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Super Meat Boy

Almost a decade later, Super Meat Boy still offers an excellent difficulty curve, sharp level design, and heartless, brutal platforming.
91%Game Brain Score
music, gameplay
grinding, stability
94% User Score Based on 35,170 reviews
Critic Score 87%Based on 11 reviews

Platforms

MOMac OSNSNintendo SwitchPCPCPhoPhoneP4Playstation 4P5Playstation 5SDSteam DeckWinWindowsXOXbox OneXSXXbox Series X|SLinLinuxPlaPlayStationPVPlaystation VitaTabTabletWiiWiiWUWii UXboxXboxX3Xbox 360
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About

In "Super Meat Boy," play as a sentient cube of meat on a perilous journey to save your bandage-bound girlfriend from an evil fetus. This challenging platformer features over 300 levels across multiple chapters, with soul-crushing difficulty and epic boss fights. Additional features include a level editor, unlockable secrets, and warp zones for extra replayability.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Super Meat Boy screenshot
Super Meat Boy screenshot
Super Meat Boy screenshot
Super Meat Boy screenshot
Super Meat Boy screenshot
Super Meat Boy screenshot
Super Meat Boy screenshot
Super Meat Boy screenshot
Super Meat Boy screenshot
Super Meat Boy screenshot
Super Meat Boy screenshot
+17

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 35,181 reviews
music1.7k positive mentions
grinding116 negative mentions
  • Super Meat Boy features a distinctive retro-inspired pixel art style that blends charm with a dark, humorous aesthetic, enhancing its unique identity in the indie platformer genre.
  • The gameplay is widely praised for its tight controls, fast-paced mechanics, and challenging level design, providing a satisfying sense of achievement despite its punishing difficulty.
  • The soundtrack, composed by Danny Baranowsky, is a standout feature that energizes players and complements the on-screen action perfectly, contributing significantly to the game's addictive nature.
  • Many players criticize the game's stability, reporting numerous glitches, crashes, and unresponsive controls that can significantly hinder gameplay.
  • The story is often described as simplistic and derivative, serving primarily as a backdrop to the challenging gameplay rather than a focal point.
  • Some players find the gameplay to be grindy and repetitive, leading to frustration and a sense of chore-like gameplay, particularly for those less accustomed to hardcore platformers.
  • music
    2,689 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in *Super Meat Boy* is widely praised, particularly the original 2010 soundtrack composed by Danny Baranowsky, which many players consider a standout feature that enhances the game's fast-paced and challenging gameplay. Reviewers highlight the energetic and catchy tunes that perfectly complement the frantic action, with some expressing disappointment over the 2015 soundtrack, which they feel lacks the same quality. Overall, the soundtrack is described as a major motivator for players, contributing significantly to the game's addictive nature and replayability.

    • “The soundtrack, composed by Danny Baranowsky, complements the on-screen action perfectly, with pulse-pounding beats driving you forward even in the face of certain doom.”
    • “Super Meat Boy's songs are such a banger, each song gets better and better as you progress through the worlds, and they fit perfectly with the speedy feel of the levels.”
    • “The soundtrack is a standout feature, energizing players as they navigate the treacherous terrains.”
    • “The story is a complete nothingburger, the music is meh, and annoyingly repetitive in later stages where you are doing attempt after attempt.”
    • “For some reason they changed the music of the original version (that was a masterpiece, and pumped well into the action) and the game does not seem the same as the current version is not trash but sounds like trash compared to the original and also feels a bit out of place.”
    • “The music while is ok is a major turn off.”
  • gameplay
    2,107 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of *Super Meat Boy* is widely praised for its tight controls, fast-paced mechanics, and challenging level design that encourages skillful execution and quick reflexes. Players appreciate the game's ability to introduce new mechanics progressively, maintaining engagement while providing a satisfying sense of achievement despite its punishing difficulty. However, some critiques mention issues with unresponsive controls and frustrating mechanics that can detract from the overall experience, particularly for those less accustomed to hardcore platformers.

