HackyZack

About

"HackyZack" is a single-player platformer game with a good soundtrack, where you play as Zack, a regular kid who juggles balls with unique properties through precision-platforming puzzles to reach the goal in each stage. The game features over 100 levels with multiple ways to conquer them, and you can collect 55 unique stickers and unlock eight different characters. Optional challenge levels are available where you race against the clock to destroy targets as fast as possible.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

64%

Audience ScoreBased on 160 reviews

gameplay22 positive mentions

graphics4 negative mentions

Fun and interesting movement mechanics that provide a unique twist on platforming.
Challenging gameplay that offers a satisfying sense of accomplishment when mastering levels.
Great visuals and a catchy soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.

Controls can be frustrating, as movement and aiming are tied to the same input, leading to unintentional mistakes.
The difficulty spikes significantly, making it hard for casual players to progress without feeling overwhelmed.
Bugs and performance issues, such as frame rate drops, detract from the gameplay experience.

gameplay
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
5%
The gameplay in Hackyzack is characterized by its unique mechanics and challenging precision platforming, combining elements of juggling and movement that can be both rewarding and frustrating. While the game introduces new mechanics throughout its levels, players often find the controls difficult to master, leading to a steep learning curve. Overall, the gameplay is praised for its depth and creativity, though some players feel it could benefit from a more gradual introduction to its complex systems.
- “Very challenging and unique gameplay.”
- “The gameplay fits well with Hackyzack's peaceful atmosphere, having both an amazing soundtrack and a beautiful visual style.”
- “The developers do an amazing job at introducing, challenging, and then layering these mechanics.”
- “The game only gives you a few levels to get used to the mechanics and controls before throwing you right into the thick of things, with short but challenging levels requiring very precise movement and kicks.”
- “It's difficult not because the puzzles are well-designed or the mechanics require precision, but because you will find yourself constantly making tiny mistakes - like kicking a ball diagonally instead of straight up - which cost you the level.”
- “There is little meaningful sense of progression in the game – there are a large number of levels, but only every 10 or so levels do you get any real sense of progress, and even then, while the game adds new mechanics in each set of 10 levels, the levels themselves ultimately feel rather characterless.”
music
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
39%
8%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its vibrant, catchy, and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the overall experience. While some players found the character sounds distracting, the soundtrack is generally described as relaxing and well-suited to the game's challenging gameplay. Overall, the music is considered one of the standout features, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The game also features a great soundtrack that helps to set the mood.”
- “The music is chill, which is a wonderful juxtaposition to the very challenging gameplay.”
- “The overall appeal is good, from the art to the music to the gameplay.”
- “Art style is okay, but the music is lacking; there is nothing to this game.”
- “As for the music, well I've muted it, so I don't really remember it.”
- “It doesn't really matter in that kind of game; I'd rather listen to my own music.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
50%
29%
The graphics of the game are described as a simple yet charming retro pixel art style that fits the gameplay, though opinions vary on its execution. While some appreciate the bright and colorful visuals, others criticize the quality and suggest it lacks polish, with some even finding it unappealing compared to other platformers. Overall, the aesthetics are seen as adequate but not groundbreaking, with a mix of positive and negative feedback regarding their impact on the gaming experience.
- “Nothing will wow you, but it’s a well-executed art style that fits the gameplay.”
- “Excellent aesthetics.”
- “The graphics are bright, colorful, and exactly what you would expect from the developers of ink.”
- “Hackyzack is a lazy retro pixel 2D platformer where you kick a ball around, similar to some other platformers, only the graphics aren't as good.”
- “Apart from fixed resolution and horribly bad retro pixel graphics (hire an artist; if you can't afford to do this, you can't afford to be a game developer, so stop), the developers immediately insult every PC gamer by telling them not to use keyboard and mouse; instead, they want you to drop 50 IQ points and become a console peasant.”
- “Graphic bad gameplay not fun.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The game's story is largely absent, with no cutscenes or dialogue to provide context or emotional depth, leaving players with a series of challenges that feel disconnected and contrived. This lack of an overarching narrative results in minimal feelings of accomplishment, as there is little incentive beyond completing the challenges themselves. Overall, the storytelling aspect is criticized for being non-existent and failing to engage players meaningfully.
