Yoku's Island Express
Ever since I was a little kid, I have loved pinball. I loved playing real tables in arcades, Space Pinball on my grandma's computer, the myriad of Gameboy pinball games, and especially the battery-guzzling mini table I got at a garage sale. While I'm not playing pinball in any form as often or as intensely as I used to, I still love it. That, along with my newfound appreciation for Metroidvania games, made Yoku's Island Express very intriguing. Combining search action with pinball mechanics, this ended up being one of the most unique indie experiences I've played recently, and I loved it! Playing as the little dung beetle Yoku, your job is to take over the mail service of a small island whose previous postmaster is retiring. This might be a pretty daunting task for a little beetle, especially one inexplicably chained to a heavy ball, but the island is surprisingly well-equipped with dung-beetle-accessible transportation. While the hills may be steep and the hallways con