Rikki & Vikki

About

Rikki & Vikki is a single player and multiplayer arcade platformer game. It was developed by PenguiNet and was released on December 26, 2018. It received very positive reviews from players.

Puzzling Action for One or Two Players.

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91%

Audience ScoreBased on 100 reviews

music16 positive mentions

Exceptional cooperative gameplay that creates a unique and rewarding puzzle-platform experience.
Authentic and charming 8-bit era presentation with colorful pixel art and an outstanding chiptune soundtrack.
Well-designed puzzles that blend reflexes, timing, and teamwork, offering a challenging but fair difficulty curve with options for infinite lives.

High difficulty with some frustrating boss fights that rely heavily on trial-and-error and tight timing, which may discourage some players.
Controls can feel slippery and imprecise, especially on keyboard, making precise platforming more challenging.
Single-player mode is less dynamic and the game requires local co-op to access the true ending, limiting enjoyment for players without a cooperative partner.

music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
53%
The game's music is widely praised for its authentic, intricate chiptune soundtrack that expertly balances whimsy and tension, often considered exceptional for an Atari 7800 title. Composed by Rushjet1 and others, the catchy, lush 8-bit style tracks significantly enhance the nostalgic experience and stand out as a major highlight, earning comparisons to top-tier game soundtracks. Overall, the soundtrack greatly complements the visuals and gameplay, elevating the game's retro charm and replayability.
- “Rushjet1 really outdid himself with the soundtrack in this one, and it's quite possibly the best soundtrack I've heard for a game (and I've played Toby Fox's games).”
- “One of the strongest points of the game is its gorgeous soundtrack that pushes the original hardware to its breaking point!”
- “The music manages to balance whimsy and tension, keeping players engaged even through the most grueling levels.”
gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
55%
9%
The gameplay offers a challenging, skill-based puzzle-platforming experience rooted in clear, intuitive mechanics that gradually increase in complexity across varied levels and boss fights. Emphasizing mastery of block manipulation, timing, and coordination, it delivers solid controls (best with a controller), rewarding both solo and cooperative play with distinct puzzle variations. The game’s old-school NES-inspired design prioritizes gameplay clarity and difficulty, appealing to players who enjoy thoughtful, retro-style challenges.
- “The challenge lies not just in the platforming itself, but in understanding the mechanical logic behind each level.”
- “Early levels ease players into the mechanics, giving them space to experiment with movement and coordination, but the game gradually increases in complexity, introducing layered puzzles that require multiple steps to solve.”
- “An excellent little platformer with a strong central mechanic of block manipulation, good level design and nice difficulty curve.”
- “It may advertise itself as such but any puzzle mechanics are near vestigial.”
- “It will most likely take you multiple tries to get through some of the levels, and you will definitely need to make many attempts to figure boss mechanics and execution.”
- “Despite how much the developers expanded on this mechanic as the game went on, I feel like they've barely scratched the surface, and could expand on it even further (perhaps with a sequel if that ever happens).”
graphics
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
19%
11%
The game's graphics authentically capture the late 1980s and Atari 7800 aesthetic with colorful, clear visuals that prioritize gameplay readability. Reviewers praise its polished 8-bit style and cartoonish design, highlighting how it rivals NES/famicom graphics while complementing the gameplay and vintage chiptune soundtrack. Overall, the graphics are considered top-notch, beautifully crafted, and a standout feature that enhances the nostalgic and engaging experience.
- “The visuals are colorful but deliberate, designed with a clarity that prioritizes gameplay readability over ornamental detail.”
- “The retro graphics are very beautiful and made with care, and the whole game in general is pleasing to the eye.”
- “It faithfully recreates the feel of an authentic NES-era game in every aspect down to the character design, and the gameplay is really solid and original. I love the art style and the music!”
- “This game is an amazing throwback to the 7800 days with both its graphics and gameplay.”
- “This Atari 7800 game really surprised me and comparing this to NES/Famicom graphics is really on par with it.”
- “Anyways, all the puzzles reward working together as a team and it captures the arcadey old-styled games very well, with the game mechanics, graphics, and escalating but thrilling difficulty.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story is minimal and primarily serves as a simple, charming setup with some entertaining introductory animations. While the narrative is limited and may disappoint those seeking a deeper plot, it complements the gameplay, especially in co-op mode, which reveals more of the story. Overall, the story acts more as a light, fun backdrop to the puzzle-focused experience.
- “As others have said, the sprites are very charming despite the authentically lo-fi presentation, and the slideshow intro story is nothing short of fantastic.”
- “Rikki and Vikki features a rather simple story told in a funny intro with nice cartoony graphics, but that's just an excuse for some great puzzle actions.”
- “There’s also minimal narrative content beyond the initial setup and a few interstitial animations, which may leave players seeking a more story-driven experience unsatisfied.”
- “Extremely fun for both singleplayer and multiplayer co-op (the puzzles are different), but co-op is really the intended method, and you won't get the full story without it.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The character development is praised for its impressive and authentic NES-era-inspired designs, with visually appealing characters and engaging enemy interactions that enhance the overall gameplay experience. The art style is consistently complemented by excellent music and execution.
- “All of the character designs look amazing, and it's super fun to see how new enemies will look and interact with the environment.”
- “The music, character design and overall execution is excellent.”
- “It faithfully recreates the feel of an authentic NES-era game in every aspect down to the character design and the gameplay is really solid and original; I love the art style and the music!”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a lighthearted and funny tone, highlighted by a humorous intro and entertaining in-world cutscenes. Its simple, cartoony style complements the playful humor without overshadowing the challenging puzzle gameplay.
- “Rikki and Vikki features a rather simple story told in a funny intro with nice cartoony graphics, but that's just an excuse for some great puzzle actions.”
- “A couple of quality of life enhancements are added to the game not to discourage the more casual players due to its difficulty (unlimited continues), but those are completely optional and presented as a funny in-world cutscene.”
- “Funny fox game.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers impressive replayability, especially for an Atari 7600 title, with engaging content complemented by standout art and music.
- “I like the art style, the music is amazing, and for an Atari 7600 game, it's packed with content and replayability.”