Mutant Mudds

 3DS
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 83 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 52 out of 83
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 83
  3. Negative: 19 out of 83

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. BobSmith
    Feb 8, 2012
    8
    To start off: gamerHeaven rated this game a 1. In case you can't tell, that is a very biased score. Some of the complaints include "you end up replaying a level dozens of times until you perfect the move required to pass the point that you are stuck at", and while this a bit true, it REALLY gets easier once you start getting it down. So it's not really a developer's mistake, just a skillTo start off: gamerHeaven rated this game a 1. In case you can't tell, that is a very biased score. Some of the complaints include "you end up replaying a level dozens of times until you perfect the move required to pass the point that you are stuck at", and while this a bit true, it REALLY gets easier once you start getting it down. So it's not really a developer's mistake, just a skill factor. It takes awhile to get better and better at parts in each level, but really that adds to the game. And if it were super easy, the game would be over in a few seconds.
    Moving on: There's really nothing amazingly fantastic that makes you jaw-drop. But theres really not much to complain about. The jet-pack controls may not be perfect, in my opinion, but its really only a matter of practice. Mutant Mudds is a solid game that took me 10 hours to completely beat. And a special unlockable at the very end gives me reason to replay with a new file. The game looks really nice, and again it is DEFINITELY a nicely-challenging and solid platformer. Worth the money for me.    … Expand
  2. Nintendo_Fan
    Jan 30, 2012
    10
    I LOVE this game. I have been following Mutant Mudds since it was first announced in Nintendo Power.

    GAMEPLAY: The gameplay is flawless. The platforming challenge is perfect. The difficulty curve is just right. Some people may whine about it being too difficult, but like anything challenging the reward is great. ART: The art is an incredible blend of 8-bit and 16-bit. I think they called    I LOVE this game. I have been following Mutant Mudds since it was first announced in Nintendo Power.

    GAMEPLAY:
    The gameplay is flawless. The platforming challenge is perfect. The difficulty curve is just right. Some people may whine about it being too difficult, but like anything challenging the reward is great.

    ART:
    The art is an incredible blend of 8-bit and 16-bit. I think they called it 12-bit. :-) The 3D effect when you go into the background is really fantastic.

    SOUND:
    The music is authentic NES style music, which might sound bad, but it sounds really amazing.

    REPLAY:
    I found this game really addicting. Even now that I have completed it 100% I find myself going back for more. It is just fun to navigate the levels, jumping, hovering, and shooting the Muddies.

    BOTTOM LINE:
    Buy it. I joined Metacritic just so I could leave a review for this fantastic game. Bravo Renegade Kid. I look forward to your other eShop games.

    10/10    … Expand
  3. Bit-Bite-Bang
    Feb 4, 2012
    9
    Mutant Mudds is really good. I like NES/SNES games, and Mutant Mudds is a great blend of the things I like about the 8-bit/16-bit era - but with modern touches.

    The game is quite challenging in parts. I felt very rewarded when I completed the game 100%.

    This is a superb addition to the eShop. Well worth $8.99.

