VVVVVV
- September 7, 2010
- Terry Cavanagh
- 4h median play time
VVVVVV on the Nintendo Switch is the definitive version of Terry Cavanagh’s classic with an exclusive co-op mode and better performance than the other versions.
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Get on Play Store"VVVVVV is a gravity-defying fantasy platformer, where you help Captain Viridian rescue teleported friends. Its elegant level design and gravity-reversing mechanic provide challenging, fast-paced gameplay with frequent checkpoints. Enjoy over 30 minutes of chiptune music and additional game modes, like time trials and no death mode."
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Reviews
- Unique gravity-flipping mechanic that adds depth to platforming challenges.
- Incredible chiptune soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- Challenging yet fair gameplay with frequent checkpoints, making it rewarding to master.
- Controls can feel slippery at times, leading to frustrating deaths.
- Some levels, particularly escort missions, can be tedious and detract from the overall experience.
- The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content.
- music1,362 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in "Vvvvvv" is universally praised, with many reviewers highlighting its catchy chiptune soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the overall gaming experience. Composed by Magnus Pålsson, the soundtrack is described as uplifting, memorable, and integral to the game's retro aesthetic, often making players feel motivated to continue despite the challenging gameplay. Overall, the music is considered one of the best aspects of the game, with many recommending it even for casual listening outside of gameplay.
“The soundtrack and sound design are also very awesome to listen to.”
“My personal favorite songs in the entire soundtrack are 'Popular Potpourri' and 'Piercing the Sky', both of which manage to give me chills during pretty much every single second I listen to them.”
“The music is phenomenal and I think makes the entire experience for me.”
“The music alone is worth buying this game, but if you're not really into music, the platforming is slightly challenging, but is still hard enough for one to experience the feeling of achievement when they complete a level.”
“The music is a double-edged sword -- it's a nice soundtrack, but with no way to turn it off and no alternative tracks until you find more trinkets, the songs get repetitive real fast.”
“The soundtrack sucks (although I can understand why someone may like it) and it uses crappy DOS graphics which I guess a lot of games don't have but I couldn't care less.”
- gameplay726 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *Vvvvvv* is centered around a unique gravity-flipping mechanic that replaces traditional jumping, allowing for innovative and challenging platforming experiences. Players encounter a variety of cleverly designed levels that introduce new mechanics while maintaining a high level of engagement and satisfaction, supported by a fantastic chiptune soundtrack. While the game is short, its tight controls and rewarding difficulty make it a memorable and addictive experience for fans of the genre.
“The flip mechanic is genius, the pixel design looks incredible, music is really cool and it’s just a good time!”
“Vvvvvv is a game that has absolutely 0 fat in its core stage and mechanic design to a staggering degree, every iteration of a concept feels like an evolution or interesting right turn, no two rooms feel like treading the same ground at any point, always having some sort of straightforward, yet effective aspect to differentiate itself from what surrounds it.”
“The gameplay is simple to learn, but hard to master, but mistakes are minimally punished since checkpoints are everywhere.”
“The gameplay overall is boring and repetitive.”
“The gameplay is what will have you hooked.”
“The gameplay, due to controls and level design, is very unpleasant for me.”
- graphics402 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a simple, retro-inspired pixel art style reminiscent of the Commodore 64 and Atari eras, which many players find charming and effective in conveying the game's playful atmosphere. While some reviewers note that the minimalist visuals may not appeal to everyone, they generally agree that the graphics complement the engaging gameplay and outstanding soundtrack, proving that a game can be enjoyable without high-end graphics. Overall, the aesthetic is appreciated for its nostalgic value and ability to enhance the gaming experience.
“The graphical style is incredible, and established my love for retro-inspired graphics.”
“The graphics are beautiful yet simplistic--there's no need for realism when a few pixels and colors does the job incredibly well.”
“The graphics are simple but lively and colorful.”
