Game:

Cactus McCoy 2: The Ruins of Calavera (2011)

Duration: 9:43

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51

Blackstone Tunnel is probably the most unique level of Cactus McCoy 2 yet and it is a real refreshing change of pace from the norm.

You start out on a flimsy elevator cart being lowered down into a mine. You already have a weapon, the machine gun, and have to ride this elevator all the way down to the bottom of the mine shaft already making this a new experience compared to the way you start most levels. There are several obstacles on your way down; Enemiegos will take pot shots at you from ledges, there are exploding barrels and plumes of fire that must be avoided. Dodging these threats aren't particularly hard, in fact you can get by without firing a shot if you want to, but this is made up by the fact that if you die while on elevator it breaks and you have to restart the level. The exploding barrels themselves are one hit kills but as I mentioned before unless you get stupid they are really easy to avoid.

After that descent you are introduced to mine carts and platforms that collapse after standing on them for a couple seconds. This is again another thing I really like about this game that it keeps coming back to; as you achieve mastery of the game, new elements are introduced to keep you challenged and engaged. The collapsing platforms are only collapsing platforms so unless this is the very first platformer or action adventure game one has played, its a very familiar concept. You can ride around the mine carts but besides going fast and mowing over poor stupid Enemigos, they also must be guided strategically and used to fully explore the level which mostly involves using them as platforms or putting them on buttons.

The carts are actually needed to complete all the challenges for this level including my favorite one so far. Rumble in the Tunnel as its called is basically an extended Enemigo swarm fight like the ones at the end of most levels. This one is much longer though, and to the Enemigos credit their sheer numbers here make them an actual threat in a straight fight. I love secret boss fights and hidden dungeons in games for the sheer bragging rights of it all and combined with the fact this is an actual fight makes it my favorite challenge so far in this game.

The enemies here feel all like miners for the most part which really helps with the feel of this level. Some folks will have spiked knuckles or firearms but a lot of them have the kind of improvised weaponry you'd find on an industrial work site like this including dynamite, buzzsaws, flare guns, shovels, pickaxes and odd bits of chain. The miners having access to bazookas did work against this immersion because, unless I'm mistaken, most miners don't have access to military grade hardware. I can forgive this though because the bazookas add a unique weapon ability of being able to blow up weak break way walls and I love the introduction of new mechanics. That and blowing things up is just the highest form of fun.

Next up on our quest to save Ella Windstorm is Calamity Cavern which is a lot like Blackstone Tunnel only with the "Oh God its coming down around our ears!" wrinkle. Should be a lot of fun.

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