    Go buy it.
  4. RR529
    May 7, 2012
    7
    I've been hearing a lot about how Mutant Mudds is the best 3rd party game on the eShop. After playing it for myself, I've come to find it's a very good game, but has a few issues that keep it from true greatness. GAMEPLAY: the gameplay was tight and very solid. With that said, it's jump and shoot gameplay was kind of a letdown after enjoying MSF's and VVVVVV's more unique approaches to theI've been hearing a lot about how Mutant Mudds is the best 3rd party game on the eShop. After playing it for myself, I've come to find it's a very good game, but has a few issues that keep it from true greatness. GAMEPLAY: the gameplay was tight and very solid. With that said, it's jump and shoot gameplay was kind of a letdown after enjoying MSF's and VVVVVV's more unique approaches to the platforming genré. DIFFICULTY: the game is rather difficult (which isn't a bad thing), and most of the time it's handled very well, but in the later levels I noticed that there were some enemies that would attack off screen, and there were also a few "leaps of faith". It was a little disappointing to see the dev resort to those kinds of cheap tricks to ensure difficulty in the later moments. LENGTH: the game is a tad overpriced, but you'll still get quite a bit from this game (especially if you play all the bonus levels). GRAPHICS: it has a very charming retro look, but it's not sure whether it wants to be an homage to the 8-bit or 16-bit era, instead it seems to be a mix of the two that doesn't fully envoke the kind of nostalgic feeling it would have, had it chosen one era more specifically. With that said, the 3D effect is utterly fantastic, and is used to great effect. SOUND: while not the best soundtrack in the world, it captures that retro vibe perfectly. STORY: befitting of the retro era, it takes a very minimalist approach to storytelling. The concept (kid fighting mud monsters with water gun) feels uninspired, and something a child might come up with. CONCLUSION: if you can get past the fact that the game is a little "safe" in design and concept (and the cheap difficulty tactics later on), you'll find a solidly built retro styled platformer that's fun to play.… Expand
  5. gamerHeaven
    Jan 29, 2012
    1
    I was excited about this game through the first few levels. The gameplay is fun but I cannot get past the overall design mechanics. This is one of those games that presents you with a near impossible task, usually having to do with timing, and then starts you at the beginning of the level when you die. Consequently, you end up replaying a level dozens of times until you perfect the moveI was excited about this game through the first few levels. The gameplay is fun but I cannot get past the overall design mechanics. This is one of those games that presents you with a near impossible task, usually having to do with timing, and then starts you at the beginning of the level when you die. Consequently, you end up replaying a level dozens of times until you perfect the move required to pass the point that you are stuck at. That mechanic draws bad memories and I get frustrated very quickly due to my experiences with other games with this same problem. Therefore, due to the developer's making a mistake this big, I am rating the game a 1.… Expand
  6. Zane
    Feb 4, 2012
    5
    Average platformer that does nothing new other than the add a 3-dimensional gimmick. I really do not see why this game has such a high MetaScore. It's pretty difficult, but other than that and the 3D, it doesn't break any new ground and plays like every other platformer.
  7. captainxplode
    Feb 8, 2012
    2
    Boring, repetitive, short, ugly, needlessly difficult, and over-priced. There are better, cheaper games. My son thought it was boring too. Judging by its metacritic score you can make a game with terrible, repetitive level design and as long as its retro its somehow ok.
  8. BlogDog123
    Apr 3, 2012
    8
    While it's difficulty may turn away some people (not to mention it's tad-inflated price tag), it's a faithful shooting/platform homage to NES games (also, the Game Boy and Virtual Boy bonus levels are a treat).
  9. Chillybilly
    Feb 29, 2012
    10
    One of , if not the best game on the eShop right now. Fans of classic platforming will love this game. The 3D effect is used brilliantly and the game itself oozes charm.

    This is a must own for any 3DS owner, no doubt about it.
  10. xxAcesHighxx
    May 24, 2014
    9
    Mutant Mudds is fit to bursting with retro visuals, retro gameplay and retro difficulty, and in my eyes, that makes it the best 'non-Mario' scroller available for 3DS today. If you're in the mood for some retro thrills and up to a pretty stiff challenge, you're in for a real treat with Max and his gorgeous pixelated crusade against the evil Mudds!

    Indeed, with the possible exception of    Mutant Mudds is fit to bursting with retro visuals, retro gameplay and retro difficulty, and in my eyes, that makes it the best 'non-Mario' scroller available for 3DS today. If you're in the mood for some retro thrills and up to a pretty stiff challenge, you're in for a real treat with Max and his gorgeous pixelated crusade against the evil Mudds!