“The graphics are trash, and the story only serves to set up specific levels, but if you want a challenging game that won't make you rage quit, this is for you.”
“The graphics are simple, incredibly simple, most indie games are graphically based off of NES or SNES graphics, but VVVVVV goes for an Atari 2600 look and that sets it apart.”
“It's a fun concept from a mechanics viewpoint, but the graphics are so garish it just gives me headaches.”
- story374 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in this game is generally described as simple and minimalistic, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a focal point. Players appreciate the whimsical and cute elements of the narrative, which involves rescuing lost crew members after a spaceship mishap, but many feel it lacks depth and complexity. While some find the story engaging enough to enhance the experience, others view it as an "excuse plot" that can be easily overlooked in favor of the challenging gameplay and enjoyable mechanics.
“The story about people lost in space added a really cool twist!”
“The story is simple, yet holds enough to hopefully draw the player on and gives the game a larger overall context.”
“The story features a dimensional traveling crew doing their business when their ship fails and they get teleported across a strange new dimension!”
“The story is as simple as stories can get and feels like it's there just because it was required to show off some gameplay mechanics.”
“The story is very basic, but the levels/stages in this game are so frustrating to complete.”
“The story's nothing special and just serves as what is known in some communities as an 'excuse plot', which is perfectly fine as it doesn't pretend it does have a good story and you can just ignore it.”
- replayability112 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its challenging gameplay, collectible trinkets, and various modes such as time trials and user-generated content. Players appreciate the freedom to explore and master levels, with many returning for achievements and custom levels, making it a compelling choice for those who enjoy replaying short yet engaging experiences. Despite its brevity, the combination of difficulty and additional content ensures that players can find plenty of reasons to revisit the game.
“Great replayability value if you like mastering things, or if simply you enjoy this music.”
“The additional modes like time trials, and the side player-created levels also add a whole new layer of replayability beyond the main game itself.”
“The level editor and level sharing make this game possibly infinitely replayable.”
“Maybe nitpicky, but once you've finished a level there's pretty much no replay value.”
“Unfortunately, unless you're aiming for perfection (i.e., all of the achievements), this game lacks replayability, though even trying for the hardest achievements can be frustrating.”
“Not a lot of replay value in the main story unless you're aiming for a few achievements.”
- humor54 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- -4 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and creativity, with players enjoying funny character designs, amusing level names, and self-referential jokes that add a lighthearted touch to the challenging gameplay. The soundtrack complements the humor, enhancing the overall experience and making even frustrating moments enjoyable. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with engaging mechanics, resulting in a fun and memorable experience.
“They even got Bennett Foddy (Getting Over It) to name the rooms, which ended up having super creative and funny names.”
“The story may not be the best, but it was certainly worth watching through the funny interactions between the little 16-bit spacemen you meet.”
“Its level design is immaculate, its characters are cute, its writing is funny, its soundtrack is so good I bought it and still listen to it regularly, and although some of its levels killed me a hundred times, I never stopped having fun.”
“This game is supposed to be funny, but the jokes fall flat.”
“I expected humor, but it just felt forced and unoriginal.”
“The attempts at comedy were cringeworthy and didn't land at all.”
- atmosphere28 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its impressive ability to create an engaging experience despite basic visuals, with many reviewers highlighting the extraordinary soundtrack that enhances the overall ambiance. Players appreciate the unique and immersive environments, which are complemented by creative level design and a fitting storyline, making the game both challenging and enjoyable. Overall, the combination of music, art style, and atmosphere contributes to a captivating and memorable gameplay experience.
“The looks are really cool, the setting (story and atmosphere) is great, the puzzle and platforming parts are really fun and challenging, and the music, well the music is extraordinary!”
“When I play this game, I am glad to be playing it simply for its atmosphere - which is very impressive given the constraints of the art style.”
“The soundtrack is brilliant, and doesn't feel like some cheap chiptune background music has been tagged on at the end - it changes between the major colored sections of the map, and it adds a great atmosphere.”
