Developer: Team Meat, Sluggerfly
Platforms: PC (Reviewed), PS5, Switch 2, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Genre: Action
Publisher: Headup Games
Super Meat Boy 3D is the follow-up to the hugely popular indie hit Super Meat Boy and Super Meat Boy Forever.
Super Meat Boy was an extremely tough platformer which was commonly coined as a tough-as-nails platformer. You play as a cube of meat (that leaves a trail of blood wherever he goes) who navigates various levels filled with things trying to kill him. Super Meat Boy 3D is the move from a 2D game to a 3D one, and that is the main shift of gameplay in this outing, but it vastly changes how it plays.
The game follows Super Meat Boy, who is trying to save his girlfriend from an evil fetus in a jar that’s wearing a tuxedo. Yes, that’s the theme. Each distinct and unique level presents players with a series of challenges to run, scale, jump, slide, and punch through a plethora of levels. The first few levels help ease the player into the game whilst explaining the core gameplay technique: running and scaling are the first two you will encounter and use throughout the game. You will encounter saws, flames, perilous jumps, vines and lots of other things that will make your cube explode. You will have to navigate all these hazards to get your girlfriend. This all happens in this new 3D world.
While playing the game and struggling through the levels, you leave trails of blood from your previous runs. These blood trails gather along the ground and the sides you scale through the game, signs of your previous failures that will either drive you mad or push you further to get past the level. Each set of levels builds up to a boss level, where you’ll still have the same game mechanics, but now you have to use them to kill the boss and get closer to your girlfriend. The game doesn’t focus on much beyond this one aspect, and it does it really well; you’ll either hate or love this game. I loved it, in spite of all my struggles.
Those dreaded 3D issues happen in any platformer, and this game is no exception; the camera angle and the player’s perspective make positioning seem off at times in 3D levels. A red ring, like a shadow, helps the player understand where they are relative to obstacles and walls. This helps guide you through the 3D perspective of the game but isn’t perfect. At times you’ll feel unfairly done by the game and die over and over. The level of replayability is low, and frustration levels will vary by player; I can see why someone wouldn’t enjoy this game, but I had a blast! Apart from the visual aspect of the camera, controls are super simple, and you will be up and playing in minutes. The learning curve for the controls is tiny, but the learning curve for the game can be steep as it’s tough.
The presentation and graphics are superb; the level design, characters and hazards are beautifully rendered. Everything in the world is wonderful, which is one aspect of the move to 3D that has allowed for a better visual and more immersive experience. There are tons going on in the levels; even the backgrounds are packed, and as you move through the level, you can see what hazards you will encounter next. It’s a wonderful mix of cartoony graphics in a 3D world. The music and sound effects complement the Super Meat Boy world; it sits perfectly well in this world and makes the whole world seem more alive and vibrant.
Super Meat Boy 3D builds on the successful Super Meat Boy franchise and does get him into this new 3D world, and that’s what this game is: it’s the 3D version of Super Meat Boy. It’s tough and challenging, but does have a sense of reward when you pass each level. While not perfect, the game is a blast if you can persist through the number of times you will die.
Overall: 8.5/10
Enjoys more than the odd game, long time gamer, somewhat a technologist and everything else in between.
Also enjoys a good solid game of FIFA online. Currently PS4, XBOX 360 and STEAM.
