INCREDIBLE INDIE
Turn Your World Upside Down
Dandara Trials of Fear Edition
A Metroidvania Adventure Hunt
Even if you’re really into games, Metroidvania is an obscure subgenre you might not have heard of. It refers to titles that play like a cross between the acclaimed classics Metroid and Castlevania—a mix of platformer and adventure game. And indie developers on the App Store have been taking the category to new heights.
Dandara, from small Brazilian team Long Hat House and publisher Raw Fury, is among the best examples yet of what’s possible when the status quo is thrown to the wind. The stylish retro platforming adventure feels natural and smooth thanks to intuitive experimental controls that turn the norm upside down—in some cases literally.
Something is amiss in the world when Dandara, a mythical warrior, awakens to restore balance. As you maneuver the pixelated heroine through the stylish landscapes, you quickly discover that this adventure doesn’t play like any other.
With your left hand, stretch back, aim, and then fling the fearsome character from platform to platform. She zips from floor to ceiling and anywhere in between, so long as there’s a proper landing spot. With your right hand, sling powerful projectiles to take out the legions of warriors and creatures that cling to and crawl across floors, ceilings, and walls.
Other games use a similar control scheme, but Dandara’s is more responsive, fluid, and varied. When you send your character speeding through the air while firing at enemies, everything just feels right—like the game was created for touchscreens, not merely adapted to them.
A smart camera system seamlessly follows the warrior as she zips around a huge world that requires a map to navigate. And when she soars through a doorway to a new area that’s upside down, the viewpoint shifts with it.
Underneath these innovative mechanics is an impressively robust game. An original narrative and an upgrade system allow the character to grow and gain access to previously locked areas, plus fun combat. Dandara is proof that genres that have traditionally been difficult to execute on mobile can flourish with the right approach.