Wow. Just when I thought the XBLIG market was hitting a slow season, Explosionade jumped out from behind a bush and scared the crap out of me. In a good way. Like the company’s last game, Shoot 1UP, Explosionade is a beautifully-made, hardcore action game that feels like a total steal at only $1. There’s no single, defining gimmick like in Shoot 1UP, but your character feels like he’s taken all these powers that would have stood on their own in any other 2D game and combined them to make one badass mech. He’s got a jet pack, a shield that lets him bounce off walls and into enemies, and a grenade launcher that’s incredibly satisfying when used correctly. The controls are a bit overwhelming at first, but there’s a lot of freedom built into how you can play, and every button is customizable. It’s a fantastic, little game that even supports co-op, and I love how smart the AI becomes when you up the difficulty. That said, you do have to trudge through the first few “tutorial” levels every time you play. Once you reach the game’s true momentum, though… whoa, buddy!