Summary
The game comes as advertised. A challenging 3D Platformer that you may want to throw your controller at a wall at times, but comes with a satisfying feeling in the end.
Developer – Sluggerfly
Publisher – Headup Games
Platforms – Nintendo Switch 2 (Reviewed), PC, PS5, Xbox Series
Review copy given by publisher
Super Meat Boy has made his grand return, bringing back the classic feel of feeling frustrated, yet a satisfying feeling when you break through a level. However, this time it’s in 3D!
Developer Sluggerfly gained recognition with Super Meat Boy by releasing it on the Xbox Live Arcade in 2010. It is arguably one of the most iconic titles from the Xbox Arcade days. In Super Meat Boy 3D, we are challenged yet again, but with glorious cutscenes and visuals throughout the gameplay experience.
Super Meat Boy 3D starts you off with easy levels that act as a tutorial for the moves you’ll eventually have to use to grind through future obstacles. You’ll start by getting guides on what each button does, such as sprinting, wall gliding, dashing, and more. These skills are important to master as you move further into the worlds, and especially the boss fights that will come.
The gameplay is very fast and might be intimidating for newcomers. I’ll be honest, this is the first time I’ve stepped foot personally into a Super Meat Boy game, and I didn’t know what to expect right away. You have an idea, but until you play, you don’t really know. Each level in Super Meat Boy 3D is short, which could last around 15 to 30 seconds for a normal playthrough.
However, you can take your time throughout your playthrough of a level and take breaks when you can on certain platforms. If you are a completionist, you’ll want to achieve an A+ on each level, which is achieved by completing a level in a certain amount of time.
To give a background of the gameplay, if you die, you restart the level and will have as many opportunities as you need to complete it.
During the playthrough of this game on Nintendo Switch 2, there seemed to be delays from hitting the button on the controller to performing the action in the game. It was more notable in handheld mode, where moving the stick wasn’t responsive enough, or even hitting a button didn’t take effect.
Other performance issues include slight frame drops during at least one of the boss levels in the game due to a lot of things happening at once. What also may contribute to slight performance issues is how fast you might be playing.
The level designs are solid and get challenging as you go on. You might actually find yourself enjoying the latter parts of the game compared to the beginning. Each world comes with at least 15 levels, and there are Dark World levels to grind through, which can be even harder. What I love the most is that each level slowly progresses; it’s like they make you get used to a certain obstacle and slowly add on to that.
Super Meat Boy 3D features five different worlds, and each one offers a secret level you can unlock. The aesthetic of the world starts to change until you get later on, they almost start to feel a little of the same, but still offer enough variety.
Visually, Super Meat Boy 3D is a great look! It’s very appealing to newcomers and a huge improvement to the original by the looks of it. The cutscenes are a nice touch, although there is no voice acting. It’s a great step above its predecessor, that’s for sure.
Music is another great aspect of the classic indie game, and it kept me entertained throughout my gameplay, even if I felt frustrated after a certain amount of time.
Verdict
While Super Meat Boy 3D is super fun and addictive, it has its flaws, including its performance issues. At times, it doesn’t feel precise with the actions you take, adding to what could already be a frustrating experience. On the Switch 2, it does have its frame issues, and the best way to play is probably on TV, as playing in handheld mode doesn’t feel natural for this game.
The game comes as advertised. A challenging 3D Platformer that you may want to throw your controller at a wall at times, but comes with a satisfying feeling in the end. To say it’s not satisfying to complete levels or even boss fights is a crazy statement.
