Even though Prinny may be a traditional platformer, it has a few noteworthy aspects that hardened, challenge-loving platforming veterans will want to know about. Firstly, much like Dracula X Chronicles or Ghosts n’ Goblins, Prinny features what I would call a “hard” or “stiff” jump. Unlike platforming titles akin to Mega Man or Mario, you cannot change the direction of Prinny mid-jump. When you jump, you’re jumping, and you better hope you aren’t leaping headfirst into a chasm. Thankfully, there are a few tricks to circumvent this gameplay mechanic (such as a timely use of a combo and the godly double-jump), but mastering them will take a bit of practice. So far the game has been light on the insta-kill platforming segments, but we’ll see how much hair I have left when I finally retrieve that last Ultra Dessert ingredient.

As I made my way through the first four levels, I must have gone through at least 60 lives making my way from one end to another. There’s truly no buts about it: Prinny looks to be one challenge-packed game. While I only had time to run through the first few levels, it should be noted that on the default difficulty, Prinny starts out with 999 lives and gets four hits before exploding into thin air. However, even with such outlandish odds (and my ever growing pile of Prinny parts), I rarely felt like the game was unfair, or cheap in the first few levels. There’s a fine line between fun and frustrating, and so far Prinny has toed that line very carefully.

Even though I’ve only had a few hours with it, Prinny is shaping up to be a hardcore platforming fan’s wet dream that just might be open to newcomers as well. With a steep, yet consistent, level of challenge (along with a literal boatload of lives and checkpoints) Prinny: Can I Really Be The Hero? just could be the witty platformer open to anyone willing to put in the time. Check back on the 20th for our final impressions of the full game, and see if you stand any chance of returning alive from this devilish little platformer.