FoxyLand Demo

It’s not difficult to understand what makes a platformer great, but it’s pretty hard to actually make one, because a lot of it has to do with small elements that must work together perfectly. Hence, tough level design is important, but players are not going to be very happy if the controls are not precise. The pace of the game must be in tune with the level design and the mechanics that govern the gameplay.

FoxyLand is a 2D platformer with retro graphics and simple gameplay mechanics, yet it’s anything but simple when it comes to navigating the levels and getting to the end in one piece. The game does not try to be too different in most regards, given the fact that everything about it is pretty much borrowed from classic platformers, but the challenge is fun enough to be worth a playthrough.

The story is not very complex either, given the fact that you follow a fox around as it tries to rescue its mate, but most of the time the plot is kept in the background anyway. Your actual goal is to overcome traps and collect jewels, which is achieved by jumping around and avoiding all sorts of obstacles. In short, it’s a straightforward platformer that requires a lot of patience and good coordination.

Every level shares the same goal, which is to make it to the house at the end. However, you have to collect all the jewels along the way in order for the house to be open when you get there, otherwise you need to go back and search for the jewels you missed. Sometimes it’s really tricky to reach some of the diamonds, but thankfully there are no time limits to hurry you along.

As mentioned before, the controls are paramount in the genre, and FoxyLand does not have any issues in this regard. Your actions are immediately registered by the game, so it pays off to be quick and nimble around the stages. In terms of graphics, the retro style can be a tad repetitive sometimes, but that is not a big issue when you are concentrated on avoiding spikes or nasty enemies.

In the end, FoxyLand ticks all the right boxes, but it’s unfortunately not a very memorable game. It sure is challenging, on the other hand, so even if you do not remember the story or the characters, you can at least squeeze a few fun hours out of it.