    • “Super Meat Boy’s gameplay is at the heart of the game, with precise and challenging platforming mechanics that require refined skills and precise control.”
    • “With its well-polished gameplay mechanics, captivating graphics, and a vibrant soundtrack, Super Meat Boy offers a platforming adventure that is both challenging and incredibly fun.”
    • “The gameplay is super tight and fun.”
    • “However, I cannot really recommend this with how unresponsive the jump mechanic is at times.”
    • “The gameplay is unforgivingly hard and even worse your character is a bit slippery.”
    • “Sadly the gameplay just isn't fun enough for me to bother with the game after the light end.”
  • story
    1,390 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of *Super Meat Boy* is generally described as simplistic and derivative, revolving around the classic "damsel in distress" trope where Meat Boy must rescue his girlfriend, Bandage Girl, from the villainous Dr. Fetus. While some players find the humor and absurdity of the plot charming, many agree that the narrative serves primarily as a backdrop to the challenging gameplay rather than a focal point. Overall, the story is seen as light and entertaining, but not a significant draw for those seeking a deep narrative experience.

    • “Straightforward and funny story: the plot is light and fun, with a premise that is both funny and engaging.”
    • “The story revolves around Meat Boy and his girlfriend Bandage Girl who is kidnapped by the evil Dr. Fetus, and Meat Boy must go on an adventure to defeat Dr. Fetus and rescue his girlfriend.”
    • “The story is cute, but has little bearing on whether you'd like a game like this or not.”
    • “The game's story sucks and is super generic.”
    • “The existence of a 'story' that's this primitive isn't a feature, it's bad story-design.”
    • “The story is a complete nothingburger, the music is meh, and annoyingly repetitive in later stages where you are doing attempt after attempt.”
  • graphics
    1,264 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of *Super Meat Boy* are characterized by a distinctive retro-inspired pixel art style that blends charm with a dark, humorous aesthetic. While some players appreciate the nostalgic visuals and vibrant colors, others find them simplistic or reminiscent of older flash games. Overall, the graphics effectively complement the game's fast-paced gameplay and challenging mechanics, contributing to its unique identity in the indie platformer genre.

    • “Super Meat Boy's visual style is distinctive and captivating, with pixel art graphics that are both nostalgic and modern.”
    • “The art style is vibrant and oozing with charm, even as Meat Boy is repeatedly dismembered, impaled, and splattered across the screen.”
    • “With its retro-inspired visuals and challenging gameplay, it truly stands out in the crowded indie game scene.”
    • “This is the worst game ever; the hit detection is horrible and the graphics suck. I would never recommend this game to anyone; please do not buy this game.”
    • “A classic with the ugliest graphics I've ever seen.”
    • “The aforementioned bad art style means it’s sometimes difficult to discern between the background and actual parts of the level, and if you hate trying over and over to complete the same sections, you’re going to hate this because that’s all you’re doing.”
  • humor
    1,215 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Super Meat Boy" is characterized by its dark, irreverent, and often juvenile tone, blending absurdity with a nostalgic nod to retro gaming culture. Players appreciate the game's quirky characters, hilarious cutscenes, and the comedic relief provided by the frequent deaths and chaotic gameplay, which often elicits laughter even amidst frustration. While some find the humor dated or crude, it generally enhances the overall experience, making the challenging platforming more enjoyable and engaging.

