It's Ruff to be the Chosen one.
Over the past several years, many indie games have looked to the past generations of consoles for inspiration. From the Super Nintendo, the PSone, to the Xbox 360, games that echo those eras are arriving from numerous studios around the world, even by teams of just one solo developer. However, few games have really looked to capture the magic of the Nintendo 64, and Ruffy and the Riverside aims to change that.
Ruffy and the Riverside wears a lot of its inspirations on its hand-drawn sleeves across every facet of this game. From Banjo Kazooie, Mario 64, and even Paper Mario, there is a lot here that pulls from those games all while never having nostalgia do all the heavy lifting. A lot of that is due to the game's SWAP mechanic, a way for Ruffy to turn water into lava to burn away wooden platforms or enemies, or turn it into an Ivy wall to reach the top of the hillside. The SWAP mechanic fuels the entire adventure and places Ruffy, an adorable bear that has the fashion sense of an Ewok, as the Chosen One, who is destined to stop an evil that has long since been banished.
Once upon a time, an ancient evil known as Groll had attempted to conquer these lands, destroying all in his wake. However, that came to an end when he had been banished and thought to be dealt with for good. However, as Ruffy and friends soon discover, he has returned, consuming chunks of mysterious marble that have been discovered all across Riverside. Ruffy, who has been deemed the chosen one, sets out to save Riverside from the diabolical schemes of Groll once and for all.
To do that, Ruffy will use their magical SWAP power to redirect textures from one object to another. You'll move a cursor over wood, rock, dirt, stone, grass, or water, and apply it to a compatible surface. This also changes the durability and weight, such as turning metal crates into wood, thus allowing a raft to float once I've filled the area with water by turning a wooden weight into stone. It also changes how you interact with the surface, such as turning water into mud and then seeing others get partially stuck in it, which happened when I rigged a race and saw my opposition getting stuck in said mud.
It's a clever mechanic, but one that only feels built for the exact way to solve the puzzle. You won't be using the power to break the game or come up with an unbelievable solution due to limited interactivity between certain surfaces, and the fact that you have a timer on what texture you're holding. For example, there is a platforming puzzle where you need to turn stone pillars in wood so that they are buoyant enough to cross the ocean, but you cannot turn the ocean into stone, despite being able to turn the water to lava. It's a great mechanic, but don't expect too much flexibility; this isn’t Tears of the Kingdom.
Ruffy's goal is to stop Groll, but to do that, they will have to return the letters of the Riverside sign to their former glory, as they are tied to the World Core that Groll needs to vanquish if to rule this world. With the sign destroyed, and the World Core wounded, Ruffy travels all across Riverside to find those letters, assisting those in need, and taking on numerous challenges to earn them, such as a hay bale race where you rig the course, a trick challenge that feels right out of Tony Hawk, or assisting a ghost in preparing the best-looking grave.
Ruffy and the Riverside has a large world to explore with numerous biomes that allow for some really well-designed locations, ripe for the discovery of countless collectibles, and grind rails for your hay bale, because of course you need rails for your hay bales; it’s just common sense after all. You'll also solve a series of side activities, such as removing a pesky shark from a nearby pool, and lighting all the torches of a shrine, to cause pillars to rise from the waters below. There is a ton here to explore if you're looking to get the most out of this adventure.
While Ruffy can take part in combat, it is far less of a focus than you would expect. You can swat at nearby enemies, but these moments are exceedingly rare. Honestly, you can walk across the map and maybe see a half dozen enemies, with next to none of them being aggressive and more like bystanders than Ruffy will well.. ruff up. Most of the gameplay for Ruffy and Riverside comes from exploring the world, rolling around on hay bales, and using the SWAP mechanic to solve puzzles and bypass obstacles to earn the letters R,I,V,E,S, and D.
So yes, while Ruffy and the Riverside is technically a platformer, platforming does manage to take a back seat to the puzzles and exploration for collectibles. Lastly, if I was to lodge a complaint about its platforming, it is that climbing ladders can often have you stuck at the top without progressing to the top, and jumping simply catapults you backwards.
After a brief intro, you'll end up in a small village that acts as a hub location. While you won't always return back here for anything substantial, there are various NPC’s to interact with that teach you about numerous collectibles or dialogue moments that help add a bit of life to its world. That said, some dialogue can go on way too long with not much actually being said.
It's here in this little town where Ruffy will be told they have a higher calling, and once you use the SWAP mechanic to swap images to a new series of paintings for a trio of customers, acting as the game's tutorial of the mechanic, Ruffy will head off on adventure and be granted the title of Chosen One.
Ruffy won't be alone on this adventure, while your mentor Sir Eddler the Mole will provide him the information of his quest and how to go about things, as well as constantly be mentioning his important history around Riverside, despite his cowardice to actually take action, you will have Pip, your bee friend, who will be with every step of the way. Pip has a lot of sass, and enjoys being part of the “chosen one” conversation, and can aid Ruffy in gliding around the map, even if you rarely find a need for it. It's one aspect of the game that borrows greatly from Banjo Kazooie.
Each letter of the Riverside sign will be the focus of a quest you'll be sent on by a secret council of protectors of the land. When you seek out their wisdom, a magical wheel, a la Wheel of Fortune, spins and shows Ruffy where they will go next. Once your destination is chosen, you'll progress to that area, solve its problem, and be granted the letter. You'll return with the letter, heal part of the World's Core, and move on to the next location. This repeats until you are ready to confront Groll and banish him again, but this time for good.
Ruffy and the Riverside is remarkably charming, but that charm does have its limits. Ruffy has a series of giggles and quips that repeat every time you perform an action like jumping or simply just existing. While you can lower the volume of these quips, a toggle to lessen them would be ideal instead of removing them entirely. Still, Ruffy and the Riverside’s presentation is solid, with wonderful handdrawn 2D assets and a very retro 3D world to run around it. The game also sports a pretty great soundtrack, even if you do hear that one particular song constantly. That said, it's a banger of a tune.
While its SWAP mechanic can feel limited at times, it is nonetheless a charming example of a passion project come to life. The world, its characters, and the general gameplay are wildly entertaining. There is strong potential for a sequel, one that could allow more freedom in how the SWAP mechanic is used. Regardless, Ruffy and Riverside is a fantastic time, and a game that can easily satisfy those wanting a trip down the Nintendo 64 lane, or young kids who want a fun alternative to Mario.
Developer - Zockrates Laboratories UG Publisher - Phiphen Games. Released - June 26th, 2025. Available On - Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC. Rated - (E) No Descriptors. Platform Reviewed - Nintendo Switch 2. Review Access - Review code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.
Jeff is the original founder of Analog Stick Gaming. His favorite games include The Witcher III, the Mass Effect Trilogy, Hi-Fi Rush, Stellar Blade, Hellbade: Senua’s Sacrifice, and the Legend of Heroes series, especially Trails of Cold Steel III & IV.