The 3D platformer genre is a tried-and-true genre, with Ruffy and the Riverside being no exception. Taking elements from iconic platformers, the title combines charming puzzle-solving and engaging exploration. But does this Bear and Bee duo fulfill their roles as the ‘chosen ones’? Or does this puzzle fall apart?
Despite some minor setbacks, this adventuring duo comes across the riverside with a treasure trove of hearts and collectables.
Publisher/Developer: Phiphen Games, Zockrates Laboratories UG
Price: $19.99
Release Date: June 26th, 2025
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC
Once Upon a Riverside – Premise
The premise is a timeless one for a 3D platformer, featuring a lovable bear named Ruffy and Pip, his charming bee buddy, as they leave their simple life as painters to assist Sir Eddler in uncovering a great treasure. Upon helping him, they unintentionally awaken a great evil.
Being the good chaps they are, Ruffy and Pip travel across the Riverside to restore power to the powerful letters, which are key to defeating the evil cube, Groll. The overall premise isn’t anything groundbreaking, but what makes it enjoyable is the charming cast of characters.
Every friendly NPC Ruffy and Pip encounter offers humorous dialogue to explore, reminding me of the golden age of 3D platformers on the Nintendo 64. Similar to games like Banjo-Kazooie, Ruffy and Pip have a great back-and-forth, with the former being the friendly hero while the latter is the more sassy partner.
The game’s main villain, Groll, stood out with their extended interaction for a whole level with Ruffy and Pip, with his attempts at winning over being enjoyable. In addition, I liked the NPCs, friendly while offering a strong wit, keeping you on your toes.
While the late-game reveals raised more questions than answers, I overall enjoyed the adventure Ruffy and Pip took me on.
Finding the Right Colors – Controls/Design
Ruffy & the Riverside‘s control is simple on the surface. The face buttons make the bear jump, punch, ground-pound, and hover in the air with Pip’s assistance. Feeling responsive, I had no issues running around Ruffy’s sizable open world. One thing I did take a little while to adjust to was how floaty the hover-jump feels. It’s responsive and works as intended, but due to the game’s art style having Ruffy be a 2D sprite, you pay more attention to his drop shadow than in most platformers.
General movement is enhanced with the mid-game wheelbarrel, which is accessible at different points throughout the game world. When on top of one, Ruffy’s movement speed is improved immensely at the cost of more unwieldy control. The gameplay sections that use it are awesome, which include both races with NPCs and even a Tony Hawk-inspired section where you are performing various sick tricks.
The biggest aspect of Ruffy & the Riverside that makes it stand out amongst other 3D platformers is the Swap Mechanic.
Gotta Swap ‘Em All – Gameplay
Being the cornerstone of Ruffy‘s gameplay, the bear can scan almost any object, symbol, or color in the world. Then, by pressing one of the triggers, he throws the object back at a given target. You can even throw the same thing you copied across multiple targets by holding down both triggers when aiming.
This simple mechanic has a transformative impact on the world around you. Want to walk across a body of water? Throw the ‘Ice’ into it and quickly run across the now frozen body of water. Want to climb up a waterfall? Scan some vines and throw them at the waterfall, making your makeshift ladder.
And those examples are just some of the most basic puzzles the game asks you to solve. They get more complex as the game progresses, creating a sense of free-form platforming that I felt in games like Super Mario Odyssey and Donkey Kong Bananza.
It’s not perfect, as it can be trial-and-error figuring out the intended way to solve a puzzle. One example of this was later in the game, where I had to get a wooden wheel into a moving lake. The only way to do that was to change the elements of magnet-looking objects. Trying to figure this puzzle out was tricky, but once I solved it, I felt like the smartest guy, or bear, in the room.
A Weak Arm – Combat & Boss Fights
While puzzle solving and exploration are the cornerstones of Ruffy, there are a few sections where limited combat is required. Ruffy has simple punches, with the ability to charge the attack into a spin (which looks animated as if taken from a Looney Tunes cartoon). It’s effective for simple enemies, but for the game’s few boss fights, this limited moveset could’ve been better.
