I doubt Super 56 will set your world on fire. It’s an enjoyable and entertaining game, but it’s no WarioWare. On the other hand, it’s way cheaper than WarioWare. In fact, I’d say it’s priced perfectly for what you’re getting. So, if you’re down for more microgames, Super 56 is an excellent off-brand choice. Onion Soup Interactive brings its own special charm to the genre, even if it could perhaps do a bit more to stand out.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}