Venture Kid
- May 3, 2018
- Snikkabo AS
It looks like Mega Man. It sounds like Mega Man. It’s not quite Mega Man.
Get on Steam"Venture Kid" is a single-player platformer game with 8-bit retro style, featuring 9 action-packed levels, challenging bosses, and chiptune soundtrack by Matt Creamer. Collect 8 unique power-ups, explore secret areas, and test your skills with responsive controls and level design. Will you defeat Dr. Teklov and save the world?
iPad
iPhone
Nintendo Switch
PC
Phone
Windows
Mobile Platform
Reviews
- Venture Kid is a charming homage to the Mega Man series, featuring tight controls, enjoyable gameplay, and a catchy soundtrack that evokes nostalgia for classic 8-bit gaming.
- The game offers a decent challenge with progressive difficulty, making it accessible for newcomers while still providing fun for seasoned players.
- With its colorful graphics and simple yet engaging mechanics, Venture Kid is a fun little platformer that can be completed in a few hours, making it a great pick for fans of the genre.
- The game suffers from hit detection issues and inconsistent difficulty spikes, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences, especially in later levels.
- While it captures the essence of Mega Man, Venture Kid lacks originality and depth in level design, making it feel derivative and less memorable compared to its inspirations.
- Some players may find the game too short and lacking in replay value, as it doesn't offer enough new content or challenges to warrant multiple playthroughs.
- music25 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its catchy and nostalgic soundtrack, effectively emulating the retro aesthetic of classic titles like Mega Man. Reviewers highlight the excellent quality of the music, noting it enhances the overall experience and complements the game's graphics and controls. While some mention that the gameplay may feel derivative, the strong musical component stands out as a significant positive aspect.
“Has an amazing soundtrack too besides the full controller support.”
“Great oldschool gameplay and a fantastic soundtrack.”
“The soundtrack, on the other hand, is phenomenal.”
“The only things I can really say I enjoy about Venture Kid are the responsive controls and the catchy soundtrack, but that's unfortunately all that I felt this title offers.”
“Music is decent, stages are very short, and the collectibles were well placed, albeit a bit obvious sometimes, but that's okay.”
“The music is shin bolted frantically muttured pinned incredulously guiding humiliated in some degree.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally well-received, characterized as a solid platformer with enjoyable mechanics reminiscent of classic Mega Man games, featuring cute pixel art and engaging gun-based action. However, some players note a lack of variation in gameplay and level design, which may limit long-term interest despite the inclusion of hidden treasures and humorous story elements. Overall, it offers a nostalgic experience but may not fully captivate all players.
“Nice platformer with good gameplay and a decent presentation.”
“Quite nice and enjoyable Mega Man clone game with cute pixel art and gameplay.”
“Great old-school gameplay and a fantastic soundtrack.”
“I guess this is a decent Mega Man clone, but I did not like the gameplay.”
“The gameplay is pretty much the same as the first Mega Man, except that you have some secret areas that contain collectibles that are mandatory for unlocking the final level.”
“Certainly, but with little variation in gameplay or level design, there is not enough for this to stay interesting in the long term.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their retro aesthetic, with many users appreciating the nice pixel art and colorful designs that evoke nostalgia for classic titles. However, some critiques highlight inconsistencies, with mentions of dull-looking graphics and mediocre level design that detracts from the overall visual experience. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's charm, though they may not be universally appealing.
“It has nice pixel graphics, good controls, great catchy soundtrack and it's fun.”
“Though the gameplay and level design is derivative of those old games, the devs do it really well by synthesizing lots of disparate elements seamlessly into an original retro experience with clever graphics and a great soundtrack.”
“Simple but colorful and cute graphics.”
“Mediocre level design across the board with cheap enemy placement and pixel-perfect platforming sections galore, dull-looking graphics, additional weapons are mostly unreliable outside of those specific instances of having to use them, inconsistent difficulty curve and virtually no replay value outside of getting the achievements.”
- story4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's story conveys a moral about perseverance and the unpredictability of life, though it is noted to be quite simple and brief, lasting only about an hour. Players appreciate the humorous dialogue and treasure-hunting mechanics that evoke nostalgia for classic games.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“I also enjoy the mechanic of finding the hidden treasures, and there are a number of story and dialogue elements that are hilarious to those of us who remember the aforementioned old games.”
