For some people, the thought of a puzzle game sends a shiver down their spine. On the other hand, I personally love a good puzzle game. There’s something about calming music, cutesy characters and an inventive spin on puzzle solving that just sets me at ease. I grab a nice refreshing drink and spend hours playing games such as Tetris, Panel de Pon or Trioncube.
And when it comes to inventing new ways to solve puzzles Toodee and Topdee really makes itself known as something fresh, fun and relaxing.
You play as both Toodee and Topdee, just a couple of bros who’s worlds have collided after the omniscient creator of the universe’s right hand man steals the Semicolon. An artifact of sorts that keeps balance in the universe. Without it the universe has begun to glitch out and do all sorts of wacky stuff. So, it’s up to Toodee and Topdee to return it so they can go back to their normal lives.
Now as the protagonists’ names suggest. Toodee is from a world where the world is shown from a 2D perspective and platforming is encouraged. Topdee on the other hand is from a world where a top-down perspective is shown encouraging moving boxes into holes and moving around from a top down perspective, I guess!
Now that their worlds have collided you have to reach the end of a level using both of their worlds perspectives on your slide. The game reminds me a lot of Fez with it’s quick and snappy perspective shifts and great music and art. But all that praise for Fez comes with a big fat asterisk because Phil Fish is a big stinky man.
Me being petty aside, Toodee and Topdee uses this perspective shifting mechanic to its fullest not only giving us well designed little brain teasers but also edge of your seat moment to moment perspective shifting action. Where one little slip up could mean restarting the level. There are moments and make you sit for minutes conjuring up some grand scheme to get both these lads to the portal and in one fell swoop you execute the timing, the jumps and the support that both of these wonderful boys need to give each other to get to the end of the level.
It makes you feel smart and that’s always high praise when you play a puzzle game. Feeling yourself is important though and when you’re not feeling yourself you can sit for hours foaming at the mouth because a level just does not make sense to you. And if you’re having trouble my biggest juiciest gamer tip would be to take a damn break and eat a Snickers or something. Come back after some time and you’ll realize how much of a big stupid idiot you are. This never happens to me though cause I am cool and not lame like you lot.
Feeling myself aside, the game is fantastic, if you haven’t realised it yet. Coupled with great visuals, a fun story with cute characters and some super chilled out music. This game just hits. Oh! And there is co-op!
So, Todee and Topdee: It hits.