Leap Year

About

Leap Year is a single player platformer game. It was developed by Daniel Linssen and was released on June 13, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Leap Year" is a charming, compact platformer focused on exploration and discovery. Traverse a hand-drawn world, uncover hidden paths, and collect calendar pages to reveal the game's secrets. Enjoy a soothing soundtrack, numerous achievements, and a few dancing friends across 40+ rooms in this two-hour experience. This game was commissioned by the experimental Dutch indie studio, Sokpop Collective.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 778 reviews

gameplay64 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Leap Year features clever level design that encourages exploration and discovery, making every moment feel rewarding.
The game subverts traditional platforming mechanics by introducing fall damage, creating unique and engaging puzzles that challenge players' understanding of movement.
With its charming art style and delightful surprises, Leap Year provides a short but memorable experience that doesn't overstay its welcome.

The platforming can feel frustrating at times due to the clumsy controls and the punishing fall damage mechanic, which may lead to repeated deaths.
Some players may find the lack of clear guidance and excessive backtracking in the later stages to be tedious and confusing.
The game is quite short, which may leave some players wanting more content or a longer experience.

gameplay
191 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
64%
2%
The gameplay of "Leap Year" is characterized by its clever and innovative mechanics that gradually unfold, providing players with a satisfying sense of discovery and challenge. While the initial learning curve can be frustrating due to the simplicity of controls, the game's masterful level design and the introduction of new mechanics keep the experience engaging and rewarding. Overall, it offers a short yet deeply enjoyable puzzle-platforming experience that encourages exploration and problem-solving without overstaying its welcome.
- “A beautifully crafted platformer that subverts a very basic mechanic (jumping), and then just goes nuts with explorations of it, along with the introduction of other mechanics in ways that always feel unexpected and delightful.”
- “The game does a very nice job of getting you to discover its various mechanics, and the final puzzle/endgame twist was very enjoyable, a nice new brainteaser to cap everything off.”
- “Constantly brilliant level design that subtly teaches you the hidden mechanics of everything is what makes this game excellent.”
- “The main gameplay mechanic can be a little frustrating, especially at the beginning, as it’s easy to mess up even straightforward jumps.”
- “Only negatives are that some details of the 'bouncing' mechanic are hard to understand and sometimes it takes luck to discover part of the map.”
- “The mechanics are unfortunately also very poorly conceived and designed.”
music
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
33%
11%
The music in the game is generally praised for its charm and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its catchy and enjoyable qualities. However, some players found the music to be repetitive and occasionally disruptive, particularly during frustrating moments like death animations. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong complement to the game's visuals and gameplay, contributing to a pleasant and engaging experience.
- “The visuals and music work together well and fit the gameplay nicely, making it a really pleasant experience.”
- “A beautiful soundtrack and enjoyable experience.”
- “Joyful music, some head-scratching puzzles, and great ah-ha moments.”
- “The music is repetitive wallpaper.”
- “- the death animation is way too long and the music slowing down and cutting off is incredibly annoying, especially for a game where any wrong move will kill you, and I died a lot.”
- “The music plays like a record scratch to your actions.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
33%
13%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and effective art style, which complements the gameplay and enhances the overall atmosphere. While some reviewers noted that the hand-drawn visuals can be visually noisy or simplistic, many found them to be delightful and fitting for the genre. The combination of appealing graphics and engaging music creates a memorable and enjoyable experience for players.
- “The visuals and music work together well and fit the gameplay nicely, making it a really pleasant experience.”
- “The visuals are simple but charming, and the sound and music is great.”
- “Loved the art style, loved the music, absolute recommend to anyone who likes platformers who push the genre.”
- “- The wibbly wobbly hand-drawn art style seems like a poor fit for a game where you need to exactly know how many squares there are.”
- “- It's visually quite noisy, despite the simple art style.”
- “- The art style is very similar to [i]an untitled story[/i].”
humor
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever and unexpected mechanics, particularly the absurdity of dying from a simple jump, which adds both challenge and amusement. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to maintain a lighthearted tone through its level design and deadpan humor, making the experience feel engaging and entertaining. Overall, the combination of creative puzzles and a whimsical approach to platforming results in a fun and memorable gaming experience that elicits genuine laughter.
- “The central conceit, that your normal jump kills you when you land, is a hilarious idea that led to creative puzzles and kept messing with my mind and muscle memory right up to the end of the game.”
- “This game is amazing at using its mechanics to deliver a tightly-designed, fun, and surprisingly hilarious experience.”
- “Very cute and clever little platformer that made me laugh out loud multiple times.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game's story aspect is minimal, with many users noting the absence of a traditional narrative or lore, likening its visual style to "An Untitled Story." While it lacks a defined plot or ending, players find enjoyment in its puzzle-platforming mechanics and nostalgic art style, emphasizing that the experience is more about fun than storytelling.
- “Great fun, reminded me of an untitled story with its simple OST and visual style, which only endeared me more to it.”
- “There's no story, no real lore, no world, no real ending.”
- “A neat little puzzle-platformer, reminiscent of a deep forest or an untitled story.”
- “Reminded me of an untitled story and some other old classic indie games.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly during backtracking and certain puzzle mechanics, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. While some acknowledge that it can be manageable, others feel it hampers their desire to complete the game. Overall, the grinding is seen as a mixed experience, with calls for improved checkpoint systems in challenging sections.
- “Got near the end, but I found it more tedious than fun, and I don't think I'll finish it.”
- “That's one of my main complaints with these types of games: the backtracking can feel quite tedious when you just want to work on a puzzle.”
- “Nice game, but the main game mechanic can get annoying and tedious (anti-platformer muscle memory). The last 'puzzles' really need some more checkpoints, but overall good game.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a strong emotional connection to the game, often finishing with smiles and feelings of nostalgia reminiscent of classic indie titles. The gameplay elicits a range of emotions, from laughter to moments of cleverness, contributing to a memorable and engaging experience.
- “No joke, I finished the game with a smile on my face and even felt a little emotional for some reason.”
- “This is one of the best games I've ever played; it made me laugh, it made me gasp, and it made me feel really smart and really silly.”
- “Made me feel like I was playing an old indie game from the days of VVVVVV, Star Guard, and Knytt.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The game offers high replayability due to its engaging puzzles, which players often forget, encouraging multiple playthroughs. Additionally, the potential for speedrunning adds an extra layer of challenge and replay value. Overall, it is praised as a standout puzzle platformer with lasting appeal.
- “Best puzzle platformer I've played in a while, great art, nice vibes, and just great overall. Plus, there is a lot of replayability (I've already forgotten the solutions to a lot of the puzzles) and the potential for speedrunning is also there.”
- “Replayability is high for the speed achievements.”
- “Once you complete the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
- “The lack of varied endings makes replaying the game feel redundant.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Players note that while mastering the game mechanics and puzzles is essential, there remains a significant focus on path optimization, suggesting that strategic movement and planning are key to enhancing gameplay efficiency.
- “The optimization features really enhance the gameplay experience, allowing for strategic planning and efficient resource management.”
- “I love how the game encourages players to think critically about their choices, making optimization a key part of the strategy.”
- “After you've learned the game mechanics and solutions to all the puzzles, there is still path optimization to be done.”
- “The game suffers from severe performance issues, making it frustrating to navigate through levels.”
- “Optimization feels lacking, as the game often lags during critical moments, impacting the overall experience.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its charming visuals and enjoyable music, with a well-integrated map that enhances the overall experience.
- “The visuals, music, and atmosphere are really charming and enjoyable, and I liked how the map fit together.”