Beach Island Deluxe

About

Beach Island is a micro open-world platforming game set on the mysterious Beach Island. Scour the island for stars to open up the ancient gateway portal! There's plenty to explore and uncover on Beach Island, can you find all 12 stars?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 158 reviews

graphics8 positive mentions

optimization2 negative mentions

Charming and colorful low poly graphics that evoke nostalgia for classic platformers.
Fun and addictive gameplay with a variety of collectibles and challenges, reminiscent of Super Mario 64.
Impressive for a student project, showcasing a lot of love and care in its design and mechanics.

Controls can feel slippery and unresponsive at times, making precise platforming challenging.
The game is very short, typically completed in under an hour, which may leave players wanting more content.
Performance issues such as low framerate and camera control problems can detract from the overall experience.

graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
27%
20%
The graphics of the game are a blend of retro pixel art and low-poly aesthetics, appealing to fans of PS1 and N64 styles, which adds a charming quality to the overall experience. While many players appreciate the unique art style and vibrant visuals, some criticize the graphics as outdated and lacking polish, particularly in UI and effects. Overall, the game is noted for its cute design and impressive variety in aesthetics, despite some technical shortcomings.
- “Love the mix of pixel and low poly graphics, good music, simple yet snappy platforming, and has great controller support!”
- “Plus, I dig the stylized pixelated graphics and low poly counts; it gives this solo-developed game a certain charm that I wish was more common.”
- “Graphics are really good if you're into the PSX/N64 art style that a lot of these games use.”
- “Game sucks, graphics are so outdated and poorly manufactured.”
- “If the UI, graphical effects, and framerate were more polished, and the floaty run slightly adjusted, I'd totally see this becoming a full indie game, with 10-12 islands like the one in the demo.”
- “It looks like a PS1 game with the graphics cranked on high.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
43%
21%
The gameplay is characterized by simple yet sharp mechanics that facilitate enjoyable platforming, reminiscent of titles like Super Mario 3D World. While the controls are generally tight, some players find them slightly awkward and the movement can feel floaty, particularly during sprinting. Overall, the game rewards creative play and exploration, offering a solid experience despite minor inconsistencies and a desire for more depth.
- “The mechanics and movement are simple and sharp, and platforming feels good in it.”
- “Mastering these mechanics also encourages and rewards players for thinking outside the box, such as finding shortcuts and obtaining stars in non-traditional ways.”
- “The gameplay is simple but also variable enough to allow for some cool tricks.”
- “The blowing mechanics from the fans feel inconsistent and annoying.”
- “The game mechanics and physics are absolutely not set up for a speed-run type scenario.”
- “Gameplay does feel a bit floaty and sluggish, especially when you just want to sprint and rush through everything, but as long as you aren't sprinting, you can get used to and adjust to the gameplay.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it tiresome and poorly fitting for the game's atmosphere, while others appreciate its catchiness despite its repetitive nature. Critiques often highlight the music as being too loud, rough, or reminiscent of unrelated themes, suggesting a need for calmer or more contextually appropriate tracks. Overall, while some enjoy the sound direction, many feel the music detracts from the overall experience.
- “Love the mix of pixel and low poly graphics, good music, simply yet snappy platforming, and has great controller support!”
- “I thought the sound direction was good for the most part; people are saying that the music should've been cut short at times since it loops, but I never really noticed.”
- “I'd suggest to stop the music at times (the track is really catchy, but it loops over and over) and definitely to revisit the sound design for the main character.”
- “Sounds and music get tiresome to listen to after a short while.”
- “The only other criticism I have is that I am not really a fan of the music in the game; it's a bit loud.”
- “I'm navigating this weird beach with plant life, oil pipes, and Aztec structures. Why does the music sound like I'm driving a car in 'Simpsons Hit and Run'?”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's story aspect is seen as lacking, with some users expressing a desire for a more developed narrative and structured levels, while others feel that the absence of a story detracts from the overall experience. There is a consensus that adding a compelling storyline could enhance the game's potential.
- “I think this game has a lot of potential, and I hope that the creators make more stars and biomes. Another thing I would like is a story.”
- “It would actually be really cool to see a full game with a story and different levels.”
- “There is no story or anything, it's just sort of there.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some players experiencing significant frame rate drops, particularly in certain areas, despite having capable hardware. While one user reported around 100fps on an R5 5600X, others with older systems struggled to maintain playable frame rates, dropping to as low as 30fps. Additionally, the game is noted to be not well-optimized for keyboard and mouse controls.
- “Performance: I get around 100 FPS on an R5 5600X, but in some areas, it can dip down to around 40 FPS. Some of my friends with older hardware were getting around 30 FPS.”
- “Not optimized for keyboard and mouse controls.”
- “Performance: I get around 100 FPS on an R5 5600X, but in some areas it can dip down to around 40 FPS. Some of my friends with older hardware are getting around 30 FPS.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized as charming and simplistic, reflecting the developer's personal touch, including the use of their own voice for sound effects. This playful approach contributes to the game's overall cute and endearing atmosphere, making it a delightful experience for players.
- “This feels like it was made in a semester's time by an experienced game developer as a love project; funny enough, most of that is the case.”
- “It's so cute and simple; it seems to me that the developer used his own voice to produce all these funny sounds, but it turned out pretty fitting for the game's theme.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a heartwarming creator's note, which resonates positively with players, enhancing their overall experience.
- “The creators' note is heartwarming, and it's a good game too!”
- “This game made me feel a deep connection to the characters, and I found myself emotionally invested in their journeys.”
- “The story's emotional depth left me in tears; it truly resonated with my own experiences.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with many users noting its nostalgic similarities to Mario 64, contributing to an engaging and immersive experience.
- “I loved the atmosphere and the similarities to Mario 64.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players express frustration with grinding in games, often feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of battle passes, seasonal event challenges, competitive rankings, and the overall difficulty of gameplay. This aspect can lead to stress rather than enjoyment, highlighting a need for balance in game design.
- “Have you stressed yourself out with battle passes, seasonal event challenge deadlines, competitive rankings, farming, grinding, and just plain hard games?”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and often tedious, making it hard to enjoy the actual gameplay.”
- “I find the constant need to grind for resources and levels to be a major turn-off; it detracts from the fun.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The inclusion of a speedrunner mode significantly enhances the game's replayability, offering players new challenges and incentives to revisit the experience.
- “The fact that there's a speedrunner mode in this game just adds more replayability.”
- “Each playthrough offers different choices and outcomes, making you want to dive back in for a new experience.”
- “The variety of character builds and strategies keeps the gameplay fresh, encouraging multiple runs.”