There's really not much more to Super Meat Boy than running, jumping, dying, and trying again. And frankly, that’s all it needs.

This crazy-difficult platformer may have level design that requires precise reactions and exact wall-jumping, but it's never unfair. When you die, you always know exactly what you did wrong and how you can do better on your next go-round. And you won't face any load times or waiting around after you run head-first into a giant spinning saw: Meat Boy simply reappears instantly at the beginning of the level and you're free to try again. It's a small feature, but a stroke of genius that continually keeps you focused on your next attempt rather than your recent failure.

The $15 price nets you an absurd number of levels (120, spread across six diverse worlds, each with a boss), plus harder "Dark World" versions of these levels unlock after you complete time challenges. SMB even hosts secret Warp Zones where Meat Boy finds himself in Game Boy- and Sega Genesis-inspired levels. Need some help? Collect hidden bandages to unlock guest stars, including Tim from Braid, Alien Hominid, and CommanderVideo from the Bit.Trip series, each with unique special abilities. It all adds up to XBLA's best pure-2D platformer to date.

On Xbox Live Arcade

+ Amazing level design and super-precise controls that never punish unfairly.

+ Tons of loving references to gaming history.

+ Beautifully stylish with great character designs.

? Will anyone be able to finish all of the Dark World levels?

9.0