Prepare for a trip down nostalgia lane and right into the good old days of 16-bit video games with Mega Boy, by iSoftBet. This retro game manages to capture the feeling of 16-bit gaming without directly copying any title, or not in an obvious way, anyway (the background does look a bit too much like a classic platformer from Japan, though). The reel symbols here are all completely done in the old pixelated aesthetics, and they’re so retro that they are typical of old slot machines, like cherries and bells.
iSoftBet is a great developer with a very interesting history. Their origins are a bit mysterious, appearing almost out of nowhere in 2010. The consensus is that they arose from the old late 90’s dev, Fast CPU (founded in 1997).
Regardless, iSoftBet has made quite a name for itself since 2010, having released several branded titles like Rambo, 24, Beverly Hills 90210, and Nacho Libre. Their original content line includes titles like Astro Magic and Luxury Rome HD, besides Mega Boy.
What We Love
The aesthetics is the main thing we’re crazy about here. Mega Boy has an amazing retro feel, just perfect for the sort of gamer that’s nostalgic for the old 16-bit era, or for the player who is simply drawn to retro-style things. The most remarkable thing about it, as I’ve said before, is the way iSoftBet managed to capture that feel without getting too much “direct inspiration” from any particular source.
When I first read the title, I fully expected a cheap Mega Man rip off, but iSoftBet clearly stayed away from that path. Mega Boy could easily be an original franchise from that era, rather than a modern resurrection of the then current zeitgeist, and that is a great point in favor of iSoftBet.
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Luckily for us, Mega Boy isn’t just a pretty face, it also has good enough gameplay to prop it up. The most relevant special feature here is its two free spin modes. They are both activated by landing a special rectangular wild symbol in the center position of reel number 3. This special wild symbol can have either of the two “protagonists” of the game on it.
The two characters in question are an orange monster with large ram horns, and a gnome-like critter with a purple hat. Depending on which character is on the rectangular wild symbol, you’ll trigger either Level 1, or Level 2, respectively. Both “levels” are roughly the same, with 10 free spins and randomly selected power ups during each spin. The difference lies on the specific power ups on each level.
Even then, the difference isn’t that large, since all power ups are mostly just multipliers and expanding wild symbols. Regardless, we find that iSoftBet has really managed to put an original spin on free spin rounds, something that we particularly enjoy about Mega Boy.
What We Do Not Like
The retro feel in this game is great, but we feel that it could have been developed further. An actual mini game instead of, or in addition to, the free spin rounds would have done wonders, and it would have been just in line with the video game theme.
iSoftBet has included great mini games before in their titles, ones with actual player control, like the shooting minigame in 24. Anyhow, Mega Boy could have had more special features.
Worth Playing?
Despite the fact that we feel that Mega Boy ended up a bit lacking in the features department, we still think it is a great game. Fantastic retro style and good payouts make this game a must try.