Being only a few boss encounters, each one offers something unique. The two major boss encounters involve Ruffy trying to reach the boss to attack it, with each using the SAWP mechanic to keep you engaged. Specifically, the second boss encounter encourages you to pay attention to switching out Lava with different elements in the area.
I overall enjoyed the three or so boss fights throughout the adventure, though I wish more were present to leverage the game’s inventive SWAP mechanic.
Twists and Turns – Level Design
One of the best aspects of Ruffy & the Riverside is its core set of levels, as each one mixes things up in creative ways. From changing the terrain ahead of a wheelbarrow race to get ahead of the pack, sneaking past ghosts to learn about the best flowers to color a tombstone, and even channeling Ruffy’s inner Crash Bandicoot and running toward the screen for a few moments, I was always engaged.
Making these levels enjoyable stems from how great the SWAP mechanic is utilized. It makes you think, but it’s never overly confusing. That being said, when the game deviates from its traditional platforming and puzzle-solving elements, it can be jarring.
It can throw you into a new gameplay change-up with little explanation on how the controls work. But thanks to the game’s generous checkpoint system, the one time this happened didn’t detract from the experience.
The Completion – Collectables
While you can enjoy Ruffy’s sizable six-to-eight-hour adventure, the game offers a bunch of collectables to keep you busy. Collecting colorful Butterflies that can be traded in for currency, different outfits that can upgrade Ruffy’s health & stamina for hovering, and well-hidden Etoi creatures.
They are fun to collect while never hindering progress for the main quest.
Hand Crafted Feels – Presentation
A defining aspect of Ruffy & the Riverside is the game’s striking art style. Going for a look reminiscent of Paper Mario, Ruffy and his cast of characters are 2D characters in a fully 3D world. It’s a look that some indie games, such as Bug Fables and Demon’s Turf, used to great success.
The art direction for this look is what makes Ruffy and friends so charming, as they feel like animated characters. Ruffy, Pip, and other characters are incredibly expressive and are adorable, making you root for them. In addition, 2D characters feel ‘alive’ in this 3D world, never clashing or looking out of place.
Regarding the 3D world itself, it’s well-realized. Every landmark is easy to find, and spotting puzzles in the main open world was enjoyable to discover.
Rhythmically Inclined – Audio/Music
Fitting its retro charm is Ruffy & the Riverside‘s music score. Many of the game’s music tracks are catchy, having strong melodies that make you tap your toes to the eclectic mixture of instruments. The game’s main theme, ‘Happy Canyon’, is a great example of this.
Supporting a catchy score is Banjo-Kazooie-esque voice acting, which fits the game like a glove. Every bit of dialogue has this gibberish-style voice acting. It never sounds out of place, and each ‘voice’ matches the character given to them.
A Stable Bear – Performance
Playing the game across PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2, Ruffy & the Riverside runs great. On the PlayStation 5, the game maintains a high resolution target while running at a locked 60 FPS. Meanwhile, on Nintendo Switch 2, the game’s Switch 1 build leverages the stronger hardware and maintains 60 FPS at a native 720p.
The only negative aspect of playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2 is that the draw distance is shorter than on PlayStation 5. Otherwise, both platforms are very comparable experiences.
Closing Thoughts on Ruffy and the Riverside
As an avid fan of the 3D platformer, the indie space is quickly growing into a thriving hot spot of the genre, with Ruffy & the Riverside joining the ranks of A Hat in Time and Poi.
Utilizing a creative mechanic not seen in other 3D platformers, while having a strong identity and a striking art direction, Ruffy and Pip’s adventure is a riverside worth visiting.
This game was reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2 (via Switch 1 BC) and PlayStation 5. The reviewer purchased the Nintendo Switch version, while the PS5 version was provided by the publisher.
Score: 8 out of 10
Pros:
- Strong Art Direction
- Original SWAP Mechanic Enhances Level Design & Variety
- Solid Controls
- Great Soundtrack and Audio
- Runs Great on Switch 2 & PS5
- Loveable Cast of Characters
Cons:
- The Story’s Conclusion Could’ve Been Better
- Draw Distance on Switch 1 & 2 Limited
- Some Gameplay Shifts Not Well-Explained
