Zup!
- October 4, 2016
- Quiet River
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Zup!" is a minimalistic physics-based puzzle game with over 40 levels and 110 achievements. Players can enjoy the delightful music and hilarious gameplay as they progress through the challenges. Powered by Clickteam Fusion 2.5, the game features explosions, trading cards, and emoticons, taking inspiration from Sergio Andre's example, with music from bensound.com.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Simple and minimalist gameplay that's easy to pick up.
- Short levels make it perfect for quick play sessions.
- Abundance of achievements that can be used to customize your Steam profile.
- Game can feel repetitive after playing for a long time.
- Limited replayability once all levels are completed.
- Graphics and sound design are basic and may not appeal to everyone.
- gameplay146 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its minimalist design and straightforward mechanics, making it accessible yet occasionally challenging as players progress through levels. While many appreciate the relaxing and addictive nature of the puzzles, some criticize the lack of depth and variety, leading to a mixed reception among players. Overall, it serves as a decent option for achievement hunters, but those seeking a more complex gameplay experience may find it lacking.
“Its minimalist design and easy-to-understand mechanics make it accessible, but still challenging as you progress through the levels.”
“With colorful visuals and engaging gameplay, it's a delightful puzzle experience that hooks players from the start.”
“As you progress through the levels, new obstacles and mechanics are introduced, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging.”
“Performance or gameplay falls significantly below the passing mark.”
“The gameplay is really simple and there is no real challenge in any of the levels.”
“Gameplay isn't worth the price tag.”
- graphics52 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as basic and minimalist, with many reviewers noting that they do not stand out or impress, yet they fit the game's simple aesthetic. While some players appreciate the colorful visuals and find them charming, others criticize the lack of resolution options and overall graphical depth, suggesting that the visuals serve merely as a functional backdrop to the gameplay. Overall, the graphics receive mixed ratings, often averaging around 5-7/10, with the consensus being that they are adequate for the game's purpose but not a highlight.
“With colorful visuals and engaging gameplay, it's a delightful puzzle experience that hooks players from the start.”
“[i]Visual aesthetics - stunning graphics.”
“The devs of this game are seriously geniuses, this game is very good for killing time, I had fun, graphics are nice, sounds is perfect too.”
“There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
“Considering this is being evaluated as a PC game, having the graphics phoned in like this isn't going to result in a high quality, visually impressive game that PC gamers are used to seeing.”
“The graphics are pretty bare bones and simply serve as a means to an end.”
- music52 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as calming and relaxing, enhancing the overall experience, though it can become repetitive over time. Some users noted the lack of audio controls, making it difficult to adjust or turn off the music, while others found the sound effects, particularly explosions, to be jarring. Overall, the soundtrack is appreciated for its soothing qualities, making it suitable for casual play or winding down after a long day.
“The music was calming and it was a ton of fun.”
“I will say that the music is very relaxing and adds to the casualness of the game, so this series would probably make good games to play before bed or while winding down after work/school.”
“A great little stress reliever with calming music.”
“Bewilderingly, the game doesn't include proper audio controls, so you can't turn off the annoying background music; you'll need to alt+tab out and stop the music using the Windows sound mixer.”
“The music is just a few bars that loop over and over again.”
“Audio is kinda meh as the ambient music is incredibly low and barely audible while explosions are almost overwhelming in comparison.”
- humor42 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with many users finding it genuinely funny and entertaining, often highlighting the amusing achievements and simple yet engaging gameplay. While some note its short length, the overall consensus is that the game provides a lighthearted and enjoyable experience, making it a great choice for casual gaming. The humor is described as witty and sometimes corny, appealing to a broad audience, including younger players.
“Little did she know that the achievements were hilarious and cool, so she displayed it on her profile.”
“My little son (2) had to laugh a lot while I was watching the example gameplay - so I bought it and he continued laughing during the game.”
“Funny and nice game :)”
- story34 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its compelling narrative and immersive experience, while others criticize the lack of a substantial storyline, describing it as minimal or non-existent. Despite the short playtime of under an hour, many find the engaging elements and achievements worth exploring, though some recommend it primarily for gameplay rather than story depth. Overall, the story is seen as either a highlight for some or a negligible aspect for others.
