Within the genre of precision platformers, Super Meat Boy (SMB) is about as iconic as it gets. It’s sequel, Super Meat Boy Forever, looked slick but… well, you can read my thoughts on that one in my review. Let’s just say it didn’t exactly stick the landing gameplay-wise. When I saw that the newest entry makes a transition to 3D, I was skeptical, to put it politely.
Also maybe it’s just me, but the new artstyle from the trailers and the demo? Weirdly realistic, somewhat unsettling initially.
But I’ll admit: it grew on me. A lot, actually. The game looks fantastic while playing, and cutscenes are really well made.
Still, going 3D raises a ton of red flags. What about the camera? Are there issues with depth perception? Does the added freedom of movement allow for sequence breaking? And the most important question: can a game like this still feel precise when you are no longer locked to two dimensions?
Because that’s the thing: Most (if not all) precision platformers, including the original SMB are designed in 2D, and work not because they are hard, but because they are fair. Movement in SMB is floaty, yes, but always under your control. If you mess up, that’s on you. Translating that into 3D doesn’t sound exactly trivial…
On top of that, SMB is not just about difficulty. It’s about that weird, slightly unhinged tone and dark humor. It’s about the sawblades, levels that are over in seconds but take dozens of tries. Forever kind of lost that magic with its more generic-feeling, much longer levels and the autorunner mechanics. So naturally, my expectations for SMB 3D were… complicated.
Now, developer Sluggerfly didn’t just take the IP and make their own thing. They worked closely with Tommy Refenes from Team Meat, which sounds reassuring on paper. Still, I’d argue a lot that the original feel and tone, and the genius level design, came from Edmund McMillen (you only need to look at his other games to be sure), and he’s not involved in the development of SMB 3D. So yeah, cautious optimism.
But enough preface. Let’s start with the big one.
Movement and Camera
The first thing to mention is that the camera cannot be moved freely (fortunately). It’s a fixed camera, and the good news is that it mostly works. It keeps the stages readable, and surprisingly, your view is almost never obstructed. Anything that would block your view just fades out of the way, so you can always see Meat Boy and the path forward. You always know where you need to go (though actually getting there alive? Different story).
The core movement system is actually pretty solid. They’ve restricted movement to eight directions (you can change that in the options and enable free movement though), which keeps things relatively precise. Wall jumping makes a return, and they’ve added new mechanics such as wall-running and an air dash. Both feel great, but the latter is especially satisfying. It is used both for extending jumps and smashing through breakable walls, which fits perfectly with the game’s speed-focused design. There is also a dive slam that can be used to cancel out of a dash and fall rapidly to the ground. I haven’t found too many use cases for it personally (besides the mandatory uses to pass through vertical shafts filled with horizontal air streams), and surprisingly there are no hidden objects that can be uncovered using it, but it can be convenient during time attacks.
Wall-running feels great, too, though hitting the correct angle consistently can take some getting used to.
Depth perception can be a bit shaky, especially when you are jumping across large gaps towards narrow walls. There were multiple moments where I thought that I’ve got it, only to completely misjudge my position, miss the wall entirely, and fall into a sawblade abyss. These issues really start creeping up in around World 3, where moving platforms start becoming more prominent.
Then World 5 shows up with gravity spheres and… well, let’s say they definitely push the limits of what works in this perspective.
There are some annoyances, though. If you are playing with an analog stick, slight directional inaccuracies can mess you up. For example, climbing a narrow wall at an angle can be finnicky. Pushing the stick slighly too much to the side instead of diagonal can cause Meat Boy to drift sideways. And just like that, your attempt is over. It’s one of those things where the game expects precision, but the input method doesn’t always cooperate.
Similarly, there are moments where you want to dash in a certain direction, but the game just won’t let you (given its restriction to eight directions). It’s rare, but when it happens, it feels off.
Level Design and Structure
Thankfully, this is where the game really starts to shine again.
Levels are much shorter again, with most stages wrapping up in 20-30 seconds. That alone brings back the addicting “one more try” loop. Each world focuses on two to three core mechanics, and that’s all it needs. Saws and spikes are of course everywhere, but each biome feels distinct, cohesive, and thoughtfully designed. There’s a good mix of levels that demand constant movement (think of trains acting as platforms, vertical climbing levels where you never get a platform to stand on and take a break, etc…) and more deliberate platforming challenges.
Interestingly, there are fewer projectile-based levels than you might expect, which actually helps keep the focus on movement rather than chaos.
The difficulty curve is also handled really well. Right from the start, the Light Worlds are already no joke. You’ll die a lot, but that’s to be expected and kind of the point. They ease you into the mechanics in a fair way, and just as things start to click and become manageable, it raises the stakes with a new set of deadly hazards that push you a little further without becoming overwhelming.
By the time you finish the Light Worlds you are probably thinking that the Dark Worlds are going to destroy you. But unlocking them actually requires beating every Light World level fast enough, which forces you to properly learn the mechanics and optimize your movement, instead of jumping too fast into challenges you might not be ready for yet.
Because of that, when you finally get to the Dark Worlds, they are tough, but don’t feel like an unreasonable spike. The progression feels natural, which is a huge improvement over SMB Forever, where difficulty was all over the place.
Bosses and Extras
There are a few more things to touch upon. The overworld is surprisingly detailed and easy to navigate. There are shortcuts within each world, and warp zones for quick travel, which is nice. That said, with how much effort went into it, I kinda expected more secrets or surprises hidden there. It looks great, but feels slightly underutilized.
At the end of each Light World, you’ll get to fight a Boss. They are visually creative, but not particularly challenging. That’s fine, honestly. They are short, punchy, and serve as transitions between worlds. Just like in the previous games.
Each Light World level hides away a Bandage, and in each Light World there is a secret level to be found as well. These house five different minigames, which pay hommage to some gaming classics like Super Mario or Metal Gear Solid. Both minigames and Bandages unlock new playable characters. The Kid makes a return here as well… that’s hard fan-service, and it’s difficult not to smile (and at the same time prevent a heart attack) when you see how to unlock him…
Cutscenes are brief but well-made, and the music absolutely nails the vibe. It’s energetic and fast-paced, and slightly distorted in the Dark World, which works really well. It’s noticeable yet never annoying, even after dozens of deaths and repeated attempts.
Overall, I think Super Meat Boy 3D is a successful transition to three dimensions, and I’m looking forward to spending dozens more hours with it to complete the mandatory no-death runs. Who knows, maybe I’ll have gotten tired of the music by then.
