Key Takeaways
- Ruffy and the Riverside is a blend of 2D and 3D graphics with classic and innovative gameplay mechanics.
- The game features a cute bear with a magical SWAP ability that lets him transform the world to solve puzzles and battle enemies.
- The gameplay trailer showcases Ruffy swapping elements to make discoveries, combining old-school and modern gaming aesthetics.
Video game developer Zockrates Laboratories has released the first gameplay trailer for its upcoming platforming title, Ruffy and the Riverside, which offers fans an exciting blend of 2D and 3D graphics with classic and innovative gameplay mechanics. The indie release is scheduled to launch for PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in Q1 2025, and interested fans can now get a first look at what lies in store with this colorful new adventure.
Action-adventure platforming games have seen a spike in popularity in recent years, with hit games like Astro Bot and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart helping to revitalize the genre. Classic 2D platformers like the Super Mario Bros. franchise and 3D platforming series like Spyro the Dragon boosted the popularity of the genre on older consoles, though platformers saw a decline in big releases for a time. With the genre back in the spotlight, a retro-inspired title with some fresh twists is looking to delight both veteran and first-time platforming fans in 2025.
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Zockrates Laboratories has given fans a first look at the gameplay of its upcoming adventure puzzle-platforming game Ruffy and the Riverside. The adorable bear Ruffy has a magical SWAP ability that allows him to transform the world around him, which he will need to use to save his friends and his home. Ruffy and the Riverside features an eye-catching blend of 2D cutout characters surrounded by a 3D-modeled environment, giving the title a unique mix of old-school and modern video game aesthetics. Similar to games like the Banjo-Kazooie series, Ruffy and the Riverside will task players with putting their minds to the test with clever environmental puzzles as they traverse various regions while fighting bosses and enemies and discovering valuable treasures.
Ruffy and the Riverside – Gameplay Trailer
Taking a look at the gameplay trailer for Ruffy and the Riverside, fans can get an early introduction to Ruffy, his friends, and his special SWAP ability. Ruffy can be seen swapping elements of the world around him to make new discoveries, such as copying a rock and turning a tree to stone, copying a block of ice and freezing the entire ocean, and even copying some vines to transform a waterfall into a climbable wall. The 2D protagonist can also be seen rolling atop a rock and barrels, punching and smashing a robotic boss, and shifting from a 3D environment to a 2D space, similar to the side-scrolling pixel segments hidden in the 8-bit warp pipes in Super Mario Odyssey. Fans of retro platformers can enjoy a blend of old-school gaming with modern innovation when Ruffy and the Riverside launch for PC and console next year.
The revitalization of adventure platforming video games has been welcomed among audiences as a refreshing change of pace and a nostalgic return to classic gaming. With big AAA releases like Astro Bot reigniting interest among fans and indie games like Ruffy and the Riverside on the horizon, platforming fans have plenty of fun titles to dive into and look forward to.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid console launched in 2017, capable of being played in handheld mode or docked to a television. The Switch Lite, a handheld-only model, followed in 2019, with an OLED refresh coming in 2021.