Cosmic Leap

If looks were everything, Cosmic Leap would be getting a stratospheric review score, and Donald Trump wouldn’t be president. Unfortunately, despite Cosmic Leap‘s endearing voxel graphics and cutesy pop-culture references, this simple little platformer won’t be blasting off much further than the digital bargain bin.

61%Game Brain Score

graphics, music

gameplay, story

63% User Score Based on 104 reviews

Critic Score 50%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $0.99

Buy NowGet on Steam $0.99

About

Cosmic Leap is a single player puzzle game. It was developed by Michael Hall and was released on March 17, 2016. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

"Cosmic Leap" is a challenging reaction-based game, where you jump from planet to planet, avoiding obstacles and blasting off to safety. With 100 levels, 40 characters, and 9 rocketships to unlock, players can test their skills and collect coins while enjoying colorful voxel graphics and retro arcade sounds. Optional retro TV game effect and full controller support make the experience even more enjoyable .

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 104 reviews

graphics8 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game has a fun and colorful concept with varied character designs and levels that keep gameplay interesting.
Despite its simplicity, the game can be enjoyable and provides a challenge that requires patience and skill to master.
The price point is low, making it accessible for casual gamers looking for a quick distraction.

The controls are frustrating and non-intuitive, making it difficult to navigate and enjoy the gameplay.
The graphics are minimalistic and lack polish, resembling a low-quality mobile app rather than a serious PC game.
Many players found the game to be shallow and lacking depth, with limited replay value and a short completion time.

graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
The game's graphics are characterized by a minimalist, low-polygon retro style that some players criticize as lazy and unrefined, reminiscent of early 1990s 3D games. However, others appreciate the voxel art and varied character designs, noting that the simplistic visuals contribute to a charming retro aesthetic that complements the gameplay. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some praising the artistic choices while others see them as a lack of effort.
- “Cosmic Leap's simplistic approach and minimalistic graphics are interspersed with varied, fun character designs and levels which often change up the base gameplay.”
- “Cosmic Leap is a great little adventure game whose voxel art approach to graphics and arcade-type sounds give it a retro feeling.”
- “On the other hand, Cosmic Leap has impressive visuals and an undisturbing but yet good soundtrack.”
- “The lack of textures is a method that lazy developers often use to disguise their lack of talent or interest in doing the graphics properly, trying to pass it off as 'art' or 'we made it look bad on purpose', which really isn't something gamers should have to put up with.”
- “The retro-modern, cathode-ray tube, 8-bit, pseudo-3D graphics leave much to be desired and feel outdated.”
- “The graphics are disappointing and lack the detail and polish expected from modern games.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The music in "Cosmic Leap" is praised for its electronic, upbeat background and retro 8-bit sound effects, enhancing the overall gaming experience. While the soundtrack is enjoyable and complements the game's visuals, some players noted that it can become monotonous after extended play. Overall, the sound design significantly contributes to the game's appeal, keeping players engaged throughout.
- “Cosmic Leap's sound design and music added a lot to my enjoyment of the game, embodying electronic/upbeat background music with retro/8-bit style sound effects, from the rumbling engine of your spaceship to the oft-heard jumping sound effect and the crumbly, lo-fi sound when you meet your demise.”
- “On the other hand, Cosmic Leap has impressive visuals and a good, undisturbing soundtrack.”
- “I was skeptical this wouldn't be one of those cheap, quickly-thrown-together simplistic titles that I play for a few minutes then never bother to boot up again, but I'm glad I gave it a chance as its frequently-changing levels and constant character unlocks (in addition to its enjoyable music and funny overall gameplay) kept me coming back until I had at least completed the game.”
- “The music may get a bit monotonous after playing for a while.”
- “[0.4] sound & music”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
Cosmic Leap features straightforward gameplay centered around rotating around a planet and timing jumps, enhanced by frequently changing levels and character unlocks that keep players engaged for 2-4 hours. While the minimalistic graphics and fun character designs add charm, the game suffers from glitchy controls and a lackluster plot, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these flaws, the enjoyable music and humor contribute to a surprisingly addictive gameplay loop.
- “Cosmic Leap's simplistic approach and minimalistic graphics are interspersed with varied, fun character designs and levels which often change up the base gameplay.”
- “I was skeptical this wouldn't be one of those cheap, quickly-thrown-together simplistic titles that I play for a few minutes then never bother to boot up again when first seeing its screenshots and limited gameplay, but I'm glad I gave it a chance as its frequently-changing levels and constant character unlocks (in addition to its enjoyable music and funny overall gameplay) kept me coming back until I had at least completed the game, which took about 2-4 hours depending on how many levels I churned through without running into one that gave me trouble.”
- “There is a plot so bad that the game would be better off without one, glitchy gameplay, finicky movement and controls, and the ending is literally the game telling you to go back and do all the levels that were presented as optional in the beginning just so you can get one extra character.”
- “The game's simple, initial mechanic of 'rotate around a planet and time your stopping and jumping to progress' is pretty straightforward.”
- “I was skeptical this wouldn't be one of those cheap, quickly-thrown-together simplistic titles that I play for a few minutes then never bother to boot up again when first seeing its screenshots and limited gameplay, but I'm glad I gave it a chance as its frequently-changing levels and constant character unlocks kept me coming back until I had at least completed the game, which took about 2-4 hours depending on how many levels I churned through without running into one that gave me trouble.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
49%
38%
The game's story is criticized for being poorly constructed, with some reviewers suggesting it would be better without a plot altogether. While there is an attempt to convey a moral about perseverance, the execution is undermined by glitchy gameplay and a frustrating ending that forces players to revisit optional levels for minimal rewards.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “There is a plot so bad that the game would be better off without one. Glitchy gameplay, finicky movement and controls, and the ending is literally the game telling you to go back and do all the levels that were presented as optional in the beginning just so you can get one extra character.”
- “The storyline is lacking and fails to engage the player.”
- “The game story is poorly executed and detracts from the overall experience.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a humorous and quirky aesthetic, with characters that, despite having no spoken dialogue or unique abilities, showcase distinct personalities through their designs. Players appreciate the engaging and funny gameplay, which, combined with frequent character unlocks and changing levels, keeps them entertained and returning for more. Overall, the humor is a significant draw, enhancing the experience beyond initial skepticism about its simplicity.
- “All of the characters control the same and have no spoken dialog or abilities, but they each have their own funny personality conveyed through their design, and I was always excited to see who I had unlocked next.”
- “I was skeptical this wouldn't be one of those cheap, quickly-thrown-together simplistic titles that I play for a few minutes then never bother to boot up again when first seeing its screenshots and limited gameplay, but I'm glad I gave it a chance as its frequently-changing levels and constant character unlocks (in addition to its enjoyable music and funny overall gameplay) kept me coming back until I had at least completed the game, which took about 2-4 hours depending on how many levels I churned through without running into one that gave me trouble.”
- “Unusual and funny-looking gameplay, frankly a puzzle consisting of finding the right time to jump and leap.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
Cosmic Leap offers moderate replayability primarily through character and rocketship skin unlocks, which players can achieve by timing their runs to catch a flying rocketship during levels. While the game lacks depth, the variety of unlockable characters, ranging from whimsical to fantastical, provides an incentive for players to revisit levels.
- “Cosmic Leap offers a unique replayability factor as players can unlock a wide variety of characters by timing their runs to jump into a passing rocketship. This adds an exciting layer of challenge and discovery, with characters ranging from Skeletor lookalikes to dinosaurs and cosmonauts, along with various skins for the rocketship.”
- “The replay value in Cosmic Leap is significantly enhanced by the thrill of unlocking new characters. Players are encouraged to perfect their timing to catch the rocketship, leading to a diverse collection of characters and rocketship skins that keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.”
- “In Cosmic Leap, the quest to unlock characters by timing your jumps into a flying rocketship creates a compelling reason to replay levels. The variety of characters and rocketship skins available adds depth to the experience, making each playthrough feel unique.”
- “Cosmic Leap doesn't have a ton of depth, with much of its replay value coming from seeing what characters you can unlock by timing your run through a level to reach and jump into a rocketship that's flying by somewhere during that stage before it's out of reach. By doing this, you unlock a deluge of characters from Skeletor-lookalikes to dinosaurs to cosmonauts, with a similar variety being offered in various skins for the rocketship you have to reach.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in Cosmic Leap is characterized by a simplistic approach complemented by diverse and engaging character designs, which enhance the gameplay experience. The minimalistic graphics serve as a backdrop for these varied characters, contributing to a dynamic and enjoyable gaming environment.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits stability issues, particularly freezing when accessing the Steam overlay and when adjusting screen resolution. These bugs have been reported multiple times by users, indicating a consistent problem.
- “There are a couple of bugs where the game freezes upon opening the Steam overlay and when you fiddle with the screen resolution.”