Ruffy and the Riverside (2025)

Ruffy and the Riverside is a solid entry into the 3D platformer genre. I felt so nostalgic while playing it, especially when I stumbled across a hidden room where “Banjo was here!” was written on the wall. I definitely suggest giving this game a try and certainly if you’re a 3D platformer sicko like me. I finished this game at around 16 hours by doing a good amount of side quests, but there’s still plenty of collectibles and achievements left!

Ruffy and the Riverside is an enjoyable experience and clearly draws inspiration from platformers from the early ’90s and beyond. With its unique SWAP mechanics and neat presentation, featuring hand-drawn visuals, this platformer caters to gamers of all ages and skill levels. The game is surprisingly deep with a lot of NPCs to engage with, plenty to collect and lots of puzzles that’ll see you clocking around 10 hours of gameplay. For the reasonable price of £16.99, it’s well worth the cost for the amount you’re getting in return.

Ruffy and the Riverside is one of the most creative games I’ve played all year. It’s a puzzle-platformer that puts puzzles first, throws platforming in for flavor, and somehow wraps it all in a technicolor cartoon aesthetic that shouldn’t work but totally does.

As an avid fan of the 3D platformer, the indie space is quickly growing into a thriving hot spot of the genre, with Ruffy & the Riverside joining the ranks of A Hat in Time and Poi. Utilizing a creative mechanic not seen in other 3D platformers, while having a strong identity and a striking art direction, Ruffy and Pip's adventure is a riverside worth visiting.

"Charming, inventive, but unbalanced" Ruffy and the Riverside is moving and full of ingenuity. Its distinctive Switch mechanics add a clever twist to classic platformers, and its vibrant world is a visual delight. However, the game often suffers from limited puzzle depth, a repetitive structure, and disappointing combat. Despite its clear ambition, its execution stumbles in key areas.