The world of You Have to Win the Game is mostly open for exploration from the very beginning. Players begin the game with only the ability to run around and jump, but there are a couple of new moves available after clearing a particular section of the game that includes a double jump and wall jump. The new moves makes platforming through old sections of the game easier, but the game gets progressively more difficult throughout the game and features a silly ending that retro gamers are sure to appreciate.
You Have to Win the Game is strictly a 2D platformer. There are a few enemies in the game such as bats, crabs and snakes, but they are hardly more than obstacles to avoid, since there is no way to fight enemies or clear any hazards without dying. The only real goal beyond beating the game is to find money bags and similar items scattered around the world. These don't count for points, but rather, players will want to find out all of these hidden items in order to 100% complete the game. You Have to Win the Game unfairly hides some of the items in places where they are nearly impossible to spot on your own, so expect to look up guides online if you're a completionist.
You Have to Win the Game can easily be completed in under 2 hours the first time a player picks up the game, so the main campaign is obviously not very long. There is actually an Achievement for completing the game in 10 minutes or under, so it's a good game for speedrunning, but players looking for a game to soak a lot of free time into might need to look elsewhere. There is a surprising amount of content beyond the main campaign in the game though including the Remixed campaign that really cranks up the difficulty and forces players to make pixel perfect jumps over and over again. Additionally, YOLO mode challenges players to complete the campaign with only one life and no respawns, while the Cat DLC offers similar content, except the main character is now a cat and has 9 lives instead.
You Have to Win the Game proudly pushes for a classic 8-bit aesthetic and even includes an option to play the game inside of a simulated CRT monitor. Players can also scout the options for different color schemes including a 16-color layout that is far more easier on the eyes than the pink, blue and black colors of the default scheme. The game itself isn't completely terrible looking with the main problem stemming from trying to spot green bags of money in trees and other questionable decisions involving the game's color palette.
You Have to Win the Game isn't the best game, but it's a good way to spend a couple of hours for gamers looking for something new to play. The entire game is available for free, so there really aren't many good reasons not to give it a try. Minor Key Games has also announced a sequel called Super Win the Game will be released in Fall 2014 for PC, Mac and Linux featuring a much larger world to explore, more varied environments and even more secrets. Try out You Have to Win the Game for free on Steam today and look for Super Win the Game coming later this year!
You Have to Win the Game is now available for free on PC, Mac and Linux on Steam. For more information on the game, check out the official You Have to Win the Game website.
Game Features:
- Single Player
- Cat Mode DLC and YOLO Mode
- CRT Monitor Simulator and Special Color Settings
- Free-to-Play
- Achievement Support
Game Information:
Developer: Minor Key Games
Platforms: PC (reviewed), Mac & Linux
Release Date: May 6, 2014