![alter ego game original alter ego game original](http://static.minitokyo.net/downloads/19/01/370069.jpg)
It’s a much denser composition than the preceding “Level 1 (Classic)” and invites repeat listens to dissect and enjoy its layered beats. “Level 2 Original (Classic)” starts out with a cheerful melody that’s unexpectedly countered to intriguing effect by some biting, syncopated robotic rhythms and sound effects. However, the meat of the classic tunes lies elsewhere, and it’s here that Armijo displays his more creative side. “Level 2 Alternate (Classic)” is another pleasant, if not hugely original track, with its triple metre and an appropriately light melody that’s just a bit more ornamented and quick-silvery than expected. “Level 3 (Classic)” follows suit, with a more strident beat that is playful yet determined, and a delightful reminder of NES action games. It’s nothing chiptune fans won’t have heard dozens of times before - and also better done - but it opens Alter Ego on a charming note. It all starts out in rather unassuming manner, with “Level 1 (Classic)” a nice little ditty backed by a relaxed, head-bopping beat. Let’s look at Alter Ego‘s ‘classic’ (NES) tunes first, all of them less then two minutes long.
#ALTER EGO GAME ORIGINAL FOR FREE#
In December 2011, both the NES and Windows Phone 7 cues were released by prolific chiptune label Ubiktune, available for free on their website. When Grachev started to create another port of Alter Ego - this time for Windows Phone 7 - and asked Armijo if he could use the existing tracks, Armijo instead remastered the pieces and created enhanced versions of them. The game’s engine allowed Armijo to work with 31 instruments, while there was no possibility to change duty cycle outside of the very start of an instrument, no effects, and no volume column. For Alter Ego‘s later NES port, game designer Denis Grachev asked chiptune artist Kulor (aka Richard Armijo) to write a soundtrack that would fit into the less than 9 KB available. The first incarnation of the game was programmed for the ZX Spectrum without music. Pixels that can only be collected by either the player’s sprite or the twin and a limited number of switches complicate matters in latter levels.
![alter ego game original alter ego game original](https://cdn.nivoli.com/adventuregamers/images/screenshots/16630/18738__medium.jpg)
The player’s sprite and its movements are mirrored by a phantom twin, and switching between the two is necessary to collect all jumping pixels in one level. One of the many retro-themed puzzlers that have sprung up in recent years on emulators and mobile gaming platforms, Alter Ego is blessed with a simple idea that still allows for some intricate puzzle challenges.