Collateral Thinking Inc.

Collateral Thinking Inc. is a challenging and cute side-scrolling platformer developed by Astrosaurus Games, featuring 100 short, 30-second floors filled with alien ghosts and obstacles. Players must navigate through fixed-screen levels using precise controls and quick reflexes in this retro-styled arcade experience, ideal for short bursts of gameplay.

Collateral Thinking Inc.: Review

Introduction

In the chaotic, high-octane world of indie arcade games, Collateral Thinking Inc. stands as a gloriously bizarre, maddeningly brief, and utterly polarizing experiment. Released in 2016 by Astrosaurus Games, this self-described “arcade-style action platformer” thrusts players into a corporate dystopia where beating up alien ghosts, rescuing billionaires, and recovering blueprints must all be accomplished in a blistering 30 seconds per level. Its legacy is one of extremes: hailed as a “cute and challenging” gem by some and dismissed as a “mau jogo” (a bad game) by others, its Moby Score of 6.1 places it firmly in the lower echelons of gaming history. Yet, this review posits that Collateral Thinking Inc. deserves more nuanced scrutiny—not as a masterpiece, but as a fascinating artifact of the mid-2010s indie boom, a product of technological constraints and creative ambition that encapsulates both the triumphs and pitfalls of rapid-fire game design. Its flaws are undeniable, but its DNA—a relentless, absurd sprint through 100+ floors of corporate chaos—offers a unique, if fleeting, adrenaline rush.

Development History & Context

Collateral Thinking Inc. was the brainchild of Astrosaurus Games, an indie studio operating in the shadow of giants like Nintendo and Microsoft. Built on the accessible Construct engine—a tool favored for rapid prototyping—the game was developed during a pivotal moment: the twilight of the Wii U (2012–2017) and the ascent of digital storefronts like itch.io. The developers envisioned a game that distilled arcade classics like Q-Bert and Bubble Bobble into pure distilled adrenaline. Their vision, as outlined in the official ad blurb, was to “crank up the speed and absurdity” of single-screen management by 100, prioritizing unpredictable, impulsive action over narrative depth. Technologically, the game embraced simplicity: a fixed/flip-screen visual style and side-view perspective minimized resource demands, allowing for quick development cycles. Released first on Wii U (August 18, 2016) via Nintendo’s eShop and later on Windows and Macintosh (November 11, 2016) through itch.io, Collateral Thinking Inc. arrived amid a crowded indie scene. The Wii U, despite its commercial struggles, provided a fertile ground for experimental titles, while the itch.io release catered to PC gamers seeking bite-sized, high-concept experiences. The game’s modest $3 price point reflected its ambitions: a low-risk, high-reward venture for players and a testament to the democratizing potential of indie development in the mid-2010s.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Collateral Thinking Inc.’s narrative is a minimalist pastiche of corporate satire and absurdist sci-fi, delivered with deadpan humor. The premise, as described in the official blurb, revolves around a freelance mercenary hired to “beat up alien ghosts, recover blueprints, and rescue billionaires on a tight schedule (and budget).” This setup lampoons capitalist excess—billionaires needing rescue, blueprints as corporate IP, and a mercenary as the ultimate gig-economy worker. The game’s dialogue, sparse as it is, leans into self-aware absurdity. Reviews mention “funny moments” when explaining the story, though specifics are scarce. The three playable characters (details unconfirmed) likely represent archetypes: perhaps the stoic pro, the novice, or the eccentric specialist, each adding a layer of personality to the otherwise sterile corporate world.

The core thematic tension is time versus money. Each 30-second level embodies the brutal efficiency demanded by neoliberal capitalism: success hinges on rapid assessment and execution, mirroring the gig economy’s “hurry up and wait” ethos. Alien ghosts, described as “adorable” and “square, green Q-Bert” clones, serve as both obstacles and metaphors—specters of unchecked corporate ambition haunting the player’s quest for cash. The lack of narrative depth is intentional; the game’s focus on brevity leaves room for thematic interpretation, but it also underscores a broader commentary on how capitalism reduces human (or alien) experience to transactional tasks. The “collateral” in the title isn’t just physical damage—it’s the psychological toll of a world where every second is billable.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Collateral Thinking Inc.’s gameplay is a relentless, high-speed ballet of trial and error, built around a deceptively simple core loop: 100+ self-contained floors, each lasting 30 seconds, demanding one of three tasks—Avoid hazards, Bust enemies, or Collect blueprints. This structure creates a frantic rhythm where players must survey the screen, identify objectives, and execute with near-perfect precision. The three tasks rotate unpredictably, forcing adaptability but also contributing to the game’s frustration.

