Ruffy and the Riverside

Ruffy and the Riverside is one of those pleasant surprises that charms with its simplicity and fun thanks to the SWAP mechanic. A game that draws a lot of attention for its beautiful art direction and that, despite drawing from the sources of Paper Mario, Banjo-Kazooie and other great names in the genre, doesn't live in their shadow. Quite the opposite, Ruffy is a game full of soul that rescues the essence of good old platform titles.

With its energetically vibrant world that'll keep you smiling and clever puzzle-filled platforming, Ruffy And The Riverside has everything you'd need for an excellent 3D funfest. Plus, it's so cute that it's now one of my life goals to have a Ruffy stuffie.

Ruffy and the Riverside is both an homage to classic platform games and an entirely new take on the genre. Its fantastic texture swapping mechanic lends itself to a stunning variety of environmental puzzles, many of which offer a high level of head-scratching satisfaction. Ruffy and the Riverside has sleeper hit written all over it.

Ruffy and the Riverside finds quirky and joyful ways to meld past and present gaming ideologies. This is a mascot platformer collectathon at heart, feeling like a Nintendo 64 game but not being too bogged down by nostalgia and reverence. While its best ideas may sometimes feel underutilized, Ruffy and the Riverside is inventive enough to constantly push the player towards one new thrill after the next.

Ruffy and the Riverside is a good foray into the 3D platform genre, standing out for its well-done aesthetic mix and a useful central mechanic of swapping textures to alter the world, solve puzzles, progress through the campaign and obtain the dozens of collectibles available. These two aspects are the game's high points and, although its potential for experimentation is not fully realized, they make for a unique, enjoyable and fun experience.

Ruffy and the Riverside is a whimsical platformer that blends clever puzzle mechanics with charming storytelling. While its unique element-swapping feature brings refreshing gameplay twists, occasional pacing issues and vague objectives slightly hinder the experience. A visually delightful and inventive indie gem.

Ruffy and the Riverside is an impressive debut title and a top-notch 3D collectathon adventure. The texture-swapping gimmick adds a rich layer to the canvas that more than makes up for some spotty platforming, and Riverside itself is a wonderfully weird and gaudy locale well worth exploring.

Ruffy and the Riverside is a thoughtful homage to 3D platformers. The bright visuals and chirpy soundtrack give the game plenty of life. The swap mechanic is interesting but it doesn't quite fulfil its potential. There are moments where it's used to great effect but the puzzles are predominantly simple. That does lead to a campaign that's breezy and takes you through some varied locales. I enjoyed it but it definitely seems to be aimed at youngsters.

Ruffy and the Riverside is a charming little tribute to the classic 3D puzzle platformers of the 1990s, and it has a nice ace up its sleeve in the form of the swap feature. However, it is also a bit limiting, and I think the visuals may be a bit of a hit or miss for many.

Ruffy And The Riverside has a lot of cool and new ideas, but doesn't always execute on the necessary basics. The hand-drawn levels and characters are awesome, the semi-open world is fun to traverse and works well as a collect-a-thon, and several gameplay switch-ups and surprises along the way feel refreshing. Unfortunately, the few bosses and enemies present here are quite bland, and though the environmental puzzle-solving is initially unique and rewarding, it eventually stalls out in creativity and challenge. Overall, Ruffy ends up feeling a bit inconsistent, but it's still a cute, enjoyable indie that has me looking forward to future efforts from Zockrates Laboratories.

Without spoiling anything, I can say that the plot of Ruffy and the Riverside ends with massive sequel bait. I sincerely hope developer Zockrates Laboratories gets the chance to actually make that sequel. I'm not saying that because Ruffy and the Riverside is such a great game – quite the opposite. The game does control smoothly, has a cool art style, and a fantastic soundtrack. More than anything, though, the ‘swap system’ deserves a place in a better title than this one. Now that the characters, world, art style, and game systems have been established, the studio just needs to tie them together in a better way in a follow-up. There’s clearly a lot more potential in the world of Ruffy than this game manages to deliver.

Luffy and the Riverside feels like stepping into a children's book and letting your imagination run wild. Turning trees into water? Sure, no problem. Turning the pond with the annoying shark into lava to fry it? Of course. The flip is a wonderful game mechanic that breathes fresh air into the platformer genre.