The dictionary defines exploditron as “no results found”, so we can only guess as to what ninjablade523 had in mind with his title. My guess is that it has something to do with the many bombable blocks you will have to explode to make your way through this floating structure.

The Floating Kingdom of Exploditron bears a striking similarity to the ever-popular Ruins levels: there are around the corner jumps, jumping from one floating structure to another, and jumps to and from ladders. But it manages to pull off a lot of the fun of those levels without being as keyboard-smashingly difficult.

To provide an enjoyable experience for the largest audience, ninjablade523 released easy and hard versions of this level. All the obstacles are the same, but in easy mode you start with more lives and don’t have a time limit. Veterans will want to tackle the hard version straight away, but even beginners should be able to conquer the easy one. -robcozzens

Staff Score: 3955 (robcozzens - on the hard version of course)

According to the dictionary, a paradox is “a statement or proposition that, despite sound reasoning from acceptable sources, leads to a conclusion that seems senseless.” Maximumdragon’s latest level certainly lives up to its name.

This is a fiendishly difficult masterpiece that continuously leaves the player senseless. There is a nice bit of platforming included in the package, just so you don’t grow tired of wandering around the dark-owl filled castle. The unique finish flag structure also makes this level stand out: you can finish after each segment of the level. If you beat the first room, you can win, but your score and glory will climb higher side-by-side with the amount of areas you complete. I can’t stop playing this level; it’s addicting. So far I’ve only beaten the first part, but as the only staff member to have beaten the level, my score of 55675 stands as our highest, but I am sure many players could beat it if they tried hard enough. -EdacOnag

Staff Score: 55675 (EdacOnag)

Escape the Reactor is Munchy’s official sequel to his moderately successful second installment of the exploratorium series- Primary Reactor. The story continues from where Primary left off- after destroying the Primary Reactor’s power supply you must escape from it, dodging toxic sludge and nuclear radiation, and generally just getting the heck outta there before it a splode! D:

First off, this level is huge. There is a huge amount of space to explore, and thankfully, said space has not been wasted. In every single cavernous room with a roof beyond physical perception there are massive girders, deadly spikes, sludge flows and pipes- more than enough to fill up the space and really give the otherwise massive level a deliciously cramped and chaotic feel. But not only that, the grey hues combined with the sickly greens and pallid blues of the sewage flows and fog (respectively), give the level a steamy, slimy feel. Combine all of these clever atmospheric devices together and you get an intense and highly satisfying result; you get all the feel of an apocalyptic cyberpunk meltdown, every little detail going towards this incredible goal, a goal that has been achieved, a goal that others should hope to achieve themselves…

Possibly the best feature that Munchy has included here is the ability to actually fly around the level, particularly within the rooms that it compliments best; those with high-vaulted ceilings and more open spaces than the others. Although said flying is not explained in the story in any way, I have come up with my own theories… Could it be that the radiation has granted your character super-powers? Do the comet tokens contain mystic energy? Or are you simply imagining it all, the entire mission a product of a radiation-induced coma…? -DuffyZeEmu

Staff Score: Unbeaten

MrJamie seems to just have appeared out of thin air with an astounding level by the name of Muka Shrine. It is a fantastic journey through a series of winding tunnels and rooms. Around every corner lurks a new puzzle, ready to take one of your ten lives, but with some practice, I think even a player of an intermediate skill level could get a decent score. I greatly enjoyed all of the challenges and intertwining rooms, as well as the little comet powerup surprise at the end. It took me two tries to beat, and I loved how it had a great replay value, with the large amount of lives, time, and treasure to collect. I’m both proud and glad to congratulate MrJamie on his first ever LOTD. It was an amazing level and I can’t wait to see more of your brilliant creations! -boberto

Staff Score: 11952 (boberto)

Groud’s work has been recognized as some of the best in Atmosphir, and the seventh LOTD from this German designer is another great example of what makes his levels so appealing. In my opinion, what makes Groud stand above the crowd is that he always executes his level concept with great precision. Whether the level is large or small, you always feel that you are in for a grand adventure and that every detail has been thought out.

Here you are an explorer low on food and you have found this small island, known as Whispering Grove, with an ample supply of coconuts (NOTE: Frying pan pictured is optional for cooking said coconuts!). Apparently, you are in a hurry to gather them, because you are only given three minutes to complete your task. Most players should finish this level with ease, but there are a few coconuts in hard to reach places, so you’d better hurry if you are to get them before the time runs out.

So, this level may not be expansive and heavy on exploration like Titans Grave, or you may not be limited in motion like the ground breaking Aztec Mountain (the level that started the low jump value craze that has endured since it debuted in March of last year!), but never fear you are in good hands with this excellent designer. Give this bite sized level a chance and you are guaranteed to have a fantastic, short adventure. -EliteBlackDragon

Staff Score - 1,222 (EliteBlackDragon)

On August 17, 2009, six of Atmosphir’s finest writers and players were welcomed to a group which would come to be known as the Editorial Staff. Their job? To search for the best that Atmosphir’s designers could come up with, and put them in the spotlight. Since then, their numbers have swelled to a grand total of eight; Colinnn, EdacOnag, Adz, Boberto, EliteBlackDragon, DuffyZeEmu, Robcozzens, and Swordsman761.

Over the past 5-6 months, these eight have brought you a new Level of the Day nearly every day. Through the good times and the bad, they have stuck together and served the community through their impressive writing abilities and playing skills. However, the time has come for them to rest their fingers and set their quills aside.