    • “But don’t let the difficulty scare you off; the game’s charm and humor keep you coming back for more.”
    • “The developers at Team Meat have crafted a game that’s not just tough as nails but also packed with personality and a sense of humor that makes you smile through your frustration.”
    • “The game has a dark and twisted sense of humor that will have you chuckling even as you die repeatedly.”
    • “It has a kind of funny side to it, but it's not funny enough to save you from a very repetitive and boring platformer.”
    • “The humor is unfunny Newgrounds type stuff.”
    • “It's not funny when you hit the same buzzsaw for the 20th time in the exact same way.”
  • replayability
    322 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, featuring over 300 meticulously designed levels, various unlockable characters, and additional challenges that encourage players to return. With a smooth difficulty curve, collectibles, and user-generated content through modding tools, players can enjoy countless hours of engaging gameplay. Overall, it is highly regarded for its addictive nature and extensive replay value, making it a standout title for fans of challenging platformers.

    • “High replayability: in addition to the main levels, there are a variety of extra challenges, achievements, and unlockable content that encourage players to revisit the game to complete all objectives.”
    • “With robust modding tools and Steam Workshop support, players can create and share their own custom levels with the world, extending the game's longevity and replayability indefinitely.”
    • “The insane level design, reactiveness of the controls, and epic boss battles make this ultra-simple and hyper-brainy ride worthwhile with endless replay value.”
    • “I have finished the entire game (normal/alt/cotton alley) but I'll never get all the achievements... actually - once you have completed cotton alley, this has very little replay value.”
    • “The rewards are garbage and the replay value sucks.”
    • “Replayability: we never touched this game again.”
  • emotional
    156 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is a significant highlight, with many players expressing that it evokes strong feelings ranging from joy to frustration, often leading to tears. The storyline, while simple, is described as heartwarming and touching, particularly in its portrayal of the love story between Meat Boy and Bandage Girl. Players frequently mention the emotional rollercoaster experienced during gameplay, with the game's challenging nature amplifying feelings of triumph and despair.

    • “No game has made me cry as much as this one has, 10/10.”
    • “Amazing storyline, fast-paced gameplay with heartfelt characters.”
    • “A very emotional love story about a meat boy and a bandage girl.”
    • “Boring story with dry characters. The platforms are placed in various locations and sometimes require luck. If played with a keyboard, the spacebar barely jumps most of the time. It's hard but not fun. I refunded it and wouldn't picture myself buying it again. Dark Souls is at least fun and hard, and you can get good at it; this game isn't that way.”
  • grinding
    154 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, often leading to frustration and a sense of chore-like gameplay. While some appreciate the challenge and the satisfaction of mastering difficult levels through repeated attempts, others criticize the lack of skill progression and the overwhelming reliance on trial-and-error mechanics. Overall, the experience can be both rewarding and exhausting, depending on the player's tolerance for grinding.

    • “And for a game that prides itself on difficulty, it does everything right in order to make the gameplay actually tough, and not tedious.”
    • “A bit grindy at times.”
    • “A lot of grinding.”
    • “The game stops being fun almost immediately and becomes a tedious chore of trial and error, repeating the same exact set of moves 40 times in a row until it finally works once and you never have to see the level again.”
    • “There is a difference between a challenging task and a time-consuming task, and the devs seemed to understand that just grinding the same level until you muscle memory the whole thing isn't fun.”
    • “However, looking past the inventive and strange characters and storyline, the game itself is extremely grindy and repetitive.”
  • stability
    106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with many players reporting numerous glitches, crashes, and unresponsive controls that can significantly hinder gameplay. While some users find moments of enjoyment despite these issues, others describe the experience as frustrating and unplayable due to the frequency and severity of the bugs. Overall, the game appears to be plagued by stability problems, particularly in certain versions and levels, leading to mixed reviews on its reliability.

    • “Runs great on Linux!”
    • “It's fun, cheap, bug-free, and has a long online ladder with hardcore achievements.”
    • “Yes, it's bug-free now. It had many bugs when it was released, but with the updates on Steam, it's 100% good now.”
    • “Keyboard remapping is broken even after troubleshooting, so it's quite literally unplayable.”
    • “Difficult gameplay would be acceptable if the game was not plagued with unresponsive controls and glitches that send the sprite through walls and floors.”
    • “Biggest complaints were several crashes that occurred for me throughout my time with the game, and a few other save glitches, which was a big letdown for a few levels.”
  • optimization
    70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag, with some players praising its smooth performance and responsiveness even on older systems, while others criticize it for being poorly optimized, particularly for PC, leading to crashes and frame drops. Despite its solid mechanics and engaging gameplay, many reviews highlight significant optimization issues that detract from the overall experience, especially for those expecting a polished PC port. Overall, while it can run well on various systems, the inconsistent performance and stability may frustrate players.

