Pizza Tower Is the New King of Cooking Games in 2023

Mama Mia, how long have we been starving for another scrumptious cooking game since the release of Overcooked 2 in 2018 — Our appetite is now satisfied thanks to “Tour De Pizza”, the small studio developer behind this eccentric and exhilarating game. Released on January 26, 2023, Pizza Tower takes inspiration from the Wario Land Series, as the mechanics may seem familiar to us. 

However, if a relaxing cooking game is what you were expecting, such as cooking and serving the customers, your brain is about to be fried. According to us at Player.me, Pizza Tower is the single wildest and the most adrenaline-filled game of 2023, as the game resembles the mantra of Sonic the Hedgehog of “Gotta go fast”. This article will explain why Pizza Tower is now hailed as the New King of cooking games, dethroning its predecessors and leaving them in crusts. Bon Appetit. 

Pizza Tower Is Utopia for Wario Freaks

If you are a fan of Wario Land 4, you will definitely be pleased to know that Pizza Tower has kept most of its mechanics, for example, the technique utilised by the main character of the game, Peppino. Peppino can start a dash, and if he builds up enough momentum, he will bulldoze his way through enemies, objects, and even walls without slowing down. 

However, there is one stark difference. In Pizza Tower, Peppino maintains momentum even while running up walls, allowing him to bypass nearly every level while continuously running at full speed.

Furthermore, Pizza Tower also incorporates 90s aesthetics shown on television like Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, which makes the game not out of place for Wario enthusiasts.

Also Read: Super Mario RPG Release Date: Is It Coming?

Unexpected Plot 

The plot of Pizza Tower revolves around our main character, “Peppino Spaghetti”, the owner of a struggling pizzeria and a reflection of real-life chefs, a stressed, easily angered, balding one. One day, a sentient floating pizza approaches him and threatens to destroy his business with a nuclear laser atop a nearby tower. 

Thus, Peppino Spaghetti must travel through the Pizza Tower at high speed, destroy the pillar holding it up in every stage, defeat bosses and enemies and come face to face with Pizzaface to save his pizzeria.

Fortunately, he has backup in fellow pizza chef Gustavo, his rat friend Brick, a shady businessman Mr. Stick, a helpful Granny Pizza and a janitor Gerome to guide him through the chaos. 

Unique Gameplay 

For the gameplay in Pizza Tower, the player must navigate each level from left to right, gathering pizza ingredients along the way. After battling through the stage, the player must knock over the tower support pillar and rush back to the beginning of the level before time runs out. If you run out of time, Pizzaface wakes up and will hunt you down. It will be Game Over if he manages to catch you.

The uniqueness of Pizza Tower is that each level contains different gimmicks built around a particular theme. Most are throwbacks to 2000 platform games such as Knights, Cowboys, Aliens and Mort The Chicken. On top of that, most levels also throw in some modifiers to enhance the experience. Some may introduce a new player character, some a portal and maybe even a gun.

Furthermore, every stage comprises of three secret bonus rooms, a hidden treasure that requires you find both a custodian and the door he unlocks, and a pizza portal that asks you to do an extra lap of the race back to the start to gain even more points on a level., encouraging players to take their time and explore wholeheartedly. Like other games, you may have missed something on the first run, so definitely make a return and admire the stage again. 

Also Read: 5 New Indie Games of May 2023

Reminiscing Visuals 

Pizza Tower perfectly encapsulates the 90s aesthetic. Just by loading up the game, you will be greeted by an opening cinematic that embodies what game visuals used to be. While millennials may think the animation is clunky and unbefitting of current games, it brings back heartfelt memories for old Wario and Sonic enjoyers. 

Moving on, as mentioned above, each stage level is visually distinct, keeping our experience fresh each time. Although the proportions are comically exaggerated, the gameplay animation remains crisp and fluid, and there are plenty of hidden details in each stage’s background. 

One fascinating visual aspect is that you can see the constant fluctuation in Peppino’s emotions as he aims to traverse through the tower from the TV in the top-right corner. In addition, the visual design allows players enough viewing space to react to things as they appear, which is crucial in fast-paced games.

Stellar Sounds, Music and Audio

To quote 90s American cultural icon Dick Clarke: “Music is the soundtrack of our life”. It is undeniable that music makes up 50% of the enjoyment we have in life. Imagine watching a horror movie without sound effects or playing a fast-paced game without a hint of urgency. Fortunately for players, Pizza Tower has a plethora of stellar soundtracks, music and iconic audio.

Where to start but the opening? The opening of Pizza Tower has a catchy beat playing while not forgetting to elevate the goofiness of the scenes shown. Furthermore, the sound effects in-game come off naturally and are pleasing to the ear. Whether you are bumping into walls, tossing your enemies away, or Peppino’s memorable boss fight scream, there are always some fun sound effects to keep you company. 

Moreover, the thing that elevates Pizza Tower to King is its abundance of unique soundtracks. Pizza Tower consists of some of the best songs ever made in a video game, and it would be a surprise if you fail to listen to them less than once. Examples such as Cold Spaghetti, Thousand March, It’s Pizza Time and Unexpectancy 3 are tunes you can even listen to during gym sessions. What is better than working out while listening to songs about food right? 

Conclusion

Indie has delivered another masterpiece yet again. Despite being Tour De Pizza’s debut game, it has provided a new viewing of 2D platforming. This Wario-inspired, Sonic’s fast-paced gameplay has definitely earned itself the New King of Cooking Games title. If you are interested in more Indie Games, click here or check out the link below.

Also Read: 5 Best Upcoming Indie Games in 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pizza Tower Available on Other Platforms?

Pizza Tower is currently exclusive to PC, and unfortunately, since its release, there has not been any news of Pizza Tower releasing on Other Platforms, such as Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. If you are interested in other fast-paced games, check out our articles about Forza Motorsport, which literally is going fast.

How Do You Get 101% in Pizza Tower?

You must collect 95 Toppins, 19 Tower Secret Treasures, access 57 Secrets, clear 20 levels, beat 5 bosses, and obtain an S rank in every stage to reach 100%. To achieve the coveted 101%, you must complete all 72 Chef Tasks and get a P-rank in every stage.

How Long Does Pizza Tower Take to Complete?

If you are a gamer that completes just the main objectives, you can complete Pizza Tower in around 6 hours. However, if you are a hardcore gaming aficionado and want to clear every aspect of the game, you may spend close to 41 Hours to obtain perfection.