

Hitting the circle button (on PlayStation platforms) resumes the game, so make a habit of that. The default option is 'menu' which takes you back to the game's main menu, ending your game without so much as a warning. The worst thing about Nuclear Throne is its pause screen. It's a crowded scene, yet Nuclear Throne manages to stand apart with its own frenetic flavour. The Binding of Isaac opted for a top-down Zelda throwback, Galak-Z offered an anime space-combat twist, and Downwell narrowed the focus to a single vertical corridor. Derek Yu's platforming roguelike has seen a smorgasbord of imitators, even if the best brought their own unique spin to the formula. It wouldn't be the first game to try that, of course. With Nuclear Throne, Vlambeer has taken what it does best - petite pockets of panicky delight - and tethered it to the larger structure of Spelunky. Availability: Also available on Vita, PC, Mac and Linux.Would this ethos carry across into a larger game, Vlambeer's most ambitious to date: the action-roguelike Nuclear Throne? Nuclear Throne Yet these were tailor-made for the on-the-go crowd. Immediately attention-grabbing and over before you know it, Vlambeer's mobile and handheld titles were the perfect way to while away those wayward minutes when waiting in transit. This flashy, bite-sized nugget of media summed up the tiny studio's works well: zippy, bombastic, and comical. When the Dutch developer revealed the release date for its mobile hit Ridiculous Fishing, it chose not to do so via a proper trailer, but rather a seven-second Vine. Super Crate Box and Luftrausers developer Vlambeer has always excelled at short, sweet bursts of action.

Vlambeer's latest pocket of panicky delight is an intense arcade roguelike that rivals Spelunky and The Binding of Isaac.