    Indeed, with the possible exception of Terry Cavanagh's -- very different, yet -- utterly sublime VVVVVV, Mutant Mudds is probably my favourite downloadable title on the 3DS eShop to date... even surpassing fellow greats like Cave Story and SteamWorld Dig. Yup, THAT good.
    .    … Expand
  11. AaronAnimated
    Mar 9, 2012
    7
    This is a rather decent game, though it's not quite spectacular. The biggest reason for this is its very short gameplay. The game forces you to replay every level over 2-3 times to truly beat it. This is its biggest flaw; I really feel this game could have been much better with more content. When I first saw the level screen, with all the doors leading off to the various levels, I assumedThis is a rather decent game, though it's not quite spectacular. The biggest reason for this is its very short gameplay. The game forces you to replay every level over 2-3 times to truly beat it. This is its biggest flaw; I really feel this game could have been much better with more content. When I first saw the level screen, with all the doors leading off to the various levels, I assumed this was only world 1. But no, that was the entire game's worth of levels. Still, the game has some solid controls, and the graphics are great. I don't think the art style of the game is overly fantastic (it kind of reminds me of the style of Drawn to Life on the original DS), but it gets the job done. It lies somewhere between a retro throwback and a modern platformer. And to the people whining about the difficulty, it's that difficult because it's a retro throwback game, and most older games are very difficult (go play Castlevania 3, then come back and tell me this game is hard.) All-in-all, I think this is a solid, well designed game that fell short of its potential.… Expand
  12. knifeandfork
    Jul 19, 2013
    8
    This charming retro platformer is sure to have you hooked. Following a mutant invasion, Max sets out with his squirt gun and jetpack to bring those mudds to justice. But what keeps it from being an unoriginal platformer? First, Max has a jetpack that can let him glide for a limited time. Enemies are all invincible to anything but his squirt gun, you'll need to use strategy to avoid andThis charming retro platformer is sure to have you hooked. Following a mutant invasion, Max sets out with his squirt gun and jetpack to bring those mudds to justice. But what keeps it from being an unoriginal platformer? First, Max has a jetpack that can let him glide for a limited time. Enemies are all invincible to anything but his squirt gun, you'll need to use strategy to avoid and shoot them. But what makes Mutant Mudds unique is its 'layer-hopping' idea. While Donkey Kong Country Returns included this before, Mutant Mudds has many different layers on top of each other, so it's not doing it for show as much as DK Country. This great idea is dragged to, and past, its full potential: you get clouds that blow you forwards to the layer in front, and enemies generally navigating between layers. It makes such good use of the 3D effect that Mutant Mudds is very frustrating without the 3D on, as you find yourself trying to avoid enemies that are on another layer, and making stupid mistakes due to confusion. This means that Mutant Mudds is at home on 3DS and wouldn't work on any other platform. The graphics are simple but charming, a lovely throwback to a by-gone era. The chiptune soundtrack is excellent. Generally, Mutant Mudds' presentation is truly great. The price is a bit too high for only 40 levels, but you're still getting several hours of enjoyment. But Pullblox was round about the same price and had a potential sixty hours in it. This is how a level editor would have really helped Mutant Mudds. It's not a complicated platformer, so a level editor would've been ideal. It would also make the price a lot more worthwhile. Still, this is one of the best platformers on eShop, and you must, without a doubt, download it.… Expand
  13. Guitarist500
    Jul 25, 2013
    9
    This is a must get for 3DS owners if you're looking for an intense platforming game that will test your skills as a gamer. However, it does get quite ridiculous at certain times especially during the optional side levels (which I won't spoil for you). The 3D is perfect and has very interesting uses of it in the game. I found this game very well made, but I suggest you download the demoThis is a must get for 3DS owners if you're looking for an intense platforming game that will test your skills as a gamer. However, it does get quite ridiculous at certain times especially during the optional side levels (which I won't spoil for you). The 3D is perfect and has very interesting uses of it in the game. I found this game very well made, but I suggest you download the demo before getting the game so you know how it plays and what to look forward too.… Expand
  14. Redz0ne
    Apr 22, 2012
    8
    This game works very well on the 3ds and it manages to keep the retro-gaming feel without feeling like it's pandering to the player. surprisingly large amount of content for such a well priced game. the difficulty curve is about what you'd expect for a game of this generation... the earlier levels might feel way too easy (or i may just be seasoned enough as a gaming veteran that theThis game works very well on the 3ds and it manages to keep the retro-gaming feel without feeling like it's pandering to the player. surprisingly large amount of content for such a well priced game. the difficulty curve is about what you'd expect for a game of this generation... the earlier levels might feel way too easy (or i may just be seasoned enough as a gaming veteran that the difficulty wasn't as tough as it would be for a younger/less-seasoned gamer.)

    still, it's a good value for the price and if you're not sure you would enjoy it, currently (as of this writing) there is a demo you can try in the eShop.    … Expand
  15. ScreamoPichu
    Mar 31, 2012
    9
    Not a revolutionary platformer, but a fun game nonetheless. Everything about this game is fun. A good amount of content for the price, and a classic nostalgia filled look.
  16. ashthedragon
    May 4, 2012
    10
    This is an awesome retro looking and feeling platformer. It uses the 3D capabilities of nintendo 3DS very well, and Renegade Kid is a very good developer.
  17. HowlPendragon
    Aug 4, 2014
    2
    This game has a very cute art style.
    And that's the only thing it has going for it. As another user mentioned on here, this game requires players to practically memorize the moves they will make down to the very last pixel, and that in and of itself does not require any real skill, and thus making this game extremely boring. The movement mechanics also feel too sluggish for my liking.    This game has a very cute art style.
    And that's the only thing it has going for it. As another user mentioned on here, this game requires players to practically memorize the moves they will make down to the very last pixel, and that in and of itself does not require any real skill, and thus making this game extremely boring. The movement mechanics also feel too sluggish for my liking.

