BattleBlock Theater

 PC
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Games Master UK
    Jun 29, 2014
    90
    An exceedingly charming package. [Aug 2014, p.79]
    All this publication's reviews
  2. NZGamer
    May 19, 2014
    90
    A charming platformer. It comes loaded with a sense of style and humour that only developer The Behemoth possess. An incredibly funny narrator, adorable creature design, and cut-scenes that look like paper-doll puppetry all amount to a stylistically cohesive game that has tight platforming to boot (albeit with a few mechanical hiccups).
  3. 3DJuegos
    May 15, 2014
    90
    Fun, humorous and challenging. Battleblock is an excellent platforming game by The Behemoth team.
  5. Digitally Downloaded
    May 14, 2014
    90
    BattleBlock Theater feels like it was designed for the child that still lives inside me. It’s juvenile, colourful, and silly. But more importantly, it achieves everything it set out to do, with a near masterful level of execution. The addictive multiplayer and excellent level creation tools are just the icing on the cake.
  6. Hardcore Gamer
    May 14, 2014
    90
    BattleBlock Theater doesn’t do anything particularly new, but that’s perfectly okay, because everything it does do it does without a hitch to speak of.
  7. Ragequit.gr
    May 21, 2014
    89
    An off-the-rails masterclass in anarchic puzzle platforming and the undisputed genre king on the PC at the time of this writing.
  8. PC Gamer
    Jun 23, 2014
    86
    Charming, clever and funny, this is one of the best new platformers on the PC at the moment. Recommended.
  9. Vandal
    May 19, 2014
    85
    A great game that offers a lot for very little, responsive, fun and addictive. There are a few additions on PC, but the experience remains the same.
  10. GameWatcher
    May 15, 2014
    85
    As the landscape of these types of games becomes increasingly bigger, it’s nice to see a game strive so hard for innovation.
  11. Hooked Gamers
    May 16, 2014
    84
    It’s silly, but in a way everyone can enjoy, and most importantly, it’s a lot of fun to play with friends. Which is fitting, because that’s what the game is all about: friendship.
  12. IGN Italia
    May 16, 2014
    82
    A well made port for a multiplayer game that's still fun and very good looking.
  13. Riot Pixels
    Aug 4, 2014
    80
    BattleBlock Theater is not original and it’s not ashamed of that. It’s everyone else that should be ashamed and green with envy that they couldn’t make such a fun game.
  14. DarkZero
    May 27, 2014
    80
    There isn’t a great deal of variety in the environments as they all tend to stick to the same techno-theatre setting, but there’s plenty of fun to be had with BattleBlock Theatre especially when playing with a friend.
  15. Eurogamer Italy
    May 21, 2014
    80
    BattleBlock Theater eases is way into our preferences due to great humor and an easy approach, but slowly increases the difficulty and capture the player with greatly designed levels and entertaining online battles. Overall, this third game continues the convincing streak of The Behemoth.
  16. LevelUp
    May 16, 2014
    80
    Awesome art style and animation, combined with a great sense of humor, allow BattleBlock Theater to stand out above current arcade games. The campaign, the cooperative mode, and the level editor will keep you hooked for hours.
  17. Slant Magazine
    May 15, 2014
    80
    With so many amusing ways to live and die, the question in this theater isn't "To be or not to be?" but "How much longer can I play for?"
  18. IncGamers
    May 14, 2014
    80
    BattleBlock Theater’s second opening night (this time on PC,) is just as crude, unhinged and delightful as its first. Come for the platforming, stay for the absurdity.

Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Best PC Game of 2014
93
#93 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 308 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 213 out of 308
  2. Mixed: 70 out of 308
  3. Negative: 25 out of 308
  1. augh18
    May 16, 2014
    7
    One of the best platformers since "Super Meat Boy" (Super Meat Boy is far better, though). Single player is a lot of fun, co-op is an entirelyOne of the best platformers since "Super Meat Boy" (Super Meat Boy is far better, though). Single player is a lot of fun, co-op is an entirely different experience (you don't just go through the single-player missions with a second player, you're given all-new challenges that require cooperation). The online Arena modes feel like a throwaway feature, which is how I felt about the non-story modes in "Castle Crashers", but opinions will vary here.

    Music is superb. The taunting narrator is a fun twist, but he does run out of things to say and quickly starts repeating himself. You can, however, disable the frequency of his comments, or turn him off entirely, through the "Options" menu.

    Controls fine on keyboard, but I've always felt these games are best with a gamepad.

    I wish these guys could release a game every couple of years (it's now been six years since the original release of "Castle Crashers" in 2008), but maybe the reason they don't is because they'd rather make inspired games than simply churn out something to keep their name in the industry.

    Two major drawbacks are the musical selection (there aren't that many tracks in the game, and they start repeating themselves very quickly), and the time it takes from confirming "Retry" to a mission resetting takes far too long for this kind of game. It also would've been a huge plus if they got the narrator voice actor to record even just 20 additional lines, as he starts repeating himself way too quickly as well.

    I got this game for $10 during the launch sale, and I highly recommend it at that price. It's no "Super Meat Boy", but I don't think we'll see a game that steals the throne for a long, long time.    … Full Review »
  2. TonatiuhRP
    Mar 28, 2018
    9
    BattleBlock Theater is without doubt a good representation of how a platform videogame has to be made. With a lot of levels, obstacles,BattleBlock Theater is without doubt a good representation of how a platform videogame has to be made. With a lot of levels, obstacles, weapons, customization of characters and a good artistic design, without forgetting the comedy with a funny narrator, we will enter into this great game ideal to laugh with friends or be more competitive and beat our own records in the different levels.

    If the game is already great with just this content, BattleBlock Theater is not limited to this, it also has many different game modes for multiplayer and a level editor system where we can do anything that comes to our mind or play hundreds of levels already created by the community.

    With a very affordable price for everyone, plus a lot of hours of fun, BattleBlock Theater is a must buy videogame.    … Full Review »
  3. ManToast
    May 21, 2014
    9
    I realized how great this game was when I managed to shock myself after uttering for the first time the phrase: "Wow, you can fart yourself toI realized how great this game was when I managed to shock myself after uttering for the first time the phrase: "Wow, you can fart yourself to death!"

    People are comparing this game to the likes of Castle Crashers, Super Meat Boy, Fez and even Minecraft. The truth is: it's nothing like any of those games. It's nothing like anything made ever in ever forever. It's an completely fresh and utterly unique platformer with colourful graphics and an absurd story-line.

    Most of the fun comes with finding out and trying to deal with how bonkers this game actually is... You play as what I can only guess are doodles of humans who shipwrecked onto a mysterious island. The captain of the ship, Hatty Hattington, is possessed by a magical top hat he is forced to wear by the humanoid ginger cats who inhabit the island's creepy run-down theater. If you're having trouble grasping this, then you are not alone. These humanoid cats, or at least the security-worker cats, name you and all other crew members of your ship their prisoners and force you to entertain the civilian population of the island, who are also cats.

    The humour had me laughing the whole time, and I played for four hours. I'm not even anywhere near completing even the main story-line; the game has so many levels and only sometimes gets repetitive, even despite it's simple premise. On the rare occasion it does get redundant it throws in another mechanic or unlocks another weapon and the fun returns. The story-line is only two player, but there are some sports-styled games for four of you to anger each other over. Oh and Stamper as the narrator: Genius.

    There is just so much here in one tiny package. Good old simplistic platformer gameplay, colourful goofy graphics, tons of levels and collectibles, make-your-own-level content creator, huge replay value even if you aren't a completionist, funky soundtrack and everything about it is hilarious and entertaining throughout.    … Full Review »
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