Collateral Thinking

Collateral Thinking divides old-style single-screen platform action into thirty-second tasks on Wii U. Each floor asks the player to defeat aliens, avoid them while unarmed or collect blueprints. More than one hundred floors, periodic bosses and breaks for buying supplies give the climb a larger shape without losing its quick-session appeal. Movement, jumping and attacking make the rules easy to learn, and a contemporary review confirms support for GamePad, Pro Controller and a sideways Wii Remote. Off-TV play suits the brief attempts. Difficulty is less satisfying when the controls fail to match it. A floaty jump, hit reactions and questionable detection can make losses feel abrupt; another Wii U reviewer describes sensitive D-pad movement and rare brief slowdowns. Pixel-art details have charm, but unevenly loud effects and repetitive music wear on longer runs. The reviewed launch build did not yet contain the multiplayer mode discussed as a planned update, so that future feature has not inflated the score. Players who enjoy strict trial-and-error arcade challenges may find a rhythm; those seeking exact controls or relaxed cooperation should be wary.

Who it is for: Solo players who enjoy demanding retro arcade trial and error.

Play notes: The baseline is the contemporary launch build; planned multiplayer was not assumed present.