Super Win the Game
A Zelda II homage that failed commercially despite critical praise.
Super Win the Game is an action role-playing game that came out on October 1, 2014, developed by the American studio Minor Key Games. It follows the studio’s earlier title, You Have to Win the Game, and pays tribute to Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Critics praised the game, but it sold poorly, which led its lead developer, Kyle Pittman, to describe it as a total failure.
The gameplay is strictly platform-based, and unlike The Adventure of Link, the player character has no offensive moves against enemies. However, like that game, it features a map screen with villages containing non-player characters, dungeons filled with obstacles and hidden abilities, and other secrets. The player controls a character called the Wayfarer, who must collect pieces of the Hollow King’s heart after an evil wizard shatters it. To gather these pieces and face the wizard, the player needs to find upgrades and new abilities that unlock fresh areas and level sections in a Metroidvania style. Along the way, the Wayfarer can talk to creatures known as Arcadians, who claim to come from the stars. Once the king’s heart is restored, the world is freed from his rule and peace returns. An Arcadian then asks if the player is ready to leave; accepting restarts the game from the prologue without erasing any progress.
Critics responded positively to Super Win the Game. Tom Sykes of PC Gamer praised its CRT simulation visuals and open-ended gameplay. Angelo D’Argenio of GameCrate called it “a game about secrets” and compared it to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Despite this reception, the game sold only 850 copies in its first month after release. Kyle Pittman called this a complete and total failure, and afterward stated he no longer wanted to make pixel art platformers in the same style as Super Win the Game.
Quick Facts
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows · macOS · Linux
- Released
- October 1, 2014
- Genre
- Action role-playing
- Producer
- J. Kyle Pittman
- Developer
- Minor Key Games
- Engine
- Unity
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Super Win the Game is strictly platform-based, with the player character having no offensive abilities against enemies, unlike The Adventure of Link. The player has access to a map screen containing villages with NPCs, dungeons with obstacles and abilities inside, and other secrets. The player character, known as the Wayfarer, is tasked with collecting pieces of the Hollow King's heart, which has been broken by an evil wizard. To gather these pieces and confront the wizard, the player must collect upgrades and new abilities, unlocking new areas in a Metroidvania format. Throughout the game, the player can speak with creatures called Arcadians, who claim to be from the stars. After returning the king's heart, the world is saved from the Hollow King's rule and peace is restored. An Arcadian then asks the player if they are ready to leave; accepting restarts the game from its prologue with no progress erased.
Reader's Guide
Super Win the Game was received positively by critics. Tom Sykes of PC Gamer praised the CRT simulation visuals and its open-ended gameplay. Angelo D'Argenio of GameCrate considered it 'a game about secrets,' comparing it to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Despite this positive reception, the game sold only 850 units in its first month after release, which lead developer Kyle Pittman called 'a complete and total failure.' Following this, Pittman declared that he no longer wished to continue making pixel art platformers in the vein of Super Win the Game. The game's commercial underperformance stands in contrast to its critical acclaim, marking it as a notable example of a well-reviewed title that failed to find an audience.
Did You Know?
- Super Win the Game is a sequel to You Have to Win the Game.
- The game is a homage to Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.
- Lead developer Kyle Pittman called the game a 'total failure'.
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