Ruffy and the Riverside

 Switch
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Universo Nintendo
    Jun 26, 2025
    80
    Luffy and the Riverside takes inspiration from classic collectathon games, but has its own identity. Its trading mechanics bring a unique and innovative gameplay that fits well with the paper goods style. Perfect for fans of puzzles, riddles and platformers.
  2. Nintendo Life
    Jun 25, 2025
    80
    Ruffy and the Riverside is an enjoyable return to the colourful 3D platforming romps of the late 1990s, and it's one that brings its own clever idea to the table, rather than just simply copy/pasting everyone else's homework. With nods to Mario, Zelda, Crash Bandicoot and more, levels jam-packed full of fun puzzles and the easy, breezy nature of Ruffy's copy-pasting abilities at the heart of it all, this is one of the better odes to this sort of caper that I've played and, performance issues aside, a very impressive debut to boot.
  3. NintendoWorldReport
    Jun 25, 2025
    75
    Ruffy and the Riverside is a delightful adventure whose charm takes precedence over its jank and repetition. It performs well on Switch 2, which is where I reviewed the game, and has a lot of content for completionists to sink their teeth into. Some of the puzzles can be frustrating or obtuse, but the unique swapping mechanic makes for a fun departure compared to other 3D action-adventure experiences. It may be a bit Ruffy around the edges, but this Riverside is one that I was happy to dip my toes into.
  5. ElDesmarque
    Jul 8, 2025
    70
    An adorable indie game that is, in many ways, a love letter to the 3D platformers of the 90s. Its visual style, core mechanics and variety of scenarios are proof of overflowing creativity. However, it also suffers from execution flaws that prevent it from shining to its full potential. It's a game that will be especially enjoyed by those who grew up with the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation era, but may turn off modern gamers accustomed to greater refinement.
  6. The Games Machine
    Jul 7, 2025
    70
    Ruffy and the Riverside is an adventure-platform that seems to have come straight out of the 64-bit golden age, but the “swap system” integrated into its gameplay manages to make it quite unique in its genre and to give life to truly unique and fun puzzle elements. The perhaps excessive “richness” of some levels makes orientation more difficult than it should be and some performance issues on Switch 2 (in backward compatibility) would require prompt intervention by the development team.
  7. TheSixthAxis
    Jun 27, 2025
    70
    Ruffy and the Riverside takes us back to a time where the 3D platformer was king, controllers had three prongs, and analogue sticks were a new-fangled invention. There’s the same vibrancy and creativity here as classics like Banjo-Kazooie and Mario 64, cribbing a few of their tricks along the way while making something that still manages to feel fresh and unique.
  8. Cubed3
    Jun 25, 2025
    70
    Ruffy and the Riverside is an unbelievably fun and imaginative 3D adventure-puzzler. In some ways, it feels like it could have been a third Tomba! game due to its playful visual style that goes against the grain. Not everything works as intended, and it could use an extra pass of polish, but pound for pound, this is one of the more ingenious 3D platformers out there. If the developers can iron out some of the irregularities, Ruffy and the Riverside could be all it can be.
  9. KonsoliFIN
    Jul 6, 2025
    60
    Those who miss retro 3D platformers will certainly enjoy Ruffy's colorful world, but as a modern platformer it offers too varied an experience. At times the bear's own adventure is captivating, but the difficulty level too often swings from easy to illogical, and the adventure doesn't feel rewarding enough. Too bad, because there was potential for better.
  10. XGN
    Jun 30, 2025
    55
    While Ruffy and the Riverside has a very fun mechanic at its core, the overall experience is a little underbaked due to poor combat, boss battles, and some technical flaws.
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  1. Vice
    Jun 25, 2025
    It’s not very often that a game can feel both old and new, like Ruffy and the Riverside does. It takes inspiration from our favorite childhood classics while modernizing them enough to make them exciting and accessible to players of all generations. No matter if you grew up with platforming icons like Banjo or Crash, or you’ve been out of the loop on platformers for a long time, let Ruffy be your reintroduction to why you love these types of games so much. From the moment I started until the moment I stopped, Ruffy had me smiling. It rekindled the joy of classic platformers from my youth and made me feel just like a kid again. Sometimes, that’s all you can hope for from a game like this. [Best In Its Class]