    To be clear, I have completed everything there is to do in the game. I did so just to feel like this game wasn't a complete waste of my money.    … Expand
  18. dinosauryoshi
    Sep 23, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I picked this up on the eshop before my recent holiday and ended up playing it pretty much solid for the entire 4 hour flight. It’s a simple Megaman style (I’m currently venturing into my first Megaman experience, Megaman 2) platformer where you run, jump, and shoot stuff. Only you’ve got a water gun and you’re shooting enemies made of mud. Genius. I also enjoy that you have jetpack that jets out water - FLUDD from Mario Sunshine style.

    I love the way this game looks, combining 8 bit and 16 bit styles to create eye catching and fun visuals. The game plays well with very solid platforming mechanics where you feel in complete control and shooting those pesky mudds is great fun. The 2.5D situation where you can switch between different levels closer and further away works very well, particularly with the 3D on. The game isn’t massively long however. It only took me about 2 hours to get to and beat the last level and a good 30 mins of that were probably spent trying to beat that last level, which was pretty darn challenging. Once you’ve done this though you can collect all 100 tokens on each of the levels which I enjoyed doing immensely, replaying the well designed levels again even having only just done them was a blast. This allows you to unlock new powers/weapons which in turn let you access the secret levels, of which there is one for each of the 16 levels. I’ll risk my gamer cred by saying that some of these secret missions were a little too challenging for me and got to the point of being frustrating. Largely due to the prevalence of timed on/off platforms going on, something that I’ve always been pretty bad at (damn you Super Mario Galaxy 2 timed platform level that I still can’t beat). I think it’s great there’s some levels that will challenge even the most hardcore of gamers though, and especially as it doesn’t feel essential to do all the secret missions.

    I’m glad I waited for the deluxe version thanks to the checkpoints without which I would have likely got very frustrated but the extra missions added in this edition did nothing for me, they featured (as far as I could care to play) only unkillable enemies that you had to dodge which took away one of the funnest parts of the game for me, shooting the mudds, and so I won’t be venturing any further into those.

    Overall, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my 4-5 hours with Mutant Mudds Deluxe. I’d totally recommend dropping the £8 it costs to buy this thing. It’s an incredibly fun and polished experience and even if the deluxe addition doesn’t add any good extra levels (you might enjoy them more than me though) the checkpoints are a very welcome addition, especially as they can be turned on or off.    … Expand
  19. SmashBoo
    Jul 24, 2016
    8
    Mutant Mudds is a simple platformer. You only use the buttons to jump, crouch and shoot. The pixelated artstyle is pretty to say the least and the soundtrack is great! The levels are challanging but most important of all they're fun and a pleasure to play through despite it's simplicity.
  20. Portalguy17
    Nov 22, 2016
    9
    This game is an excellent platformer, it has fun and challenging game play, the levels are designed very well, the power ups are useful and not to hard to get either. This is a great game with a cool concept that kept me entertained for hours.
  21. Modax19
    Apr 14, 2020
    8
    I finished this game 100%. This required a good deal of sweat and tears. The last level was brutal. However in the end it was worth it. This game has charisma. The chiptune music is very good. Definitely a good value if you can get it on sale and you enjoy retro platforming.

Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best 3DS Game of 2012
13
#13 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2012
51
#51 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. D+PAD Magazine
    Aug 6, 2012
    70
    There's a lot of depth for a downloadable title game, and Mutant Mudds contrasts strikingly with the first wave of DSiWare games, showing how the service is evolving.
    Read full review
  2. Everyeye.it
    Jul 29, 2012
    70
    Mutant Mudds is a nice interpetation of old-school action platforming, lacking in depth but succeeding in providing a genuine gameplay experience.
    Read full review
  3. Games Master UK
    Jul 24, 2012
    83
    A treat for anyone raised on a screen the size of a custard cream. [Sept 2012, p.107]
See all critic reviews »