If I had to pick a game to describe as ‘diabolically fun,’ Super Meat Boy would undoubtedly be it. There’s a delightful, yet cruel and fantastic, quality to its platforming, level design, and underlying difficulty philosophy. While not as soul-crushing as the sadistic creations of Bennett Foddy, it’s also far from what one might consider an accessible platformer. Super Meat Boy has always occupied a ‘Goldilocks zone’ – just challenging enough to frustrate you, yet with levels that, through reasonable practice and trial-and-error, can ultimately be conquered.
I bring this up because Super Meat Boy thrived in this manner for so long precisely due to its 2D game design. Developers could dedicate their focus entirely to preserving that Goldilocks approach, unburdened by the complexities of a third dimension. However, that era is over. Super Meat Boy 3D has arrived, significantly altering the formula, but the crucial question remains: does this change truly benefit the beloved series?
To answer that, I must admit I’m not entirely convinced, but I’ll elaborate on that shortly. For now, let’s acknowledge what Super Meat Boy 3D gets right, and there are several commendable aspects. The overall atmosphere, art direction, inherent brutality, basic yet clear motivational narrative, and gameplay simplicity – these all scream Super Meat Boy through and through. You’ll never doubt for a moment what game you’re playing with this new installment. It still features distinct worlds, a Dark World counterpart, unlockable characters for those brave enough to collect everything, and a strong emphasis on speedrunning and flawlessly completing each stage. The core Super Meat Boy formula has been preserved and efficiently expanded upon, yet despite all this, something feels off when I play Super Meat Boy 3D…
The leap from 2D to 3D is a significant undertaking, demanding a complete design overhaul that, in this game, perhaps lacks a final degree of refinement and precision. Super Meat Boy’s formula is too fast-paced and brutal for players to be overly concerned with their character’s exact positioning. Yet, in Super Meat Boy 3D, that’s precisely what occupies most of your thoughts. It might seem trivial, but instead of focusing on navigating past buzzsaws and meat grinders, you’re preoccupied with simply keeping Meat Boy on a ‘safe’ platform. The controls are so swift and responsive that it becomes incredibly easy to make elementary movement errors.
Furthermore, the game’s 3D nature doesn’t feature an over-the-shoulder camera, meaning you won’t find a Prince of Persia-esque 3D platforming experience. Instead, the camera remains largely fixed, trailing you throughout the level. This implies that the ‘3D’ aspect primarily boils down to Meat Boy having a few extra movement options within a level, which, honestly, aren’t truly necessary for the gameplay.
Essentially, what I’m trying to convey is that Super Meat Boy 3D’s 3D element doesn’t feel like a genuine evolution of the gameplay, but rather a design gimmick that fails to enhance the overall experience. While it is undeniably different, the Super Meat Boy series hasn’t oversaturated the market, so there isn’t a desperate need for revised options, especially if they don’t propel the series forward. This game is not that next great leap. Nor is it a detraction or a step backward; it’s simply a sidestep, leading Super Meat Boy down a path it doesn’t necessarily need to tread. It’s akin to the distinction between 2D and 3D Sonic the Hedgehog. While a character can exist in both dimensions, it’s undeniable that the fluid, lightning-fast platforming gameplay often excels in a 2D format. That’s precisely how Super Meat Boy 3D makes me feel about this franchise. It’s not a disaster, nor is it a fundamentally bad incorporation, but I don’t feel the core Meat Boy formula truly thrives in 3D gameplay.
Perhaps this new marriage of traditional gameplay and an extra dimension could be refined – whether through a closer camera to better track the rather minuscule protagonist, or even a slight deceleration to improve fluidity. Regardless, as it stands, I’m not entirely sold on Super Meat Boy 3D in its current form. It simply feels too imprecise for a series renowned for its brutal accuracy.
In summary, Super Meat Boy 3D is a game that doesn’t evolve the series but rather steers it down an unnecessary alternative path. The theme, tone, and artistic style remain authentically Super Meat Boy, but the gameplay carries a slightly uncomfortable edge, feeling not quite right for various reasons. Super Meat Boy may be back, but this isn’t the character at its peak performance.