Curse of the Crescent Isle DX

Back when Super Mario Bros. 2 came out, there was no such thing as "the Mario formula." Sure, SMB2 was much different from the previous game, but SMB was much different from Mario Bros., which was much different from Donkey Kong. We didn't know what to expect from a Mario game, so we didn't know just how much of an aberration SMB2 would turn out to be. Only later did we realize that SMB2 had strayed pretty far from the blueprint of a traditional Mario game, and although some elements of SMB2 turned up in subsequent games, the Mario series has never really gone back to that well.
Curse of the Crescent Isle does, though. It expands on SMB2's primary mechanics -- riding, lifting, and throwing enemies -- by allowing you to hold enemies over your head or under your feet, and also by giving enemies unique powers you can activate. These new wrinkles lend themselves to some interesting puzzles.
And the graphics? Completely adorbs.

Curse of the Crescent Isle DX caught my eyes almost instantly. The art design of the game pops reminding you of the glory days of the 16 bit era.
At first glance the game plays homage to such game series as Wonderboy and Shantae, but on closer inspection the game is way closer to Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Kirby and Super Mario 2. Why? Gameplay is linear and doesn't have any rpg elements like Wonderboy or Shantae, it is simple but it evokes a sense of adventure and being on a journey. By picking up enemies you gain that monster’s ability while you hold on to it and they can be used as stepping stones for more efficient platforming.
The music sounds like a classic Sega soundtrack, even the opening stage music reminds of the opening tunes from Wonderboy in Monster World and Sonic the Hedgehog. The sound effects are very effective, from the fire to the coins.
The story is generic but expected in the genre and the type of game it is. The plot is about a cursed kingdom and a stolen princess so you know what to expect. You get to choose from a male and female protagonist.
This game can be finished under 2 hours, but it has different modes to keep you interested in the game. The game is well worth its price, and aside from some minor and sometimes fun glitches the game runs perfectly.

TL;DR: Short, but great, "Curse of the Crescent Isle DX" is the combination of Monster World IV and Super Mario Bros. 2 you never knew you wanted. It's just not as polished as a true 16-bit classic, though it certainly has as much charm as the real McCoy. Absolutely worth it for $5 or less!
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"Curse of Crescent Isle DX" seems like it came straight from the Genesis/Mega-Drive. With it's closest cousins probably being Monster World IV and Super Mario 2 (with some Alex Kidd and Shantae resemblances to boot), and it's theme being a fresh take on some kind of loose Hindu-esque fantasy world, it absolutely demands attention from any fan of sidescrollers. Does it have the gameplay chops to back it up?
There are a few rough edges here or there and it sure is short, even with added modes like Boss Rush and Speed Run, but the answer is "Yes!"
Your main character - you can choose between a guy and a gal - isn't armed with a weapon and doesn't find new items. All they can do initially is jump, and talk to people (there's not a lot of story in the game, but the dialogue on some of the townspeople is very fun), but they soon gain the ability to pick up & toss enemies, and then shortly after that gain the ability to "flip" whatever they picked up and ride them. It's very similar to Super Mario Bros. 2, except with added depth in the form of elemental abilities on the enemies you're manhandling.
For example, one enemy is a frosty element guy - toss him into another enemy (or water) and you'll freeze them in place to use as a platform. Even fireballs, in classic video game logic fashion. There's a few kinds of elements here - drills, frosties, gravity switchers, size changers, etc. - so for the playtime, they provide good variety throughout. There's also great variety from the level designs, with many areas themed around different gimmicks. Areas with loads of stalactites and stalagmites are designed to be navigated by gravity flippers, for example. There are classic gimmicks like wind blowing sections and ice sections too. It's classic through-and-through. The boss fights are also classically styled, 3-hit, pattern recognition stuff that shouldn't test your patience, but are well made nonetheless.
The only problem is that the game just lacks some polish. It's not mechanically unpolished at all though. This game *feels* right - the character control is great (which is expected since they can't do a lot). However, the design of some areas tends to break things a bit - you'll throw enemies around and they'll get stuck on collision. Sometimes you won't take damage by slamming into something hurtful from the right angle. Or sometimes you'll get an enemy stuck somewhere and need to restart the current room from the pause menu. It's all tiny things, but they can be annoying nonetheless (especially, I would imagine, during the "Speed Run Mode")
Finally, for a game with good verticality to its levels, there's no way to look up or down. That's just obnoxious throughout. Blind jumps are always annoying, even if the game is super easy.
Overall, "Curse of Crescent Isle DX" is well-made and fun to play; it's just not perfect. Still, it's soooo cheap! Buy it if you like classic action games and sidescrollers. And lets hope that the developer Adam Mowery here gets to make a "Crescent Isle 2" or something someday that's a little more polished and a whole lot bigger :)

