Beeny

About

"Beeny" is a single-player platformer game with stunning early 90s prerendered graphics and stunning music. The game features 9 levels with replay value and a few secrets to discover, all while controlling a very round bee. "Beeny" serves as a prelude to the game "Super Kiwi 64."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 382 reviews

music37 positive mentions

Beeny is a charming and nostalgic platformer that captures the essence of classic Donkey Kong Country games with its beautiful pre-rendered graphics and catchy soundtrack.
The gameplay is simple yet enjoyable, allowing players to complete the game in under an hour while still providing a fun experience with tight controls and unique level mechanics.
For its low price, Beeny offers great value, with additional content like time trials and a bonus level that enhances replayability.

The game is extremely short, with many players completing it in under 30 minutes, leading to concerns about its overall content and depth.
There is a lack of challenge, as players cannot die or lose progress, which may make the gameplay feel repetitive and less engaging over time.
Some players noted technical issues, such as the inability to exit the game without force quitting, and a desire for more varied gameplay mechanics.

music
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
40%
4%
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its high quality and catchy nature, often comparing it favorably to the iconic soundtracks of the Donkey Kong Country series. Players appreciate the nostalgic SNES-inspired sound, describing it as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience, making the game feel charming and enjoyable despite its brevity. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a major highlight, elevating the game's appeal significantly.
- “The music is spectacular and the gameplay is weirdly addictive despite its simplicity.”
- “The soundtrack is fantastic.”
- “The art direction and music absolutely nails it.”
- “Seriously, there is absolutely no need for this game to have such a peak soundtrack.”
- “Sound effects are really subdued here, we mostly hear music, not much in way of sound feedback.”
- “This game appeals to the male fantasy of being a fat (rotund, even) bee, bouncing around in pre-rendered levels while catchy music plays.”
graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
60%
7%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming, nostalgic aesthetic reminiscent of the classic Donkey Kong Country series, featuring well-executed pre-rendered visuals that evoke a strong sense of 16-bit nostalgia. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to replicate the iconic SNES look and feel, complemented by a fitting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are considered a major highlight, making the game a delightful homage to its inspirations.
- “This is probably the most successful attempt I've seen at recreating the Donkey Kong Country prerendered graphics.”
- “The graphics and music are really really good and replicate the DKC style perfectly.”
- “Graphically, the game looks really good, a big throwback to what Rare did with the Donkey Kong Country series on the SNES.”
- “The graphics have a crushed, pixellated 16-bit look to them, like something on a real SNES.”
- “I actually quite liked the SNES-like graphics (that seem inspired by the Donkey Kong Country games), and the music is quite nice (although I was constantly hearing a distracting static noise in the background, which was weird).”
- “For a game that has the pre-rendered aesthetic just like the 90s games made by Rare Studios (Rareware), wooo man!”
gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
65%
12%
The gameplay is characterized by simple, vertical platforming mechanics that are engaging without being overly challenging, making it accessible for players. While the game features a modest variety of level mechanics and nostalgic graphics reminiscent of classic titles, some reviewers noted that the gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth. Overall, it offers a charming experience with addictive elements, though it may benefit from additional levels and mechanics in a potential sequel.
- “All the platforming is vertical and you can't die or lose a level; however, the special level mechanics of each stage make it so the game is in the perfect sweet spot of not hard but not too easy.”
- “The music is spectacular and the gameplay is weirdly addictive despite its simplicity.”
- “Beeny is cute, but the gameplay is very dry.”
- “Even if the medals had tighter times, the levels themselves would still be extremely bland mechanically and not that interesting.”
- “As far as the gameplay, this is a sidescrolling platformer with unique physics and a very basic concept of jumping from platform to platform while progressing vertically instead of horizontally to reach the top of the level and collect honey pieces.”
story
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
36%
27%
The story in "Beeny" is simple yet charming, revolving around a bee helping a friend collect honey to repair a raft. While the narrative is straightforward, it is enhanced by emotional moments, likable characters, and engaging gameplay mechanics. The game's nostalgic graphics and soundtrack complement the experience, making it a delightful prologue to the larger Kiwi story.
- “Such an emotional and inspiring story that had me tearing up at points.”
- “The music is good, the controls are easy, the story is straightforward and the main characters are friendly and likeable.”
- “Story: almost no story, you must get to the end to help your friend.”
- “Beeny, which was released in 2022, is a story of a bee helping collect honey for their friend to repair a raft. The game shows you bouncing up trees to reach a beehive and collect honey; that's pretty much it, but it introduces new mechanics like enemies and windy rain, though none of them overstay their welcome.”
- “Also, the story and the SNES-style graphics and soundtrack were all super charming - I was worried they would carry an otherwise boring game, but they were just the icing on the cake.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The game's replayability is generally viewed as limited but enjoyable, with features like time attack modes and unlockable characters providing some incentive to revisit. While many players appreciate the casual, fun experience and the ability to complete it in one sitting, others note a lack of challenge and depth that diminishes long-term replay value. Overall, it offers a lighthearted experience with some replay elements, but may not satisfy those seeking significant challenges.
- “It's a short, easy game (and I'm not joking, you can't die in this game) that offers a good time with a little bit of replayability, especially with the time attack mode and Toree being playable. I would recommend it.”
- “It's cheap, like cheaper than a drink, and you can play it forever. A drink will run out, but with all the big games coming out that you know you won't finish, this game is easy and fun to complete in one sitting. Plus, there is a timed mode when you finish, so there's even more replay value.”
- “Beeny (the game) is very fun and replayable, offering both time trials and Toree from another Siactro game as unlockable options after your first playthrough.”
- “That aside, €1 or not, it's demo content + promotional content (SK 64 extra (mini) stage) + 1 extra level to speedrun; went to speedrun the special level, but concluded there's no incentive for speedrunning/0 challenge either, so replay value?”
- “There is zero difficulty and zero 'replay value' despite what the store page says.”
- “All in all, the game is not very challenging in that regard although a time challenge opens up upon beating the game, providing a bit more of replay value.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its lighthearted and whimsical nature, centered around a comical bee character. Players find the game amusing and entertaining, despite its simplicity, making it a delightful short platformer experience.
- “Funny little bee.”
- “Good short vertical platformer with a funny bee.”
- “Not much to it, but still a funny little game.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by its charming pre-rendered graphics and nostalgic retro feel, enhanced by a fitting musical score. Players appreciate the cute and engaging level designs, with particular praise for the atmosphere in specific missions, highlighting a strong sense of immersion.
- “It has pre-rendered graphics like DKC, and the atmosphere of the levels is cute!”
- “Even the music enhances the atmosphere very nicely.”
- “The third-to-last mission is my favorite; the atmosphere is so cool.”
- “Just a cheap experience with retro atmosphere.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its deeply emotional and inspiring narrative, evoking strong feelings that can lead to tears of joy for players.
- “Such an emotional and inspiring story that had me tearing up at points.”
- “Made me cry from joy.”