Castle on the Coast
- December 2, 2021
- Big Heart Productions
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Castle on the Coast" is a hand-drawn, retro 3D collectathon featuring an adorable giraffe named George. Explore challenging levels full of parkouring and platforming, from crystal caverns to alternate dimensions. In co-op mode, George can team up with a squirrel friend called Swirlz to bring together two powerful wizards and tackle themes of loss and conflict.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Phone
Playstation 4
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features charming visuals and a lighthearted, fun atmosphere that evokes nostalgia for classic platformers.
- The movement mechanics are highly praised for their fluidity and versatility, allowing for creative exploration and parkour.
- The game supports a good cause, with a portion of sales going to a children's hospital, adding a heartwarming element to the experience.
- The gameplay can feel overly easy and floaty, which may trivialize some platforming challenges.
- The story and character development are considered simplistic and underexplored, with some voice acting being inconsistent.
- Local co-op mode has significant issues, making it frustrating for players trying to coordinate with each other.
- gameplay52 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Castle on the Coast" is characterized by its fun, floaty mechanics that allow for creative exploration and platforming, providing a refreshing contrast to traditional titles. Players appreciate the variety of gameplay elements, including unique movement options and the ability to exploit mechanics for added freedom, though some find the floatiness a bit excessive. Overall, the game offers a charming and enjoyable experience, with a mix of engaging mechanics and speedrunning potential, despite its relatively short length.
“Even aside from those core mechanics, the variety on display is plentiful.”
“I bought it as a little thing to play on stream with friends, not expecting much, but what I got was a game full of love and charm and actually really, really fun gameplay and platforming!”
“While fairly easy and fairly short-- I was able to beat the game in just a little over 3 hours-- CotC's gameplay is incredibly fun.”
“My only major complaint is the gameplay is really floaty for some reason.”
“There are some underdeveloped elements, but they're what you would typically expect in a 3D platformer - janky vehicle segments meant to break up the gameplay.”
“While some games are focused on a single mechanic and iterate on that, Castle on the Coast pulls bits and pieces from a bunch of different games.”
- story36 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story is generally described as simple and charming, with a wholesome and light-hearted tone that appeals to both children and platforming veterans. While some find the voice acting and dialogue basic or amateurish, others appreciate the emotional depth and moral lessons woven into the narrative. Overall, the story enhances the gameplay experience, even if it lacks complexity and depth.
“The story is very tastefully written, and the voice acting is great.”
“It packs all this into a surprisingly mature, emotional story that had me tearing up at points.”
“On top of all of that, the levels are cute and inventive and the storyline is wholesome and has an actual moral to teach without speaking down to you.”
“The story and voice acting are basic and often amateur sounding, but it just made the game more charming to me.”
“If you're coming to COTC for its vast, interesting, and complex story, you're going to be let down.”
“No story, controls are broken, unplayable trash.”
- graphics30 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique, low-poly style that evokes a retro feel, appealing to some players while potentially alienating others who prefer more detailed visuals. Despite a limited budget, the visuals are described as colorful and friendly, complementing the gameplay well, though the simplistic design may not resonate with all audiences, particularly older players. Overall, the graphics contribute to a charming aesthetic that aligns with the game's target demographic of younger players.
“The low poly visuals are crisp and work well with the music.”
“There is a story with it and the cartoon 3D graphics are very colorful and friendly.”
“The graphics are unique and have some 'retro' feel, but the menu design and fonts scream 'mobile game.'”
“As you can tell from trailers and screenshots, the visuals are incredibly simplistic, which I respect both for ease of development and also as almost a callback to retro styles.”
“For some people though, lower poly graphics like this are a turnoff, so if that's you, then stylistically this isn't for you.”
- music14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as fitting and inoffensive, effectively setting the mood without being particularly remarkable. While some reviewers found it lacking, others appreciated its compatibility with the game's visuals and overall experience, contributing positively to the gameplay atmosphere.
“The low poly visuals are crisp and work well with the music.”
“It's definitely a must play for platformer lovers looking for a diverse and complex movement system, those new to speedrunning, and comes with a decent plot as well, with unlockable costumes, vehicles, secrets, and a sweet soundtrack.”
“Great controls, levels, and music.”
“The music is fairly lacking in my opinion, but it's still fairly fitting for the world this game takes place in.”
“The music is inoffensive.”
“The music is also fairly lacking in my opinion, but it's still fairly fitting for the world this game takes place in.”
- emotional12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its surprisingly mature and emotional storyline, which evokes strong feelings and even tears at times. While the dialogue may lack depth, the overall narrative is considered wholesome and meaningful, enhancing the emotional experience alongside cute and inventive gameplay. Players appreciate the heartfelt and fun atmosphere, making it a memorable emotional journey.
“It packs all this into a surprisingly mature, emotional story that had me tearing up at points.”
“Castle on the coast is a somber, heartfelt and fun experience.”
“Granted, the dialogue itself isn't anything to write home about, and the story isn't meant to be anything more complex than tic-tac-toe, but you can tell it wasn't done out of obligation, but rather as an effort to add to the emotional fun of the game.”
- stability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while it generally runs well with impressive level design and charm, players have reported issues with the sphere's speed and occasional physics glitches that can lead to unintended character launches.
“Castle on the Coast is really pretty, runs great, has stellar level design, and has tons of charm.”
“The sphere rolling, while mostly controllable, also goes way too fast, and sometimes, the physics glitches out, rocketing George into the air unintentionally.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its cute and humorous tone, featuring entertaining parkour challenges and amusing characters. Players appreciate the lightheartedness and comedic elements that enhance the overall experience.
“Very cute and humorous game with fun parkour challenges, some involving vehicles.”
“Funny characters!”