This game is a lot like Mario 2/Doki Doki Panic, but instead of picking up enemies to kill other enemies, you pick them up to move around the levels. It took some time to get used to the movement, but it works really, really nicely once you get the hang of it. Now, there are some glitches, but nothing major. I flew off the screen twice, but by picking up the enemy that put me up there I fell back into the world again.
It also has a password system (you get the passwords for each level by opening the pause menu) for easy access to levels you want to play around with.
Two characters to play with, one male and one female. I'm fairly certain they are identical gameplay wise, I didn't notice any difference at least.
All in all, this is a really fun (albeit pretty short) platformer that probably anyone who likes platformers can enjoy. Give it a try, why don't you?

It's about time to release a fully fledged version, Aye?
Nothing against this, it's an interesting concept, it was fun while it lasted. But, really, cmon... It would be a missed opportunity not to release a more complete Switch version while there is a handheld around
With Crescent Isle DX, you will get more than what you paid for, But will end leaving you wanting more, due to its short length and lack of enemy variety.
It's a good puzzle platformer for what it is.
Its influenced by Mario Bros. 2 and its predecessor Doki Doki Panic. The main difference being, the grab ability works exclusively on enemies. You grab and throw them and use their own abilities in order to pass through a few obstacles.
There's a push towards multiple playthroughs, but there is obvious a lack of content and even character variety. It really doesnt matter that much, because the levels are always the same, the characters control the same.
Some levels are more interesting than others, the puzzle like areas are more interesting when you use 2 different enemies to accomplish a goal. One level you can go above the screen, which could be intentional, some Mario games let you do that aswell.
There are a few bosses and the patterns are alright. Just don't expect a challenge.
It's not a hard game and that probably for the best, because there are no checkpoints.

I played the original version of this game way back in 2011 when it was up for sale on Xbox Live's Indie Game Marketplace and when I saw that a updated DX version had been released I knew I had to get it.
The game has a very Mario Brothers 2 feel with the gameplay element of riding on top of, picking up, and throwing enemies but includes the added touch that some enemies have special properties that can be used in the level including freezing water and enemies, enlarging them, breaking rocks, or reversing gravity which adds some freshness to the gameplay. It's not a very long game however and you can easily beat it in less than an hour.
Unlike the original version this DX version adds several new features, The original had 8-bit NES style graphics while this new version sports 16-bit style graphics with much more animations, colors, and gfx effects not found in the original and the music has been completely redone. Sometime though I preferred the original 8-bit inspired tracks but the new ones are just as good if its you're first time playing this game. In addition, it also adds the Queen as a playable character, a password system, and 2 added modes that are a Boss Rush mode and a Speed Run mode which adds some replayability to extend your short romp through the Crescent Isles.
Some annoying aspects to this DX version are several bugs that can be frustrating such as enemies becoming ungrabbable if placed directly on the edge of a platform which if its an enemy with an ability essential to beating the stage will stop you from beating it but the game has an option to restart the stage you are currently on so you can retry if it happens. Sometimes button presses can lag which might result in falling into a pit but its not something that makes the game unplayable.
Overall this is a decent game. If you've played the original this one is worth checking out for the added content but if its your first time playing you will definitely enjoy it.

This is a short platformer game, in which you select to play as the princess or the future prince, to save your country of the curse of the bad magician. The controls are really nice and consists mainly in jumping and picking enemies. The game saves in each room you arrive. This a good point, since some of the rooms are really challenging. The boss battles are really good and makes good use of its simple mechanics. The story is nice and fits well with the experience. The level design is very good and even though the gameplay is simple, it always adds new elements to the challenge.