While chunky pixel goats are nothing new to the indie gaming scene (see Llamasoft's iOS release GoatUp), MagicalTimeBean has done something special with Escape Goat, a retro-inspired puzzle platform game that recently made the leap from Xbox Live Indie Games to Windows-based PCs. And you're going to be glad it did, as Escape Goat is an exceptionally entertaining game that strikes a perfect balance between challenge and frustration, reflexes and puzzle solving, and, well, goats and sheep.

In Escape Goat, you utilize the power of goat jumps, goat head bashes, and goat button pushing powers (a.k.a. just touching them) to move groups of blocks around the single screen levels so you can proceed to the exit. A sleepy little mouse is there to help you out, deployable with the press of a button to squeeze through small gaps and hit out of the way switches for you. Some stages feature a magic hat that allows you to teleport to your mousey pal, a trick that will allow you to pull off some great stunts in that level. There are also keys to find, skulls to activate, and other traps to trigger, but finding those is half the fun (and half the 'oops I just died' moments, too).

Because of the open-style level layout, you'll miss out on progressive difficulty and may have to use trial and error to find the next stage that suits your playing prowess. The challenge never really becomes overwhelming, though, and the mix of platforming and puzzle solving ensures you never get frustrated. In fact, Escape Goat is pure enjoyment from beginning to end, especially when you start playing around with the level editor! It's got a sly sense of humor, a goofy story, and a lot of great micro-moments where you'll sit back, stare at the screen, and pat yourself on the back for making a good game buying decision!

Windows:
Play the demo (browser)
Get the full version

Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.