“Each game will take you less than an hour to complete yet still pack so much content and so many achievements along with an insanely compelling story that will leave you immediately wanting to continue the story in the next series as the poor blue ball attempts to simply get to his destination and his friends, the explosives and yellow balls, help him to navigate around since he can't figure it out for himself.”
“[i] Compelling storyline - engaging narrative.”
“Would recommend, 10/10, definitely going to play through one or two more times purely to focus on the involving and detailed storyline.”
“This game has no story.”
“There is no actual story here other than the stories you will tell people about how much fun the game is to play.”
“Buy this if you want an extremely short game with no depth of gameplay whatsoever, no story or background, just a plain short game with achievements.”
- replayability29 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is largely considered limited, with many players noting that once all levels are completed, there is little incentive to revisit them. While some find enjoyment in the gameplay and achievement hunting, the consensus is that the lack of meaningful content and challenges significantly diminishes replay value. A few users mention that the game can be fun for a short time, but ultimately, it does not offer enough to warrant repeated playthroughs.
“When looking at it through the scope of what it really is, it is a good buy and has replayability to it.”
“Tetris, for example, has much less content than this game, but is highly replayable.”
“I found this game to be pretty fun and is still entertaining after completion though the replayability is relatively low.”
“Limited replayability once you've completed all the levels.”
“There is no replayability after beating every level, and no reward except for a massive amount of achievements, very few of which actually look nice.”
“Little to no replayability whatsoever; doing something you've already done in this game is not really fun at all.”
- grinding25 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight that the game is primarily designed for achievement farming, with many players finding it easy and enjoyable for this purpose, despite the gameplay being considered lackluster. While some appreciate the charm and low cost, others criticize the grind as tedious and unfulfilling, suggesting that the game lacks real progression or challenge. Overall, it serves as a straightforward option for those focused on accumulating achievements rather than engaging gameplay.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Pretty much just for grinding achievements, the game itself is pretty bad.”
“Don't buy this game for the gameplay, just for the easiest achievement farming you probably will experience in your life.”
“Nothing fun with this game, do not listen to positive reviews about it being 'challenging' or 'fun' because it is just another achievement/trading card farming game.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game is generally praised for its low system requirements, allowing it to run smoothly on a variety of setups. However, some users report that performance can vary, with certain aspects falling below expectations, particularly for those seeking high-performance gameplay. Overall, it offers sufficient performance for casual players and collectors.
“Low system requirements, runs smoothly on most setups.”
“10/10 performance.”
“I can relate a lot to this as I run Elden Ring on low performance.”
“Performance or gameplay falls significantly below the passing mark.”
“It offers plenty of performance for collectors.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally described as immersive and captivating, creating a relaxing environment, although some sound effects may detract from this experience. While some users appreciate the simplicity and similarities to other games, there are also negative opinions regarding the overall atmosphere.
“The immersive atmosphere creates a captivating environment.”
“The atmosphere is relaxing, though the sound effects may differ.”
“If you liked QOP, you will immediately notice the similarities in the simplicity and great atmosphere of the game.”
“The atmosphere is relaxing, though the sound effects are not.”
“Atmosphere - bad - (none)”
- monetization4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy primarily relies on microtransactions and in-game purchases, which many users perceive as a cash grab by the developer. While the initial gameplay may seem simplistic and repetitive, it reportedly improves after reaching certain levels, suggesting a potential for deeper engagement despite the monetization concerns.
“Microtransactions are well-balanced and don't feel intrusive.”
“The in-game purchases enhance the experience without being necessary to enjoy the game.”
“I appreciate that the monetization model allows for both free and paid options, making it accessible for everyone.”
“The UI remains the same across all of the games; it's a cash grab by the developer.”
“The levels start out easy enough, and for the first few levels it feels like this might have actually been a bad choice after all, just another cash grab copy-paste job with loads of achievements attached.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report a mixed experience regarding stability, with some noting only minor bugs and glitches, while others express frustration with a significant number of issues, suggesting that the game may be prone to instability.
“The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs and glitches.”
“There are a few bugs and glitches that affect gameplay.”
“There are minor bugs and glitches that can be distracting.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional impact of the game is significant enough that some players feel a strong aversion to revisiting it, suggesting it may evoke intense feelings that lead to a desire to avoid reliving the experience.
