Super Meat Boy 3D

Super Meat Boy 3D is a reminder of why platforming games are so special, and above all, of how important it is to preserve classic genres in their purest form. Team Meat and Sluggerfly have delivered one of the most addictive games of the year, successfully allowing the iconic series that pioneered the indie scene to transition into three dimensions without losing its essence in the process. Thanks to its finely tuned controls, high difficulty, excellent level design, and overall solid execution, we believe this is one of those must-play titles for anyone who loves platforming.

Super Meat Boy 3D is a thrillingly apt interpretation of the original Super Meat Boy. Those who loved Meat Boy’s squelching, sticky jumps in 2D would be hard-pressed not to fall in love with the same brutal execution in 3D. While some precision and legibility gets lost in translation to varying degrees of success, the wealth of content and homage is retained. Team Meat’s reverence for the genre is unmatched and I can’t wait to keep exploding in a hail of meat for years to come.

Super Meat Boy 3D modernises the 2D classic in such a fleshed-out and meaty way that it's really quite scrumptious what they cooked up.

Super Meat Boy 3D may lose a bit of its distinct look in the move to 3D, but the many tense and thrilling levels and the breadth of well-designed content make it a mostly worthy trip into the third dimension. I hope Meat Boy keeps getting weird and distinct new games going forward, as the little skinned fellow seems to have a lot of life left in him.

Super Meat Boy 3D is much more than just a 3D retelling of a beloved title; it’s an exercise of mastery of platforming design, made in the image of a cube. Though far from accessible (despite its best efforts) and still somewhat similar to its predecessor, the inclusion of Dark World Levels and the design space opened by an entire new dimension of space gives it a platform to stand on. Best you load up on controllers, because Meat Boy’s back on the menu.

Super Meat Boy 3D captures the ruthless precision of the original while adding a polished visual layer. However, the transition to 3D introduces frustrating perspective issues and a fixed camera that complicates depth perception. Despite uninspired boss battles, the addictive difficulty and extensive replayability sustain a worthwhile, yet ultimately less perfect, platforming experience.

Super Meat Boy 3D manages to be an excellent new entry for those who want to start with the franchise. The cutscenes are beautiful, there's freedom to complete the levels in any order, and the kingdoms are so frantic and fun that, even after failing countless times, the experience remains engaging.

Indeed, one must give credit where credit is due and point out that—especially in the final two worlds—Super Meat Boy 3D certainly doesn't skimp on ideas: wormholes, homing missiles, teleportation portals, and gravity spheres. There comes a moment when the game seems to have shown its entire hand, only to continue surprising you by introducing new mechanics and concepts for navigating levels that become increasingly complex, convoluted, and seemingly impossible. The boss battles, too, demand intense effort and rely on very precise trial-and-error mechanics—perhaps even *too* precise. In most cases, you have to memorize the enemy's attack patterns and simply wait for fate to take its course, since Meat Boy cannot directly attack the boss; it is up to karma to deliver the punishment. After all, if there is one thing this game proves, it is that you need patience—an immense amount of patience—to clear every level, collect all the hidden bandages, and unlock every character. There is certainly no shortage of extra content; the only question is whether the player's own patience—or "liver," as the game would have it—doesn't give out first.

Super Meat Boy 3D is brutal yet addictive and genuinely fun platformer. However, I can’t help but think it would be even better if its spatial perception issues and somewhat shaky controls could be refined into better shape. It’s enjoyable as it is, but with the difficulty level soaring through the clouds, it would admittedly be nice if not quite so many attempts didn’t end in death due to slightly clunky gameplay. Be that as it may, the action is enjoyable, quirky and anarchic, and that alone earns it a lot of forgiveness in my eyes.