Megabonk, a new indie title on Steam, is making waves despite the presence of anticipated releases such as Silksong and Borderlands 4. It’s easy to see why this unassuming game is climbing the charts. It’s a self-aware experience overflowing with quirky charm. Think skateboarding skeletons, robotic cowboys, and excessively muscular heroes – the kind of wild concept that a hardcore internet enthusiast might dream up. And that’s a compliment! It’s like that hypothetical teen discovered the creativity of Roblox and the community of Discord, rather than falling into more questionable online influences.
Megabonk puts a 3D spin on the roguelite arcade gameplay popularized by titles like Vampire Survivors. Initially, players can choose between a fortunate fox mage and Sir Oofie, a heavily armored knight who sacrifices speed for power. Regardless of your pick, your character automatically unleashes attacks. Each character’s basic attack differs; the knight swings his blade directly, while the fox hurls fireballs at distant foes. As you progress, you unlock powers that enhance your character’s projectile arsenal, adding things like bouncing bones and boomerang bananas to your attacks. Soon, you’ll be a chaotic force of nature, leaving a trail of destruction in your wake.
Similar to Risk of Rain, enemies continuously spawn, dropping cash upon defeat. This currency can be used to unlock randomly generated chests scattered throughout the environment. These chests contain upgrades and abilities, ranging in rarity, that enhance your character with effects like health regeneration and improved attack speed. Your primary objective is to locate and defeat the map’s boss before being overwhelmed by the relentless hordes. The gameplay is straightforward, but Megabonk distinguishes itself through its unique art style and lighthearted tone.
The game’s 3D visuals evoke the charm of the Nintendo 64 era, complete with visible jagged edges, textured surfaces, and pixelated effects. Animations are slightly choppy, reminiscent of a slow-loading GIF. A high-energy rock soundtrack provides a backdrop to the chaotic action, with some characters even boasting their own unique theme tunes. When you meet your demise, your character awkwardly collapses, as if it were a toy. The game then declares “you ded,” accompanied by the now lifeless avatar. “Maybe him skill issue?” The humor may not resonate with everyone. The magnet-shaped “shrine of succ,” which gathers surrounding XP, and the “slutty missiles” that aggressively target enemies, might draw a few eye-rolls.
But when the humor lands, it truly connects. I couldn’t resist smiling during a run where the game introduced a suspiciously Donkey Kong-like ape called Monke, who I was tasked with pursuing while tropical music blared. Monke eventually slammed into a wall and proceeded to climb it at a full 90-degree angle, as if suffering from a game glitch. As I tried to follow, I was swarmed by enemies, leaving me immobile. I died, but Monke achieved freedom.
This game leverages internet culture and aesthetics to create something delightfully absurd, almost like a fictional video game featured on a television show. Shops are represented by business suit-clad figures who might insult your intelligence after a purchase. You can equip items like “Turbo Socks” to boost your speed, and you can summon a ghost named Bob, just because.
The success of Megabonk stems from its genuinely enjoyable gameplay. Its replayability is fueled by an abundance of unlockables and diverse challenges. With 20 playable characters and a variety of maps populated with different enemies, ranging from mummies to floating heads with long tongues, there’s plenty to discover. Quests vary from simple tasks, such as “defeat 1,000 of X enemy,” to more obscure objectives like “find the hidden Banana” or “acquire the item with a 0.001% drop rate.” I haven’t managed to progress beyond the starting forest area yet, but I’m thoroughly enjoying experimenting with different builds. While your character possesses numerous stats influencing aspects like shield regeneration and area of attack, you never feel overwhelmed by the data. It’s a pure power-fantasy game; your focus is on making numbers bigger, and the game provides the means to do so. You spend most of your time tearing through enemies in spectacular fashion.
Runs typically last around 30 minutes, making Megabonk an ideal game for quick play sessions. With enough upgrades, you will feel like a god capable of obliterating anything that stands in your way. However, immortality is not guaranteed. The game will eventually throw enemies at you at an insane pace. If you make the mistake of getting trapped in a corner or against a wall, it could mean the end. No amount of health regeneration, evasion chance, or luck will save you when the sheer volume of enemies threatens to crash the game. A developer log suggests that the game might spawn up to 10,000 enemies, even if it reduces the experience to a slideshow.
Megabonk is a game where remaining stationary is hazardous, yet often necessary. Chests become increasingly expensive, but Megabonk offers free upgrades at claw machines that require you to charge them up by remaining in close proximity. The need to briefly stop for upgrades amid constant movement makes the action both exciting and tense.
Oh, and did I mention that Megabonk is priced at $9.99, with a further discount during its launch period? Or that the developer plans to support the game with continuous content updates? It’s no surprise that Steam users are gravitating toward this title. The thrill of narrowly escaping a sea of goblins as a sunglasses-wearing skeleton, only to perform a kickflip down a mountain while the horde gives chase, represents the pinnacle of video game enjoyment.