What’s up with the monster eating mechanics in games lately? Last week it was carnivorous Soviet elevators, now it’s retro fantasy RPGs that eat themselves. In Super Dungeon Muncher, you’re a miniature hero navigating a corridor-shaped map full of fireball traps and crumbling platforms, spinning coins, and patrolling creatures. That’s the “Super Dungeon” part. The “Muncher” part refers to the obese red monster that eats the entire level behind you.
Like our Maw, the Muncher is a creature that operates according to its own understanding of time and physics. You and all the creatures in each dungeon map are locked to a grid and move in turn, like Shiren the Wanderer. But the Muncher exists in real time, reaching out with ravenous hands to grab the edges of the map and suck everything into its gullet. It’s like rewinding a movie about a printer, except printers have better table manners.
In addition to outpacing the muncher’s gnashing molars, you’ll need to perform such classic RPG duties as buying fresh weapons and gear from quick-chewed shopkeepers, finding keys to open locks, and destroying or avoiding obstacles like trees or cracked blocks. Speed is of the essence, but it looks like you can also delay or even scare off your voracious foe by feeding it less-than-tasty items like toilets.
Super Dungeon Muncher is out today Couple and finally Itch.io and Google Play. For a healthier brand of edible game, check out the work of former L.A. Noire programmer Jenn Sandercock.