“Weird atmosphere”
“It is not for the lack of atmosphere that I do not recommend the game — old arcades often had an 'excuse plot' and that was perfectly fine.”
“Incredible design and presentation, phenomenal atmosphere, and genuinely challenging despite regular checkpointing.”
- emotional18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally engaging, describing it as a wholesome experience that evokes feelings of nostalgia and connection, particularly through the bond of the characters. The combination of simple mechanics and challenging gameplay leads to a mix of frustration and satisfaction, with many expressing deep emotional investment in the pixelated characters despite their frequent deaths. Overall, the game successfully balances heartwarming moments with the intensity of hardcore platforming, leaving players both challenged and touched.
“This game made me feel emotions I haven't felt in years.”
“Never before have I been as emotionally invested in pixelated blobs.”
“Dying over and over to vicious spikes has never been so heartwarming and fun!”
- grinding13 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 85 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the challenge and humor that keeps it engaging, others feel that certain collectibles and puzzles can be tedious and frustrating. The game's difficulty curve is generally seen as fair, with frequent checkpoints alleviating some of the grind, but some players still express a desire for a less tedious approach to achieving 100%.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Only complaint is some trinkets are just tedious to get.”
“Achievements: very difficult... I have a few and though I enjoyed the playthrough, I think there are so many other games less tedious to attempt 100%.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game is highly optimized for low-end systems, requiring minimal storage and running smoothly even on non-gaming hardware. However, it suffers from a fixed 30 fps cap and various bugs, particularly in full-screen mode, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the core mechanics and gameplay design are well-executed, making it a recommended title for fans of challenging platformers.
“It demands less than a KB of hard drive space and runs smoothly even on this non-gaming machine of mine.”
“The developer took one core mechanic--flipping gravity--and made a perfectly sized, perfectly varied game based on it, optimized around the fact that you will die a lot.”
“Cons: for some strange reason this game only runs at 30 fps no matter what, plus there are a number of bugs affecting full-screen performance (windowed mode runs better), moving the window in windowed mode, editor crashes, time trial scores being forgotten, the orientation of certain things in flip mode, and flip mode itself can cause certain parts of the game to play slightly more differently than they should.”
“Which is often why platformers like these will sacrifice a level of graphics in favor of performance.”
“Performance and accuracy: in a platformer, usually a few pixels is all you will be given at times to avoid certain hazards.”
- stability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is commendable, running smoothly on the latest macOS with minimal glitches reported. While some minor issues can occur, such as a moving platform getting stuck, they do not significantly impact gameplay or cause crashes. The inclusion of accessibility options further enhances the user experience without compromising stability.
“I didn't realize it was so old until writing this; it runs great on the latest macOS, unlike some newer games.”
“Almost no glitches.”
“There are accessibility options: disable animated backgrounds, disable effects like screen flashes, invincibility (which causes only minor glitches like a random moving platform being stuck, it won't crash or corrupt your game) and adjusting the game's speed.”
“- glitches (it could happen during gameplay or during editing a level)”
“+almost no glitches”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features engaging character development complemented by charming and simplistic designs, reminiscent of classic titles like Skyrim. Players appreciate the depth of the characters and the unique gameplay mechanics, which enhance the overall experience. The combination of a captivating storyline and a retro atmosphere further enriches the character-driven narrative.
“The character design is simple & adorable, the puzzles are mind-bending, and the soundtrack is incredibly infectious.”
“It’s like Skyrim with good character design.”
“☐ has depth and character development.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's monetization model is not perceived as a typical indie cash grab, suggesting that it offers unique value and experience that justifies its pricing. Players feel that the quality and originality of the game set it apart from other titles in the market.
“The monetization system feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
“It's frustrating that so many features are locked behind paywalls, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“I was really excited to play, but the constant prompts to purchase in-game currency ruined the immersion.”