    • “Hands down my favorite optimization platformer game.”
    • “The soundtrack is diverse and perfectly curated, the visuals are simple to keep performance outstanding even on the oldest of machines, it feels good to play.”
    • “The game is well optimized though so you shouldn't run into any issues messing up your time.”
    • “Decent game, but I can't legitimately recommend this game for performance reasons.”
    • “Poorly optimized by today's standards, really feels like a poorly ported flash game.”
    • “This game was poorly optimized and glitched out several times; my PC is not even that old.”
  • atmosphere
    52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its vibrant and energetic qualities, enhanced by a strong soundtrack and sound effects that complement the gameplay. Each level features distinct designs that contribute to a retro feel, with varied environments that evoke nostalgia. However, some players feel that the removal of the original soundtrack diminished the game's atmospheric impact, while others appreciate the humor and overall design that create a unique and engaging experience.

    • “The soundtrack and sound effects complement the experience, creating a lively and energetic atmosphere.”
    • “Each level has a nice design and the different worlds are completely different in their atmosphere, which fit in nicely with the retro feel of the game.”
    • “While you're playing this masterpiece, you can listen to tons of great soundtrack that gives an unforgettable atmosphere to the game.”
    • “I didn't like the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “The levels do not differ much, but everyone is happy with its atmosphere and the level of difficulty!”
    • “They’re not realistic graphics, but they complement each other well and add to the atmosphere of the different chapters in the game (e.g. forest, hospital, salt factory).”
  • monetization
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users criticizing it as a cash grab, particularly due to its lack of optimization for PC and high price point. However, others appreciate that there are no in-game purchases, highlighting the straightforward nature of the game despite its marketing hype. Overall, the sentiment leans towards dissatisfaction with the pricing and performance on PC.

    • “The controls are good, the levels are each unique, and there's no in-game purchases!”
    • “I would not recommend it for the full price because it's just a cash grab. All in all, a very straightforward game that only appeared to have all this awe and wonder to offer due to its great marketing and advertising, but in reality, it was very simple.”
    • “No, I do not mean in-game purchases, but in real life.”
    • “The fact that it’s not optimized at the beginning shows that they don't know how to run a game on Steam or how to make a PC game.”
  • character development
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in Super Meat Boy is characterized by inventive and quirky designs that, while simple, exude charm and personality. The vibrant colors and whimsical aesthetics contribute to a unique visual style that pays homage to retro gaming, enhancing the overall experience despite the characters not being deeply fleshed out. The cut-scenes further enrich the narrative, adding a layer of crass humor that complements the game's tone.

    • “Super Meat Boy also boasts a charming and quirky art style, with vibrant colors and whimsical character designs that add personality to the brutal world of Meat Boy.”
    • “Visually, Super Meat Boy is a love letter to retro gaming, with its vibrant colors and charmingly grotesque character designs paying homage to classics of yesteryear.”
    • “The character designs are filled with cool animations, colorful, and somehow cute, adding to the overall charm of the game.”
    • “The character designs were honestly probably not given much time, but they're still inventive.”
    • “If you're not convinced by now, just check the character design and rethink it.”
    • “The overall crassness with the simplicity of the character designs makes them oddly charming.”

87%Critics’ scoreBased on 15 critic reviews

Buy Super Meat Boy

8h Median play time
28h Average play time
10h Main story
43h Completionist
4-36h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 74 analyzed playthroughs

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