Level 99 sent me a preview for the new solo mode in Super Pixel Tactics and I figured it deserved its own spotlight because, I have to say, it’s doing more than just tagging along for the ride. If you’ve been forlornly staring at your old copy of Pixel Tactics, wondering who God’s green earth is going to play with you, I’ve got good news. You don’t need anyone else! Just you, your deck, a fearsome boss monster, and Super Pixel Tactic’s new solo mode.
From what I understand, the full solo mode takes a sharp turn into Slay The Spire territory. You’ll navigate a branching map filled with monster encounters such as the lovely Trussavore, recruit spaces to bolster your deck with new heroes, and event spaces that present you with various choices.
I was provided with just the Trussavore to experience the meat of this solo mode, and it’s a strong introduction to a surprisingly deep system. Each boss is split into up to nine body parts, so you get a nice little monster anatomy lesson with each. In Trussavore’s case, that means getting through his Plated Belly and Gilded Teeth just to get a shot at his Heart, buried in the Rear. And right when you think you’ve finally chopped off that damn Heavy Claw, surprise! It regenerates! In fact, most monsters will have regenerating parts. It acts on a mini-timer, where it will slowly recover over the course of several turns and then get back to full strength. So you need to take the opportunity when something in the Vanguard line is down to weaken whatever is behind it. It very effectively mimics a second player clearing a corpse to play another hero into the line.
To keep you on your toes, the boss also rolls a random effect each turn. It might melt your team with acid spray, regenerate faster, or scream so loudly you drop a card. Classic.
And to give this mode fun campaign stakes, any hero who dies is permanently out of your deck. So you’re welcome to sacrifice your best unit for that clutch play…but you might be missing them terribly three battles from now.
To be clear, I’ve had the opportunity only to try this single boss out and have seen nothing else. But this single boss got me to dig deep into my toolkit and get creative with my card play. From positioning to combos, everything mattered. It didn’t just let me play the game…it made me think. That’s what I want in a solo mode. It doesn’t need to be an algorithmic robotic clone of another player. This is a creative, fun new way to play a game with such a solid foundation. If it’s substantial enough in its final form and offers variability, I would be more than happy to play Pixel Tactics this way primarily.
The bottom line is this solo mode isn’t just an afterthought. It’s a clever, strategic way to wring even more life out of a game that already had plenty going on. I can’t wait to throw more heroes into the meat grinder.