- “After some time watching sticker runs on YouTube and countless deaths, I picked up the move set and beat the story with most of the stickers.”
- “After all, if I made a game based on stamp-collecting, then tied it to words like loneliness or depression, I believe most people would reasonably conclude that's what I think of those enthusiasts. You don't have to insult them when you're the one who made stamp-collecting the focus of your game. Otherwise though, there's no cutscenes or dialogue, so this is the closest thing to a story or message that the game has.”
- “After all, if I made a game based on stamp-collecting, then tied it to words like loneliness or depression, I believe most people would reasonably conclude that's what I think of those enthusiasts. You don't have to insult them when you're the one who made stamp-collecting the focus of your game. Otherwise, though, there's no cutscenes or dialogue, so this is the closest thing to a story or message that the game has.”
- “There's no story, no scenario.”
- “And while this is not awful, it also means that you aren’t really left with much of a feeling of accomplishment, as little meaningful changes and the levels feel very contrived. There's no overarching story or plot or, indeed, any real incentive to beat the game other than 'well, this is a set of challenges to complete.'”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its beautiful visuals and atmospheric soundtrack, creating a relaxing and immersive experience. Players appreciate the combination of classy music and simple yet charming pixel animations that enhance the overall ambiance. However, some note that the control scheme may detract from the otherwise polished experience.
- “The gameplay fits well with Hackyzack's peaceful atmosphere, featuring an amazing soundtrack and a beautiful visual style.”
- “Classy music, relaxing atmosphere, and great polish.”
- “The visual design is beautifully simple, with lovely pixel animations and a 'chillout' kind of atmosphere.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes a strong emotional response by initially instilling a sense of confidence in players, only to challenge them with difficult levels that can lead to frustration and heartbreak. The condescending message about controller use adds to the emotional complexity, as players may feel undermined despite their skills. Overall, it creates a rollercoaster of emotions, from empowerment to disappointment.
- “This game will make you feel like a pro in no time, and then it will strip that away from you on the next heartbreaking level.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
Users find the game to be humorous overall, though some criticize the unintuitive controls, suggesting that the frustration may overshadow the comedic elements.
- “It's a funny game!”
- “The humor is spot-on and keeps you laughing throughout!”
- “I love the witty dialogue and hilarious situations the characters find themselves in!”
- “The controls are so unintuitive it's not funny.”
- “The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
- “I expected a lot of laughs, but the humor is stale and repetitive.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The stability of the game is heavily criticized, with users reporting poor controls, numerous bugs, and an unappealing color palette that detracts from the overall experience.
- “The controls are terrible, the game is filled with bugs, and the color palette is painful to look at.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the overall experience.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others report issues such as frame rate drops and long loading times. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary significantly across different hardware configurations.
- “The optimization in this game is outstanding, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
- “I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the performance, making it accessible for a wider range of players.”
- “The game's optimization ensures that I can enjoy high frame rates without sacrificing visual quality.”
- “The game runs poorly on even high-end systems, making it frustrating to play.”
- “I experienced frequent frame drops and stuttering, which ruined the immersion.”
- “The optimization is so bad that loading times are unacceptably long, even for simple tasks.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players feel that the grinding aspect detracts from the game's core mechanics, turning enjoyable gameplay into a tedious experience filled with repetitive jumps and obstacles.
- “The game's main mechanic and how much fun it was is put to the side, and you now get to avoid spikes and make tedious jumps.”
- “Grinding feels like a never-ending chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay invested in the story or characters.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players highlight the game's high replayability, noting that it offers abundant opportunities for revisiting and enjoying the experience multiple times.
- “Speaking of replay value, this game has oodles of it.”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes makes each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
- “With multiple paths and endings, I find myself coming back to explore every possibility.”

75%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

Review: HackyZack
Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.
Destructoid.com
75%

Buy HackyZack

10h Median play time

10h Average play time

10-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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Review: HackyZack

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