Combat is rudimentary: players “bust” alien ghosts via platform-based jumps or attacks, with no combo system or depth. Character progression is minimal—three characters offer cosmetic or slight stat differences, but no confirmed skills—shifting the focus to mastery of levels rather than builds. The UI is intentionally sparse, maximizing the fixed-screen play area, though some critics cited “sticky” controls that impeded movement.

Flaws are pervasive. The 30-second timer creates a “mad rush” that clashes with the game’s physics, leading to “frustrating” trial-and-error gameplay (Cubed3). The constant task rotation, meant to add variety, instead feels “excessive” and “counterintuitive,” as noted by FNintendo. Patches post-launch addressed control issues, but the core design remains divisive. Multiplayer was sorely missed; Blueprint: Review called for co-op to “pass the GamePad around” for party play, which might have alleviated the solo grind. Yet, the game’s arcade roots shine in its purity: no filler, just pure, distilled challenge. For those who embraced the chaos, the “ton of toe-tapping tunes” and cash-collecting loop offered fleeting satisfaction.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Collateral Thinking Inc.’s world-building is abstract and functional, prioritizing gameplay over immersion. Fixed/flip-screen levels evoke retro classics like Donkey Kong, with corporate-themed hazards (lasers, conveyors) contrasting against the playful alien ghosts. The art style is “pre 8-bit” and “cute,” deliberately evoking 1980s arcade aesthetics—bright colors, blocky sprites, and minimal detail. This retro charm appeals to “classic old-school gamers” (Pure Nintendo), but the lack of environmental storytelling leaves the world feeling skeletal.

Sound design is a mixed bag. Reviews mention “toe-tapping tunes” and upbeat music that enhance the frantic pace, yet Nintendo Life criticized “uneven” audio that failed to consistently elevate the experience. Sound effects for busting ghosts or collecting cash are satisfying in their simplicity but lack depth. The audio-visual synergy works best during moments of success—the “ting” of a blueprint collection or a jingle for cash—but often fades into the background during frustration. The game’s greatest atmospheric strength is its juxtaposition of absurdity and tension: the adorable ghosts against the sterile corporate backdrop creates a uniquely dissonant tone, amplifying the game’s satirical edge.

Reception & Legacy

Upon release, Collateral Thinking Inc. received a lukewarm reception, with a 55% average critic score based on seven reviews. The response was deeply polarized. PS3Blog.net and Pure Nintendo lauded its “cute and challenging” nature, calling it a “perfect game for parties” and worth the $3 price. Blueprint: Review praised its party potential but noted the difficulty made it a “hard to come back” single-player experience. In contrast, Nintendo Life and Cubed3 (50%) criticized “control issues” and “trial-and-error” gameplay, while Brash Games and FNintendo (30%) damned it as “not fun” and fundamentally flawed.

Commercially, it struggled. The Wii U release, its debut, ranked a low #141 on the platform, with limited physical copies (eBay/Amazon listings confirm scarcity). Its legacy is similarly muted. The game was “rescued from being unplayable” via patches (Cubed3), but it failed to spawn a franchise or genre-defining influence. However, its 2021 sequel, Collateral Thinking DX (Windows, Mac, Browser), suggests a cult following. The game’s true legacy lies in its niche appeal: it’s a snapshot of the indie scene’s willingness to experiment with speed and absurdity, even when execution falters. For historians, it exemplifies the Wii U’s role as a haven for quirky, under-the-radar titles—proof that great ideas can be buried under technical limitations.

Conclusion

Collateral Thinking Inc. is not a great game, but it is an important one—a fever dream of 30-second sprints and corporate satire that captures the zeitgeist of mid-2010s indie development. Its flaws—sticky controls, frustrating trial-and-error, and uneven pacing—are undeniable, but they stem from a bold vision: to distill arcade purity into its most volatile form. The game’s place in history is as a footnote, a “solid retro platformer” (Cubed3) overshadowed by more polished titles. Yet, for the player willing to embrace its chaos, it offers moments of pure, unadulterated joy: the satisfaction of busting a ghost with seconds to spare, the absurdity of rescuing a billionaire for cash. In the end, Collateral Thinking Inc. is a testament to the power of constraints—technological, temporal, and thematic—to breed creativity. It’s a flawed, fleeting, and utterly unforgettable sprint through the absurd, and for that, it deserves a curious player’s time. Verdict: A niche curiosity for retro enthusiasts and party gamers, but not a classic.