E3 is all about big games, flashy booths and news that gets everybody jumping around the showroom floor. However, some games showing incredible promise are often overlooked and overshadowed by these multi-million dollar titles. Quirky, colorful, enigmatic but above all else a platformer, Might and Delight's Pid is one of those games you instantly know you'll love as soon as you glance at the screen. Fortunately, I was exposed to its genius and I'm here to tell the tale.

Pid interview

          

The narrative of Pid is one surrounded in mystery. What we do know is that the protagonist, Kurt, a young boy on his way home via a space bus, is accidentally beamed down to an unknown world. Stranded on this planet, Kurt must deal with the game's bizarre environments and creatures to find his way back to the bus, which will take him home.

Where'd he get that gem anyway?

Drawing inspiration directly from Mega Man, Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario Bros., Pid is a true platformer at heart and promises to challenge those who relish in old-school game design. One of the core mechanics behind Pid is the distribution of light beams. By throwing a gem down you can place a beam that will interact with the environment. For instance, by throwing a gem on the side of a wall, the beam of light will carry you over the treacherous pit of doom. A simple mechanic, but Might and Delight promises that the puzzles and scenarios you'll run into will get more complex as the game progresses.

Ostensibly, Pid sports a unique art style that some might call childish, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The game's aesthetics mix with the atmosphere and with that, help set the mood of the game. Of course, the mood is always better with a friend and if things are getting too hairy for you, Pid does feature a co-operative mode where Kurt calls in his friend Audrey for assistance.

Manipulating blocks is key. Well, key to not dying.

What I treasure most about Pid is its roots. While I strongly consider Mega Man and the Donkey Kong Country games (at least one and two) some of my most treasured titles, it's amazing to see a new game build upon their foundation. Pid is a platformer that promises complexity and that adaptive nature you had to have to get anywhere in old school games. It won't be an overwhelming difficulty, but small touches like one-hit kills and holding down jump to go a little bit higher make me smile.

A release date hasn't been set in stone yet, but expect to see Pid before the end of the Summer on Xbox Live, PSN and PC. I can't stress enough that this is a title for absolutely everybody and if you're a retro gamer who immediately lights up when you hear the word 'platformer,' then this game is especially for you.