Ruffy and the Riverside radiates 90s charm, instantly transporting me back to the golden era of Nintendo and Rareware. From the moment I booted it up, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia as the vivid memories of Banjo-Kazooie came flooding in. Adventure, vibrant colours, and that unmistakable magic that made classics so special. Ruffy is brimming with joy, charming characters, colour, exploration, and revolves around a creative texture swap mechanic that (most of the time) feels downright delightful.
Stepping into Riverside feels like slipping into a warm, nostalgic ’90s embrace. The world bursts to life with a cast of quirky, hand-drawn characters and a soundtrack that’s as upbeat and catchy as it is unusual. Ruffy is a love letter to platformers past. It isn’t focused on making your life hell with precision-perfect jumping sequences; rather, it focuses on exploration and experimentation.
Leading the adventure is Ruffy, the hero on a mission to collect marbles, glowing crystals with the power to alter the elements around them. The goal? Save Riverside from Groll, a villain hellbent on devouring them all and spreading decay. By your side are Sir Eddler, a diamond-loving mole with a convenient fear of heights, and Pip, your trusty bee companion who lets you glide through the air Banjo-Kazooie style.
Sure, the story won’t win any awards, but when was the last time you played a 3D platformer for its deep narrative? This game is all about charm, creativity, and exploration.
Every character is a burst of personality, beautifully drawn and animated. Pair that with a soundtrack that’s a unique vibe, and Ruffy sinks its hooks into you fast. Riverside is a world begging to be explored, packed with characters, collectibles, side quests, and secrets that reward curiosity at every turn, encouraging you to explore.
The world transports you through distinct biomes: scorching deserts, frosty ice, lush jungles, and burning lava. It’s a nostalgic callback to a simpler era of gaming, where wonder alone was enough to keep you glued to the screen. Ruffy, well and truly, was a case of curiosity taking over.
The texture swap mechanic is your key tool for puzzle solving. Solutions aren’t handed to you, but they’re never truly perplexing either. Instead, progress comes through experimentation, mixing intuition with creativity. The ability to copy and paste textures isn’t a gimmick; rather, it’s seamlessly woven into the world, making every “aha” moment feel earned.
The level design requires you to engage with the swap mechanic – it’s the core of Ruffy’s creativity. When it works, it’s brilliant. Practical applications lead to creative solutions, channelling my experimental spirit. It felt limitless.
Yet, limits do exist, and they’re Ruffy’s biggest problem. Too often, I’d come up with a clever workaround, only to hit an invisible wall when certain textures refused to interact. The game rarely explains these restrictions, leaving you to trial and error your way through what should feel like a straightforward puzzle. While these constraints likely stem from budget or technical hurdles, not oversight, the result can make Ruffy’s signature mechanic feel like a watered-down Drawn to Life. It’s still fun, but doesn’t let you experiment nearly as much as you’d want.
Ruffy and the Riverside is a love letter to puzzle platformers. It may not dethrone the N64 greats, but it follows closely in their shadow. It captures that magical childhood feeling of curiosity and discovery, wrapping it in a world where cute 2D sprites pop against vibrant, retro 3D landscapes, with an ingenious swap mechanic that keeps you constantly tinkering.
Yes, it stumbles at times (texture-swapping can feel limited, and dialogue occasionally overstays its welcome). But when everything clicks into place, you’ve got something special. This isn’t the absolute pinnacle of platforming or puzzles, but it sure as heck is a creative, colourful, and joyful experience!
RUFFY AND THE RIVERSIDE REVIEW
Ruffy and the Riverside is a throwback to platforming greats of the ’90s that is brimming with the charm, level design, and colourful characters that made you fall in love with video games to begin with. While the game isn’t the ultimate platforming experience, Ruffy and the Riverside is sure to bring joy to those who play.
PROS
Amazing Steam Deck performance
Scan and swap texture mechanic is innovative, unique, and a heap of fun to experiment with
Every corner of the game is well designed, delivering a heap of collectables to keep the most pedantic of collectors and explorers busy
CONS
While the writing is enjoyable, there sure is a lot of it, turning into a case where characters have a lot to say with little substance behind their words
For a platformer, you rarely need to jump or glide with precision, as I’d expect from the genre
The tutorial, along with future puzzles, could use some more guidance
Reviewed on PC. A review code was provided by the Publisher for purposes of this review.
