Lizard

About Lizard

Lizard is a single player open world platformer game. It was developed by rainwarrior and was released on March 4, 2018. It received very positive reviews from players.

Put on a lizard and go for an adventure! Six different ones are scattered across the land, each with a special ability. Carefully hop your way to the top of an active volcano. Surf down a surging river. Swim an underwater lake. Ascend a snowy mountaintop. Can you unravel the mysteries of Lizard?

Skip Games Like Lizard

Looking for games like Lizard? Here are top open world platformer recommendations, selected from player-similarity data — start with Super Win the Game, Environmental Station Alpha or Alwa's Awakening.

89%754reviews

Super Win the Game

2014

Open World Platformer

83%1.3kreviews

Environmental Station Alpha

2015

Platformer

76%862reviews

Alwa's Awakening

2017

Arcade Platformer

79%311reviews

Cursed Castilla

2016

Arcade Platformer

+12

87%887reviews

Astalon: Tears of the Earth

2021

Platformer

88%2.5kreviews

Haiku, the Robot

2022

Open World Platformer

91%2.1kreviews

Corn Kidz 64

2023

Arcade Platformer

83%375reviews

Alwa's Legacy

2020

Platformer

90%8.1kreviews

The Messenger

2018

Arcade Platformer

87%7.4kreviews

Axiom Verge

2015

Platformer

+15

More games like Lizard

Skip User Reviews

Reviews

93%Audience ScoreBased on 29 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Authentic NES game experience with genuine 8-bit graphics, sound, and gameplay designed specifically for the NES hardware.
Large, open world with non-linear exploration, multiple lizard skins providing unique abilities, and multiple bosses, offering high replay value.
Challenging and rewarding for fans of retro platformers, with great music, atmosphere, and tight, classic platforming mechanics once you get used to the controls.

Controls are intentionally slippery and floaty, which some players find frustrating and detrimental to platforming precision.
Sparse and counter-intuitive save system and checkpoints, with progress often lost on reset and frequent backtracking required due to lizard swapping mechanics.
Lack of guidance and in-game maps leads to confusion and a sometimes overwhelming sense of aimlessness; some level design and enemy placement can feel random and punishing.

gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32% positive mentions, 52% neutral mentions, 16% negative mentions
The gameplay delivers a nostalgic, old-school platforming experience that appeals primarily to hardcore retro fans, with challenging mechanics and precise controls that require adaptation. However, its simplicity, awkward controls, uninspired mechanics, and lack of engaging progression may deter casual players seeking more modern or dynamic gameplay. While some praise its charm and level variety, others find it bare-bones and lacking in compelling features.
- “To truly appreciate this game, you must be willing to step back in time—not just in terms of visuals, but in gameplay philosophy as well.”
- “While it runs flawlessly on modern hardware, every aspect of its design is a love letter to a bygone era, eschewing contemporary mechanics in favor of a pure, old-school experience.”
- “The fact of the matter is that this game features some of the best gameplay on the NES (even compared to the original classics on the system), as well as more love and charm than many other games could dream of having.”
- “To purposely design a control mechanic like this seems to be pandering to the small group of people who felt that overcoming a game's bad control physics was just as much a part of the challenge as the rest of the game and that this was a legitimate feature.”
- “Every gameplay aspect that it hints at has not only been done before but done in far superior ways by the multitude of great classics that served as its inspiration.”
- “The controls aren't terrible but they do remain awkward and inhibit a decent platforming experience, the world is visually unappealing and small (albeit very open), the gameplay is uninspired and about as bare-bones as you can get, the lizard switching mechanic isn't intriguing or compelling, enemy placement feels too random for good level design, and perhaps worst of all there is simply no drive to continue after you've seen most, if not all, of the world which doesn't take long for the average player.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31% positive mentions, 46% neutral mentions, 23% negative mentions
The game's graphics effectively embrace a nostalgic 8-bit NES aesthetic, enhanced by authentic retro elements like a 4:3 resolution and CRT-style scan lines, creating a charming and immersive visual experience. While some find the world design a bit chaotic, overall the visuals are praised for their detail, atmosphere, and fitting style that complements the gameplay and evokes classic gaming nostalgia.
- “The developers have gone the extra mile to make it feel authentic, offering settings that enhance the retro aesthetic, such as a classic 4:3 resolution ratio and CRT-style scan lines.”
- “Stunning world and level design, great graphics and atmosphere.”
- “Music is great, graphics are cute, and the feel of the game is just right.”
- “In terms of graphics, the world layout of Lizard is such a hodgepodge mess of randomized locales and sprites that it comes off as a digital 8-bit dadaist nightmare.”
- “While that fundamentally may be what all NES games were, the good ones at least disguised this well with enjoyable gameplay elements and pleasing visuals.”
- “The visuals of Lizard are pretty self-explanatory.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58% positive mentions, 42% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its exceptional chiptune soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere across diverse levels, from eerie deep sea themes to energetic mechanical beats. Composed by Brad Smith, the memorable and dynamic music significantly elevates the gameplay experience and is highly recommended for chiptune enthusiasts. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that players continue to enjoy long after playing.
- “The soundtrack here is a must for chiptune enthusiasts.”
- “But well... I was already aware that the soundtrack was going to be a masterpiece of chiptune as I'm very much acquainted with Brad Smith's works - but the way it accompanies the game turns the experience into a dream.”
- “This is the kind of soundtrack that you remember for a long time, and revisit just to listen to years later when you can't get a certain tune out of your head.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
The story is intentionally minimalistic, reflecting a simple, classic NES-style plot focused on basic protagonist versus antagonist conflict. While there is no complex narrative, this straightforward approach is seen as a strength by some players who appreciate its nostalgic simplicity.
- “There is no story to be found here and that's not necessarily a bad thing.”
- “Virtually every NES game of this type consisted of one simple non-complex plot point: 'you are the protagonist, stop the antagonist from doing antagonistic thing.' So as a matter of personal taste, I really think this is one of the strong points of the game.”
- “It has since been confirmed that this was purposely done by the developer so if his intent was to re-capture the feeling of sloppy controls that plagued so many NES games back in the day, well, mission accomplished.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
Users praise the game for its stunning world and level design, highlighting the impressive graphics that contribute to an immersive and captivating atmosphere.
- “Stunning world and level design, great graphics and atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The emotional experience is hindered by a lack of meaningful consequence, as progress between checkpoints isn't saved, diminishing the impact of player actions and reducing overall engagement.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability, thanks to an enjoyable engine, appealing music, and engaging exploratory gameplay.
- “Lots of replay value—the engine feels good, the music's good, and it's just fun to wander around and explore.”