Reuniting me with the lost aesthetic appeal of my Gameboy memories, a large-headed protagonist seeks to climb a seemingly endless tower. As if annoyed by the attempt and success, an omnipotent voice lays down a growing number of rules with each new screen.

At first I was simply jumping over spikes and pit falls to reach the next staircase - and then the voice forbid me to touch the sides of any of the blocks forming the platforms, smiting me with a lightening bolt when I did. When I was forbidden from walking left just as a saw blade was forcing me in that direction, I began to consider that Tower of Heaven may be the most sadistic game I’ve ever played. But like dark nights in cheap hotels, it’s a good kind of pain, offering classic challenges that seem simple enough, only needing one more attempt despite me having died twenty times already.

The music kicks more than a few degrees of ass as well.

After passing a few screens I came upon a stage comprised only of three windows letting light into the tower, where I was free to loiter or move on, and more importantly where a level of thought and attention made me certain that this was something special.

The Indie title is from Askiisoft, which according to the small text file accompanying the game is comprised of programmer Tadakuni Amano, artist Dave Zhang, musician Flashygoodness, and several other people whom you can discover once you try the game for yourself. The site is labeled “in progress” - but you can hit what is there up for the game.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I suspect I still have a great deal more climbing and dying to do.