Ruffy and the Riverside Reviews
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.
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.
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.
Ruffy and the Riverside is an enjoyable experience that, despite featuring fascinating copy-paste mechanics and puzzles that gets your brain going, has a forgettable storyline. Nonetheless, it's a great choice if you're looking for a quick and cute adventure that feels like a blast to the past.
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.
An adventure-platformer that seems to come straight out of the 64bit golden-age.The original "swap system" succeeds in raising the gameplay above average and in bringing to life some truly unique and entertaining puzzle elements. The overflowing "richness" of some levels makes orientation more difficult than it should be and some performance issues would require a technical update from the development team.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Unlike other seemingly similar efforts that want to tempt players down 3D platformer memory lane for a concentrated hit of nostalgia and leave it at that, Ruffy and the Riverside doesn't just take that well-worn idea and repackages it, but instead adds something refreshingly compelling to the formula. Though some minor flaws and polish issues do abound, they aren't enough to take the shine away from one of the most charming and thoughtful 3D platformers in ages.
Ultimately, Ruffy and the Riverside is a game we wanted to like, but despite its attractive visual style and unique ideas, it never really comes together in a satisfying way. While there's some fun to be had running around in the semi-open world, it never evolves beyond that.
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's swapping mechanic is great fun, but I wish it would shut up and give me more organic opportunities to use that mechanic.
The three-dimensional platformer isn't what it was. It used to sell consoles. It used to forge characters and brand them to the memory. Now it can s...
Ruffy and the Riverside is a joyful and quirky collectathon that attempts to bridge past and present sensibilities. Bursting with personality and a novel gameplay mechanic, should enjoy a sense of discovery and a helping of clever puzzles.
Ruffy and the Riverside is an incredibly charming game with one of the most unique gameplay mechanics I've seen in a while.
A gorgeously presented modern twist on the classic 3D platformer, Ruffy and the Riverside is positively glowing with charm. Featuring a cavalcade of fun environmental puzzles that take advantage of its unique copy-and-paste "SWAP" mechanic, a delightful blend of hand-drawn spritework and rendered environments, and cheeky writing that makes you fall in love with its silly little characters, this is a perfectly lovely adventure with tonnes of heart.
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.
Ultimately, Ruffy and the Riverside is an excellent homage and possibly the most fun I’ve had with an indie platformer since A Hat in Time or Nikoderiko. Ruffy and the Riverside was clearly made by a team that knows and loves the genre.
Ruffy and the Riverside has heart, but this isn’t enough to make up for what is otherwise a rudimentary platformer with a main gimmick that is underutilised. Here’s hoping the swap mechanic ends up finding its way into a game that offers more opportunities to use it in creative ways.
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.
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.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
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.