“The story is also very simple.”
“Someone wrote this game is only 1 hour for the main story.”
“The game has a number of story and dialog elements that are hilarious to those of us who remember the aforementioned old games.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered limited, with many reviewers noting that the short length and mediocre level design detract from the experience. While some mention the presence of achievements and different difficulty levels as potential incentives for replay, the lack of substantial content and variety leaves players feeling that replaying the game may not be worthwhile.
“My only issue with it is that the game is just a bit too short, but that normally means more replay value (to me at least).”
“The achievements are very easy to obtain as you can tell from my playtime, and there’s a decent amount of replay value with different difficulties that boil down to bosses’ HP points and the amount of hits you can take.”
“Mediocre level design across the board with cheap enemy placement and pixel-perfect platforming sections galore, dull-looking graphics, additional weapons are mostly unreliable outside of those specific instances of having to use them, inconsistent difficulty curve and virtually no replay value outside of getting the achievements.”
“Okay levels and okay bosses and low replay value outside of the hidden collectibles just aren't enough, especially for the regular price-point of $11.50.”
“The achievements are very easy to obtain as you can tell from my playtime and there’s a decent amount of replay value with different difficulties with very primitive changes that boil down to bosses’ HP points and the amount of hits you can take.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted through its clever story and dialogue elements, which resonate particularly well with players familiar with classic games, adding a nostalgic and comedic touch to the experience.
“I also enjoy the mechanic of finding the hidden treasures, and there are a number of story and dialogue elements that are hilarious for those of us who remember the old games.”
“The humor in this game is top-notch, with witty dialogue and clever puns that keep me laughing throughout.”
“I love how the game incorporates absurd situations and quirky characters that add a delightful layer of comedy to the gameplay.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players note that grinding is largely unnecessary, as they will naturally acquire all items by the game's conclusion through collecting orbs and defeating enemies, unless they encounter significant difficulty.
“You'll naturally buy them all by the end of the game since all you'll be doing is collecting orbs and defeating enemies; therefore, there's no need for grinding unless you're struggling with it.”
“The grinding feels tedious and repetitive, making the gameplay drag on longer than it should.”
“I found myself spending hours on grinding just to progress, which took away from the enjoyment of the game.”
Critic Reviews
Venture Kid Review
Venture Kid is the sort of game that understands how blatantly it borrows from previous genre luminaries yet makes no effort at even attempting to surpass them; this is very much a ‘what you see is what you get’ sort of experience. Bearing that in mind, it’s inevitably the kind of game that you’ll spend a few hours on, think “Well, that was… fun”, then move on and never return to it. Still, it does what it sets out to do – copying the Mega Man formula – and, when viewed as the sum of its parts, it does a reasonable job. If you’ve played all the Mega Man games to death and simply must have more, you could do a lot worse than playing through Venture Kid. If you don’t fall in this camp but are still looking to scratch that retro action platformer itch, then we’d suggest you pick up one of the numerous Mega Man collections already available on the eShop instead. Why play the imitation when you can have the original?
50%Venture Kid Review
For short, nostalgic blasts of fun Venture Kid succeeds in almost every respect. While there's fun to be had here, it's painfully clear that, just like playing the game itself, everything is just going through the motions. The excellent soundtrack may even be enough to warrant a dabble, but with nothing new brought to the table, there's no reason to spend your hard earned cash, when the games that this owes so much to its design and creation can be purchased. There are a lot worse than this, sure, but be aware that once completed the first time, multiple revisits are unlikely. Fun? Certainly, but with little variation in gameplay or level design there is not enough for this to stay interesting in the long term. With a little more risk-taking in development, a craving of individuality, and a creative spark, Venture Kid could have gone far.
50%Venture Kid (Nintendo Switch)
Classic NES platforming fans, rejoice. Venture Kid succeeds where even Mega Man’s creator failed when trying to capture that classic Blue Bomber feel. Even with minor flaws, Venture Kid will scratch the itch for Mega Man, and if you’re lucky, scrub the memory of Might No. 9 from your brain.
80%
