Meka On is a “run-and-gun-and-sword-and-weeb-and-zoom-boom-fwoosh mecha brawler” available on PC, Mac, and Linux. Players guide a giant robot through endless waves of enemies. It’s a delicious slice of arcade fun, full of explosions and laser swords. Anime as all hell, it’s a perfect Indie Pick.
I have a special place in my heart for giant mechs. There’s just something about them that’s inherently cool. Meka On (stylized as メカ-ON!) doubles down on the mystique and excitement of giant mech combat, streamlining it into a satisfying twin stick experience. Armed with a sword and blasty laser cannon, all you have to do is survive as long as possible. Waves grow larger and larger, and there’s even a dangerous and adorable boss bunny to defeat.
Meka On is a prototype, but it exudes a lot of style. Fractal Phase also designed another Indie Pick, the flashy arcade flight game Sky Rogue. Meka On follows a very similar road map: take something cool (planes in Sky Rogue, robots here), create a solid core gameplay loop, and add a bit of charming flair. Fractal Phase excels at capturing a clear feeling of time and place with their games: with its chippy sounds and visual aliasing, Meka On feels like something you would have pirated from the internet in the mid 90’s. With a liberal sprinkle of Virtua On, naturally.
It’s also just really fun to play. Movement could stand to be a little bit faster, but nevertheless it’s immensely satisfying to slice a ton of robots with your laser sword. It captures the romantic notion of flying around in a mech, kicking butt. Meka On holds the promise of something larger, a more frenetic and complicated game that has only take root now with this prototype. Hopefully, given time and some continued care, we might get to see that game. But for now, you can enjoy a nice session of mecha action whenever you want. Good luck out there, pilots.
Each week, I show off a new, affordable indie game using the tag “Heather’s Indie Pick.”
If you’ve found a cool game or made something you’re proud of, reach out to me at heather.alexandra@kotaku.com or on Twitter @transgamerthink.