Ruffy and the Riverside

About

Ruffy and the Riverside is a single player platformer game with a kids theme. It was developed by Zockrates Laboratories UG and was released on June 26, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

Join Ruffy on a magical quest to stop the villain Groll from destroying the World Core and plunging Riverside into chaos. Using the unique SWAP ability, transform the environment—changing sun to moon or ice to lava—to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles. Along the way, meet vibrant friends and uncover surprises in a richly crafted adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+11

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90%

Audience ScoreBased on 145 reviews

gameplay35 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game features a charming art style and a catchy soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
The unique 'SWAP' mechanic allows for creative puzzle-solving and adds depth to the gameplay.
Ruffy and the Riverside successfully captures the nostalgic feel of classic 3D platformers like Banjo-Kazooie.

The dialogue can be overly verbose, often interrupting the flow of gameplay and making it tedious to progress.
Some puzzles lack clear guidance, leading to confusion about how to use the SWAP mechanic effectively.
The game can feel too easy, with minimal challenge in both platforming and combat, which may disappoint players seeking a more difficult experience.

gameplay
105 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
64%
3%
The gameplay of "Ruffy and the Riverside" is centered around a unique "swap" mechanic that allows players to change the textures and materials of objects in the environment, leading to engaging puzzles and exploration. While the mechanic is praised for its creativity and potential, some players feel it is underutilized and can lead to repetitive gameplay. Overall, the game combines whimsical aesthetics with solid platforming elements, though it may appeal more to younger audiences due to its simplicity and childlike charm.
- “The gameplay feels simple at times, but it keeps a great pace with interesting puzzles and challenges that spark joy in exploring and experimenting with different swaps.”
- “The swap mechanic creates some of the most engaging puzzles I've played in a game all year, allowing for a unique and fun experience.”
- “Ruffy and the Riverside knows you want to play with its swapping mechanic, so it throws a big open space near the beginning to have fun exploring the wide potential of your power.”
- “It's beautiful, but the hand-drawn critters feel so out of place versus the 3D environments. Some of the mechanics felt a bit janky, and I just couldn't quite get into it.”
- “The actual gameplay is shallow and repetitive, while managing to somehow be both hand-holdy and frustrating.”
- “However, despite the different approaches used to apply it, the constant reliance on the swap mechanic can sometimes make the gameplay feel a bit repetitive.”
story
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
74%
5%
The story of the game follows Ruffy, the chosen one, on a quest to save his world from the villain Groll, featuring quirky characters and a lighthearted tone. While some players found the narrative charming and reminiscent of classic platformers, others criticized it for being convoluted, overly simplistic, or lacking depth, often feeling disconnected from the gameplay. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay, with mixed opinions on its execution and emotional impact.
- “You join Ruffy, the chosen one, on a quest to stop the villain Groll before he destroys the world core and plunges Riverside into chaos.”
- “The story is surprisingly deep, and the game was honestly very enjoyable and challenging.”
- “The story looks shallow at the beginning and ends up being very wholesome and meaningful in multiple layered ways.”
- “It’s a very short journey that ends on a cliffhanger, full of 'gotcha!' story moments, and along the way you’re left without the explanations you need to put everything together cohesively.”
- “I can imagine playing this as a preteen and enjoying it, but not as an adult, so it’s a crap story with good art and average gameplay.”
- “This game is trying to be both a silly parody of 'chosen one' stories and a heartfelt story with emotional moments; it ends up being unfunny with the parody and unearned with the emotion.”
music
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
34%
6%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its catchy and whimsical nature, perfectly complementing the charming art style and overall atmosphere. Many players found themselves humming along to the soundtrack, which features a mix of fun and engaging tunes that enhance the gameplay experience. While some critiques mention repetitive elements, the majority agree that the music is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and enjoyment.
- “The atmosphere, music, colors, and clever puzzles all come together beautifully to create something unique.”
- “Beautiful artwork, outstanding and catchy soundtrack, and clever game mechanics.”
- “The world is so inviting and intuitive, so charming, and 10/10 for music alone; it's just so catchy and even has some Jet Set Radio vibes.”
- “The soundtrack is okay.”
- “The music is kind of goofy, but it's a goofy little game so it fits.”
- “I loved the demo and really wanted to love this game too, especially when the art style and music are so charming, but the devs made too many creative decisions that I just disagree with.”
graphics
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
45%
7%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming hand-drawn art style, colorful visuals, and nostalgic appeal reminiscent of classic titles like Paper Mario. While many reviewers highlight the aesthetic as a major strength, some express disappointment over the lack of graphical options and minor glitches. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's whimsical and enjoyable atmosphere.
- “The art style is top notch and the fact that the characters are all hand drawn is so amazing.”
- “The cartoon art style is charming, colorful, and has a slightly paper-like texture that reminds me of Paper Mario.”
- “This game is full of joy and childlike wonder with a wonderful hand-drawn art style and full of love for the games that inspired it; I would recommend it to any fan of collectathons.”
- “I really, truly did, but I couldn't get into the art style at all and found it a bit jarring.”
- “My most major complaint has to be the lack of any graphical options whatsoever; no settings for resolution, no options for fullscreen or windowed mode, texture quality, rendering scale, not even vsync as an option, absolutely nothing like that.”
- “There's no display options and in general options are not there (there's zero graphics or display options).”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
89%
33%
The humor in the game is predominantly light-hearted and quirky, often eliciting genuine smiles from players. While it features amusing twists, such as encouraging cheating in a humorous context, some characters can be overly verbose and annoying. Overall, the game attempts to balance silly parody with heartfelt moments, though it sometimes struggles to deliver on both fronts effectively.
- “The humor in the game is light-hearted too, and it honestly made me smile more than once.”
