There are many 2D platformers on the market today, but few stand out like Super Catboy. The name alone is memorable and the concept of having a mutated, combo-punching, minecart-riding cat as a playable character adds to its charm. Catboy himself feels like something right out of the 16-bit era and he’s joined by his sidekick Weapongirl who enjoys guns while he prefers fisticuffs. The platforming action has a tight feel to it with the combat being snappy as well.
The multi-hit combo feels like something out of a belt-scrolling brawler and deals out a nice amount of damage, but doesn’t do much against some of the gun-toting foes. That’s where Catboy’s agility comes into play because he can not only do wall jumps, but he can do a diagonal jump kick that sends him crashing down towards foes and quickly neutralizes their distance advantage. It’s a great technique and one that keeps the flow of the action going.
Gameplay flow is something that a lot of platformers struggle with unless they’re aiming to directly take inspiration from the Donkey Kong Country series. We’ve seen titles like Marsupilami, Tooki Trouble, Jet Kave Adventure, and especially Kaze and the Wild Masks go for that kind of vibe, but none of them had the emphasis on combat that Catboy does. It’s very much a combat-first game, but platforming is also a crucial part of it because if you fail a jump, you’ll go back to a checkpoint and those aren’t as generous as they are in things like the DKC Returns games.
There’s a fair challenge offered up and even early on, you can expect to die a time or two due to how precise your platforming needs to be when combined with the combat. It’s not a frustrating thing, though, and getting better is something you can ease yourself into and learn on the fly. The controls are razor-sharp, as are the graphics. It’s a gorgeous game to look at with nice, detailed pixel art alongside smooth animation and a killer soundtrack.
Super Catboy is available now on bothGOGandSteamfor $7.99. For those with a portable gaming PC, the game works perfectly on the Steam Deck and also via GOG or Steam on the ROG Ally – making it an incredible pickup on either platform. At only $8 at launch, it’s a tremendous value and everything about the execution of the game is top-shelf. It’s a must-buy for anyone wanting something new and highly-polished.
