PAX East is filled with indie games, and several of them are of the party game genre. One of the most hectic is the first Wii U game to bring nine player multiplayer. Yes, you read that correctly. Up to nine players can grab any type of Wii U or Wii controller to play Runbow, a chaotic platformer/brawler that seems like a mashup of Super Smash Bros. and Cloudberry Kingdom.
There are four basic modes right now, but the developers mentioned to us that they would like to add at least two more before the game releases in the third quarter of this year. The first mode is just a race to the finish. Another mode has you brawling with the last man standing. A third mode has you fighting for king of the hill. The final mode, for now, has one player using the GamePad as the Color Master. This was probably the most hectic of all the modes, because you never knew what that player was going to throw at you. He or she has complete control over the colors and hazards.
Speaking of hazards, the craziness of Runbow comes in the random things that happen during each level. Colors will come and splash the screen one after another. When that color comes in, everything that is that same color, other than the players, will disappear into the background. This means you must think on your feet at all times. Not only do you need to watch out for other players, but you need to watch for the next color. If you fall off or get left behind, you die. Never fear, though, because you will spawn in the next round.
This was one of the most fun multiplayer games I have played. Not only did it combine my love for platformers, but it also had a crazy multiplayer aspect. While it was good to play with just a handful of players, the real fun stated when another media outlet joined in on the fun, and we played some eight and nine player matches. We had players yelling and brawling all the way through the race. This is where Runbow truly shines. If you have a group of people over, it will definitely be fun, but it might cause some arguments, too.
The visuals really popped off the screen, as it uses very bright colors behind solid black platforms. The controls are incredibly simple to understand. You can use practically any controller, too. While the game is currently focused on local multiplayer, the developers did tell us they are researching network play. You can expect Runbow to hit the Wii U eShop in the third quarter of 2015.
Also, be sure to check out some gameplay footage of Runbow from PAX East 2015.