- “Whether you want to unwind after a long day or you’re just in the mood for something light-hearted with a touch of humor, this is absolutely a game you should try.”
- “One thing that I thought was hilarious was that the game incentivizes you to cheat in life, really funny twist in morals (like your mentor telling you to just cheat in the race to win by adding mud to the raceway).”
- “This game is trying to be both a silly parody of 'chosen one' stories and a heartfelt story with emotional moments; it ends up being unfunny with the parody and unearned with the emotion.”
- “The humor feels forced and often falls flat, making it hard to connect with the characters or the story.”
- “I expected a lot of laughs, but the jokes are stale and the comedic timing is off, leaving me more cringed than amused.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with some players feeling that it struggles to balance its parody and heartfelt moments, resulting in an unearned emotional impact. While some find the narrative shallow initially, others appreciate its deeper, wholesome themes that emerge as the story progresses, highlighting a meaningful exploration of relationships and personal growth. Overall, the emotional resonance varies significantly among players, with some feeling disconnected and others finding it touching.
- “This game is trying to be both a silly parody of 'chosen one' stories and a heartfelt story with emotional moments; it ends up being unfunny with the parody and unearned with the emotion.”
- “Instead, I found myself in a dialogue about letting a child go off the leash, about how heartbreaking it is, about how Ruffy somehow is the only hope to fix the world (but not why he's special and the chosen one) and a ton of stuff about in-world population dynamics that I just don't know why they are important.”
- “The story looks shallow at the beginning and ends up being very wholesome and meaningful in multiple layered ways.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some users highlighting significant performance issues and poor optimization, while others praise its solid performance and excellent compatibility with the Steam Deck. Overall, the game shows potential but suffers from notable bugs and frame rate problems.
- “Performance: 10/10”
- “+ amazing Steam Deck performance”
- “Performance & polish – bugs, frame rate, loading times, overall smoothness.”
- “I have a major issue with this game's performance.”
- “The optimization is terrible, but the game itself is interesting.”
- “Despite these problems, the performance has been exceptionally solid.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
Overall, the game's stability is marked by noticeable glitches and occasional freezing, particularly during loading sequences, which can disrupt gameplay. While some players experienced minor graphical issues, these were generally brief and did not significantly detract from the experience. The game performs well on the Steam Deck, but players should be prepared for interruptions.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck.”
- “It all feels a bit sloppy and unfinished most of the time, as do the myriad of glitches that can prevent you from completing it 100%.”
- “Incredibly noticeable when the game pretty much freezes to load things in.”
- “Just expect freezes.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The character development in the game is highlighted by its charming designs and quirky interactions, enhanced by a whimsical soundtrack that complements the overall aesthetic. While the dialogue can become repetitive, the endearing story and the unique paper style of the characters contribute to a memorable experience. The extensive visual effort over seven years showcases a commitment to creating a vibrant and engaging world.
- “600+ pictures made for the game over 7 years is no easy feat, and I love the character designs and quirky back-and-forth.”
- “The paper style character design blends well with the low-poly environment, the music and sound effects have a whimsical charm that always fits, and the story was oddly endearing especially as it got to the end.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters on a meaningful level.”
- “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, which detracted from my overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “Despite the charming visuals, the characters themselves are one-dimensional and fail to evolve throughout the story.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Players highlight the game's strong replayability due to its abundant side content, multiple endings, and New Game Plus (NG+) options, encouraging exploration and varied playthroughs. This variety enhances the overall experience, making players eager to return for different outcomes and challenges.
- “The game offers a wealth of side content that keeps you coming back for more, with multiple endings that encourage you to explore different choices.”
- “With New Game Plus options, you can carry over your progress and experience the game in a whole new way, making each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
- “The variety of paths and outcomes available ensures that no two playthroughs are the same, providing endless replayability.”
- “The game lacks meaningful side content, making it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
- “Once you finish the main story, there's little incentive to replay, as the choices feel inconsequential.”
- “The new game plus options are underwhelming and don't add enough to make me want to start over.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be manageable, with many noting that achieving 100% completion isn't tedious. However, some criticize the lack of challenge and occasionally tedious dialogue, which may detract from the overall experience for more seasoned gamers.
- “My two main downsides are that the game has virtually no challenge (it would be great for kids or first-time gamers) and the dialogue can get really tedious sometimes, but these quirks weren't enough to stop me from enjoying this goofy little jaunt.”
- “Grinding achievements: no”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its seamless integration of music, sound effects, and vibrant colors, which collectively enhance the overall experience and contribute to a unique and immersive environment.
- “Combined with the music and sound effects, it creates a perfect atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere, music, colors, and clever puzzles all come together beautifully to create something unique.”

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3h Median play time

3h Average play time

3-3h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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Ruffy and the Riverside is a platformer game with kids theme.

Ruffy and the Riverside is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox One, Steam Deck and others.

On average players spend around 3 hours playing Ruffy and the Riverside.

Ruffy and the Riverside was released on June 26, 2025.

Ruffy and the Riverside was developed by Zockrates Laboratories UG.

Ruffy and the Riverside has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its optimization.

Ruffy and the Riverside is a single player game.

Similar games include The Plucky Squire, Cavern of Dreams, The Knightling, Supraland, Tinykin and others.

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