Welcome readers to a new feature here at Hardcore Christian Gamer I like to call HCG Spotlight. The premise is simple: we’ll devote an article to giving brief details about games that might have slipped under the radar for many of our readers.

Some articles will be one-offs, while others — like today’s article — will be the first in a series. Each article will describe a game in roughly two to three paragraphs, and will feel much like a mini-review, but not always.

So now that you know how this works, let’s kick things off with the first in a series of articles spotlighting the gems of Sony’s PlayStation Network. All of the games described herein will be PSN-exclusives, so don’t expect to see any of these on Xbox Live or your PC anytime soon.

Mortal Kombat II

OK, so this isn’t 100% exclusive to PSN, as there are many home console ports. But remember: those ports are all well over a decade old. Do you still have a Genesis or a SNES plugged up and ready to go? No? Then MK II for PSN is your best bet. It is a near-perfect port of the arcade klassic (remember when Mortal Kombat advertising spelled everything with k’s?), with all the fighters, backgrounds, and over-the-top fatalities you remember.

I say “near-perfect” because there is one aspect of this port that bothers me: the sound. Something about the sound just doesn’t click with me. The sound isn’t bad, mind you, nor mediocre; it’s quite good. My memory of the arcade original’s sound, however, seems heavier, with deeper, darker bass, and much clearer voice samples. A small thing to gripe about, surely, but worth noting nonetheless.

PixelJunk Eden

The premise is simple enough: control a small creature jumping from stem to stem, collecting pollen along the way, in an attempt to open as many seeds in a garden as possible. Simple, to be sure, but wickedly addictive. There are a set number of seeds which must be opened in every garden, but more remain. Collecting them all can be very challenging, but it’s worth the effort. This is one of those games that having all the trophies for affords you major bragging rights.

The graphics are minimalistic but pretty, and the sound is simple but soothing. The music is of a techno/eletrco sort, but never gets in the way of the gameplay, and certainly doesn’t annoy you like techno often can. Controlling your character is easy as can be, as there are only a couple buttons to worry about: X to jump, and the analog stick for movement. But don’t let the game’s simplistic design fool you — there’s a lot of depth to be found here. If you allow yourself to get caught up in PixelJunk Eden, you’ll find whole chunks of time have vanished into thin air.

Noby Noby Boy

Ah, where to begin… Noby Noby Boy is such a strange and unique gaming experience that I don’t know quite how to describe it — but I’ll try. You play as BOY, a pink, globular creature. Your task: stretch as long as your body will allow, devouring everything you see all the while. Your goal: report your longest length to GIRL so she can stretch her own body in an attempt to travel to other planets. Well, I think that’s the goal.

The core gameplay, no matter the true goal, is ridiculously simple. You guide BOY around various levels on multilple planets (Earth, the Moon, and Mars are open at the time of this writing, with GIRL nearing Jupiter for future inclusion), eating inhabitants and streching to ludicrous lengths. That’s it, folks. Sure, you can jump, and you can allow inhabitants to ride you like a bus, but there’s not much else to speak of in Noby Noby Boy.

So why am I spotlighting this game? Because the game, no matter how crazy or simple, is just plain fun. My first Noby Noby Boy experience lasted a full three hours, with no breaks. I just kept going, seeing how long I could stretch, how many creatures and objects I could eat before I started … wait for it … pooping them out, and what other insane pleasures awaited me in the myriad environs. Simply put, Noby Noby Boy is a weird bundle of joy.

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Well folks, that’s just a taste of what the PSN offers. We’ll be back with Part 2 in the near future, so keep checking back for more!