Some of the most unexpected titles end up spawning a series that can lead to fun and creative places. Thomas K. Young took the idea of Dadish all the way to the most recent Dadish 3. Like the entries that came before, it's a cute pixel platformer with some very simple controls. It has a level-based structure where the goal is to get from one end to another through careful movements and lots of jumping. It's an adventure that you can play while relaxing somewhere or because you're amused by the idea of having a radish as a hard-working hero.
What is Dadish 3?
Dadish is back for the third and what may be the final time. In Dadish 3, the titular hero has not really improved his parenting skills. While out in the woods, Dadish's kids get on a bus and drive away into parts unknown. After the bus crashes, his kids are scattered across various regions with no way back. Being a semi-responsible father, Dadish goes on yet another journey to find all of his kids and take them home safely. Of course, he'll have to contend with evil food-related entities serving a mysterious overlord. The main challenge is trying not to get sliced up along the way.
Dadish 3 is Crispy
The challenge of a trilogy is trying to make each sequel either as strong or stronger than the previous entry. Dadish accomplishes this in several ways. The main one is the level of challenge for both old and new players. Playing the first two games will give you some background while this one still provides a good challenge, but you can also start with this one and benefit from a solid difficulty curve. The types of levels won't just test your general platforming skill, but also your reaction time and observational skills. It's a strong ending to the series.
With that said, it also manages to keep things new and fresh. A lot of the previous mechanics return, but it adds in some different gimmicks. These primarily take the form of rail and chase levels. In the former, you get to ride a dolphin that you'll need to keep up with in order to complete the level. In the latter, a giant mutant radish taking up most of the screen will slowly chase after you, forcing you to both think and move fast. You've also got a couple of new enemy types to contend with that can cause panic if you're not careful.
Dadish 3 is not for everyone
When it comes to gaming, difficulty, and challenge can be a double-edged sword which is one that Dadish 3 isn't wielding properly. Yes, it's the hardest of the trilogy, but the design can be frustrating at times. Both the rail and chase levels are typically quite long with little room for error. This means that if you miss one step or linger just a bit too long, there's no chance of recovery and you have to go through everything again. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the bosses this time around are surprisingly easy. Only a couple of them have tricky move patterns or arena setups, so it's just a matter of going through the motions and casually grabbing the win.
Dadish 3 is a 2D pixel-platform game about the eponymous parent radish trying to rescue all his children from weird locations once again. It provides a good level of challenge while still being fun, and light, and a good ending, and entry to the series. The level design for some of the new gimmicks can be very tedious and the bosses are not exciting as they could be. Dadish has been through a lot and after this, he could use a holiday… or three.