After January 12, no new levels will be accepted into the play browser. The following Saturday, January 16, will mark the end of the first series of reviews provided by the Editorial Staff. After that, we will be taking a break from the writing to prepare for the upcoming release of Project Stratosphir, which is currently aiming for a February release.

Have no fear, though. Like most excellent authors, the Editorial Staff will return to write their second series shortly after Project Stratosphir’s release. Of course, that means we have to give you a little homework over break.

With the release of so many new features, we’re going to be looking for the coolest uses of these new additions when we write reviews. So your assignment is to brainstorm some new ideas so we’re overwhelmed with levels deserving of being Level of the Day. Sound simple enough? We thought so. You’ll have roughly a week after launch to build your levels before we equip ourselves with fresh quills and new parchment.

As a closing note before we go into hibernation, on behalf of the Editorial Staff, I’d like to thank the community for giving us the chance to write for all of you. There is no sense in writing these reviews if there is no one to write for. So thank you to everyone who takes the time to read our reviews, from straightforward reviews of EliteBlackDragon, to my own elegant (and lengthy) novels, as they have become to known as. We’re nothing without all of you, and we look forward to our return next month!

One of the main things I look for in a LOTD is originality. Colinnn has always delivered in this aspect. From the Lush series to his infamous Time Trial Tower Dash, Colinnn demonstrates the ability to incorporate new ideas into a level time and time again. With The Sandstone Deserts, he takes the familiar basic concept of the Lush series and puts a unique spin on it; this level is set in a desert.

Your adventure begins after a Muka Scout steals your canteen, the only water source you have. Knowing you’ll die without water in the heat, your only hope is to go forward in search of a mythical oasis. You must travel across the arid plains, solving puzzles along the way. It takes a very keen eye to spot some of the secrets in this level.

Currently Colinnn and Robcozzens are the only ones to have beaten this masterpiece, the creator holding the high score. I haven’t maneged to get very far in the level yet; it’s a difficult puzzler. However, with enough dedication, you should be able to reach the oasis and feel the cool touch of water on your lips. -EdacOnag

Staff Score: 6594 (Colinnn)

A friendly public service announcement: In preparation for the new version of the game (which is currently scheduled for February 5th, in case you haven’t heard), anything uploaded to Atmosphir after January 12 will not be included in the migration. We’ll leave the current game and site up as long as we can, but if you want your levels and scores to show up in the new game, upload or play right away! (Don’t worry about stuff like atmos and club memberships, those are separate).

Thanks for your understanding and hang tight…a whole new experience is right around the corner!

We’ve had a various assortment of dungeon remakes in Atmosphir, particularly focused around the classic Nintendo game, The Legend of Zelda. This action-puzzler series was and still is a true milestone to the world of gaming, and I’m sure it’s inspired so many third-party developers to create amazing pieces of work. This is no exception to the Atmosphir community, and hence The Legend of Zinc: Dungeon 1 was born by our great designer robcozzens.

I’ll be honest- it doesn’t play exactly as a LoZ game; but it’s not rob to blame, it’s just the limitations of what the design mode can do. However, I’m guaranteeing to you that you’ll be getting the similar feel as a Forest temple after having played so much Orcarina of Time and Spirit Tracks over the holidays. You have the exploration; the new abilities (which in this case are run/jump powerups); the puzzles to solve to get the key; the locked door; and even a sub-boss and boss (with a couple minor twists) to find and kill. One thing that greatly improves the level but isn’t a real trademark in LoZ games is the treasure collecting; so much of it is hidden, and in two methods- the normal deep-packed treasure, and the hunt for the fern props which each hold 100 points.

So with all of these atributes combined, you’ll have a blast beating the level in the course of a full hour, and then going back to scour the treasure for a super high score (literally). Can you beat robcozzen’s score? I hear he might be giving a Level Review (NOT LOTD) if you can get the highest score (excluding himself)… -Swords761

“Flee” is a fairly common word. The official definition is to “run away quickly.” It is generally used in a panicked sense, such as fleeing a burning house or fleeing from the Level 99 Mudkip that (somehow) just attacked you on Pokémon. So on the day of the Dark Eclipse, when it is said that you must run away from home and reach a high place, what will you do? You’ll flee, of course!

There are three main things you need to keep in mind as you play today’s Level of the Day, Flee by Fallenflames. First, don’t stop. If you hesitate for a moment or stumble as you play, you might as well give up there if you’re going for the gold. Second, keep an eye on your time. You are given fifteen lives, but if you lose only one or two in the right place, you’ll find it exceptionally difficult to reach the end in time. And third, keep an eye out for points. There is one part in the level where you can find the 200 points that are critical to getting a high ranking.

While you may be able to complete the level after a few tries to get your bearings, reaching number one on the leaderboards is a completely different story. As I said above, you can’t afford to hesitate. I have played through this level countless times, each time figuring out the exact moves needed to shave those precious seconds off the clock. Eventually you’ll be able to play through Flee without thinking about it, and it’s at that point that you will try for the high score. It’s critical to know where everything is so you can play through it with your eyes closed. In short, never stop.

I can’t say how many times I have played through this level. I find myself constantly being drawn to it, as if it is calling me to take the gold. By the time this is published, maybe I will have taken the gold, or perhaps someone else will snatch it from me. Regardless, I know I’ll be back to flee again. Congratulations to you, Fallenflames, and I look forward to seeing more from you. -Colinnn

Staff Score: 1865 (Colinnn)