Boxboy Reviews

Boxboy is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Apr 8, 2015

I honestly have no real complaints about BOXBOY! It kept me playing practically non-stop, and I loved every minute of it. The only aspects of it I didn’t experience were the Demos and Hints. The Demos let you send a free taste of the game to those you StreetPass with. The Hint system lets you spend Play Coins to help you get past levels if you’re stuck. I’m too much of an stubborn old school gamer to ever give up and use a hint. Overall, I was very, very pleased with BOXBOY! For $4.99, it offered over seven hours of gameplay, and that’s not even counting the Challenge Stages or the Bonus Worlds that opened up after I beat the Story Mode. BOXBOY! is not only one the best new IPs HAL Laboratory has come out with in years, it’s my favorite new 3DS eShop game. If you like puzzles or old school video games, go buy it.

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USgamer
Top Critic
Apr 7, 2015

If you crave a digestible and portable puzzle-based diversion, look no further than HAL's Box Boy. Its outright friendliness helps combat the patience-testing nature of most puzzle games, and those minutes-long levels allow players to make some degree of progress, even if they don't have much time to spare. Box Boy might not change the world, but even so, it's refreshing to see a big developer like HAL take a gamble on such a quirky little experiment.

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Apr 1, 2015

If you're a puzzle fan, you must get BOXBOY! Even if you're not the biggest puzzle fan, but you're a fan of a good challenge, BOXBOY! is for you. Simply put, BOXBOY! rocks. Whether or not you're wearing socks is irrelevant.

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Game Rant
Top Critic
May 4, 2015

'BOXBOY! 'is Nintendo's latest unmissable eShop exclusive, mixing puzzles and platforming to produce a wholly original and entirely compelling experience.

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9 / 10.0
Apr 6, 2015

As far as puzzle platformers are concerned, Boxboy is a breath of fresh air and proves that no matter the size or style of game, HAL is always committed to delivering a unique and fun experience with their games.

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Apr 4, 2015

BoxBoy is a splendid 3DS eShop game. It's entertaining, addictive, and Qbby is a charming lead character. It's a must-own for any puzzle loving 3DS owner.

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9 / 10.0
Apr 1, 2015

The only real downside to Boxboy is that there are so many ideas that I wish some of them were expanded upon more. Each new mechanic really only gets about a half-dozen levels to shine, and each one is so rich that they might even be able to support their own game. Because of that onslaught of fresh ideas, Boxboy never gets boring, which makes it a fun experience for your 3DS.

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Cubed3
Top Critic
9 / 10
May 31, 2015

BOXBOY! is a real winner for the eShop. Its simple design and perfectly-balanced difficulty level mean that it's sure to resonate with players of all skill levels, and whether it's being chipped away at during morning commutes or digested in its entirety over a weekend, Qbby's tale shows that a minimalistic game can be just as satisfying as a triple-A title.

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Apr 9, 2015

Boxboy! is confident, assured programming. It's brave to make a puzzle game in which players control a box with two little slits for eyes. It requires the confidence of the entire development team that they're going to be able to imbue character into the experience despite the minimalism, and that the level design and puzzles would be interesting enough in their own right to maintain the player's interest. HAL has succeed in doing just that, and the Boxboy! development team was justified in their confidence.

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8.3 / 10.0
Apr 15, 2015

Boxboy finds a good balance of difficulty with puzzles that challenge, but never get too complicated or difficult

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IGN
Top Critic
8.2 / 10.0
May 5, 2015

It might not look like much, but BoxBoy is one of the cleverest puzzle platformers I've ever played. The constant variety gave me dozens of uses for Qbby's simple-to-learn self-replicating abilities. Coupled with great pacing and level designs that encourage and reward experimentation, I just couldn't put it down until I'd cleared the 18-world campaign and put some time into the delightful side challenges.

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8 / 10
May 7, 2015

This 3DS game's disarming simplicity is a ruse that hides an addictive depth.

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8 / 10
Apr 1, 2015

The combination of a monochrome aesthetic and simple gameplay conjures memories of the original Gameboy. Qbby would be right at home there, and nothing about the game would be particularly impossible on that system. In fact, the constant reinvention reminded me of Donkey Kong for the Gameboy, another devious puzzle game from Nintendo that repeatedly introduced new ideas throughout.

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Apr 1, 2015

A slick and fun puzzle experience from start to finish, BOXBOY! will please anyone looking for a great new pick-up-and-play adventure. Just don't expect too much challenge until you dive into the optional areas of the game.

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80 / 100
Apr 10, 2015

At $5, it's hard to find more puzzle content than what is available in BoxBoy. That's not always a good thing, as it feels scared of asking players to learn something new without making them study it for three too many puzzle rooms. But the harsh art design and excess gameplay fat don't do enough to negate the thrill of figuring out a solution or the charm of watching your little square friend celebrate. BoxBoy is a welcome, easy-going new entrant into puzzlers that deserves more attention than it will likely get on its current marketing trend.

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8 / 10.0
Apr 7, 2015

While not a thoroughly outstanding game, BOXBOY! is an eminently pleasant, breezy little puzzle-platformer that offers some moderate challenge and focuses more on just having a nice time. A fuss-free, no-pressure adventure that takes a plain gimmick and showcases just how versatile it can be. And it's just too damn darling for its own good.

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80 / 100
Apr 10, 2015

BOXBOY! is a fun puzzle platformer that gets a lot of mileage with a simple concept.

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Guardian
Top Critic
Apr 13, 2015

This simple-looking title in which players make shapes with boxes is the equal of Hal Laboratory's more celebrated games

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8 / 10.0
Apr 1, 2015

BoxBoy is a fun game with some pretty creative puzzles.  However, the easier difficulty might turn off some more experienced players as there isn't too much of a challenge until much later in the game.  While a good game, it would have been nice to see some more complex puzzles around the mid-way point to up the challenge a bit more.

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8 / 10
Apr 22, 2015

Boxboy is a fun and addictive puzzle game that is certain to keep players around it for some time, not just because of its mechanics but also because it introduces new ideas and challenges at a very high pace. It only suffers from its washed away visual style, which could have used more work, even for a game of this genre.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review