In the beginning, there was Aleph. Aleph created the universe as we know it, and blessed each world he created with a unique perspective. As more and more worlds entered the universe, Glitches began to appear, and chaos began to develop. To tackle these Glitches, Aleph created a helpful assistant in the form of Toodoo. Whose job it was to help keep order. To restore balance between the worlds, Aleph also created the Semicolon. Which sits at the centre of the universe, and this established peace and prosperity in all of the worlds.
As Aleph’s creation grew more perfect, Toodoo realised his role was soon to become obsolete. Stricken by anger and grief, and confused as to what else to do, Toodoo stole the Semicolon and plunged the universe back into chaos. Without the Semicolon there to keep the worlds separate and stable, the universe imploded on itself and several worlds collided to become one. And so we came to meet our heroes Toodee and Topdee.
Toodee and Topdee hail from different worlds, but soon find themselves thrust into each other’s lives as a result of the Semicolon being stolen. Their worlds are suddenly merged into one, and they can see each other even though not existing in the same plane of existence.
The pair are forced to work together to overcome the various challenges and boss fights thrown their way, navigating through the various worlds, defeating the manipulated Guardians of the universe, and fighting to try and retrieve the stolen Semicolon and restore order. No pressure, right?
Gameplay
Toodee and Topdee is an inventive puzzle platformer which incorporates elements of 2D platforming and 3D puzzling. Toodee inhabits the 2D world, while Topdee inhabits the 3D one. Each has their own unique abilities that allow them to assist the other when times get tough.
Toodee can jump across spaces that Topdee cannot and break weak surfaces, while Topdee can move objects to assist Toodee’s platforming or distract enemies.
In each of the levels, and over the course of the five worlds, Toodee and Topdee must work together in order to reach the guarded portals leading closer to the Semicolon. Without each other’s support, they are unable to avoid the enemies lurking around every corner and reach their goal. At the end of each world, there is a boss waiting to be fought, and these require even more skilful execution of Toodee and Topdee’s individual abilities. With only one life available if playing using the game’s default settings, you’ll need to keep your wits about you and pay close attention to each boss’ signature attacks during each phase.
The plot of Toodee and Topdee is wacky, but fun. If you have a background in coding or similar, you’ll also gain some gleeful satisfaction from the references and humour throughout the game.
For those not with that background, however, you may wonder why a piece of punctuation was invented to keep stability in the universe. You may also groan at some of the jokes as I did, with some going over my head as well. The humour rides that fine line between hilarious and cringeworthy, so be aware of that.
Puzzling
With the exception of the fifth world, where the levels are time-limited side-scrolling platforming sections, each level takes on the appearance of a self-contained puzzle that the player must use Toodee and Topdee’s unique abilities to solve. In each level, you’ll need to navigate various obstacles and enemies in order to reach the portal which takes you to the next area. You’ll often need to be creative in how you reach some solutions, though there is often more than one way to reach your goal. However, in some scenarios, there is only one method by which to reach it, so you may be stuck scratching your head for a while while you figure it out.
While some of the puzzles require very little effort to solve, others will take you much longer. As you progress through each world, new hazards, enemies and obstacles will crop up for you to navigate through, with some requiring very refined uses of each of Toodee and Topdee’s abilities.
You may need to quickly switch between the two or time your switches well in order to adequately navigate the terrain. Don’t be afraid to try out different methods or resign yourself to restarting the level from scratch if you have made an irreversible mistake. As mentioned, when playing using the default settings, you only get one life – so you’ll likely be restarting some levels a lot. And that is nothing to be ashamed of.
Repetition
Looking back at the various puzzle types available throughout Toodee and Topdee, it is unfortunate that there are many repetitive elements to them. Although creative and often difficult to immediately work out, the mechanics can sometimes feel too simple and limited.
Toodee and Topdee have their own strengths and abilities, and that is a good thing, but when many obstacles demand the same solutions – such as a box being moved, or an enemy being distracted – it can feel laborious. Sometimes I had to take a break from the game just to get a breather in the middle of any given world. Perhaps if each world had had fewer levels to it, this slight tiresomeness would have been alleviated.
Boss Fights Can Kiss My A**e
Having one life on the default settings also means that the boss fights can be a nightmare for the unsuspecting casual player. You’ll find yourself figuring out each boss’ movements in each stage, only to have them completely switch it up or get even more hectic in the next one, defeating you almost instantly. Each boss fight starts from the beginning again when you are defeated, making them even tougher to battle through. You’ll likely need to run through each one multiple times before you figure out their gimmick and can pull off the exact movements needed to defeat them.
All I’m saying is, keep a tight hold of your controller or mouse and keyboard, and don’t be afraid to take a breather if you need one. I certainly needed to quit for a while with the second boss, as I felt the rage building as I repeatedly jumped and moved in sequence but seemingly unable to progress past the third phase… Stupid monkey. This mood will only continue as you progress, trust me.
There are however the various accessibility and difficulty options available in the settings that can save you from a frustrating time both with the bosses and the standard levels. If you’d like to, you can increase the number of lives you have, or even make them infinite, which makes battling those tough bosses just a bit easier if you’re playing through the game on your own. The only thing to be aware of when making use of any of these settings is that the ability to earn achievements is impacted when using some of them, so if you’re an achievement hunter like myself, you may have to struggle through without as much help.
Presentable
Toodee and Topdee is presented in a cutesy 16-bit style, with each of the two characters sporting their own unique humanoid designs in blue and green tones. If you’re familiar with the style of older 2D platformers and like them, this game should fit your aesthetic and scratch that old school itch. The soundtrack complements the game well, being relatively bouncy and energetic throughout, or else dramatic and ominous when appropriate.
I did not feel that the graphics and soundtrack contradicted each other or were out of place for one another, despite the two worlds of 2D and 3D puzzle platforming being brought together in such an unusual way, and demanding different things. I did however think that certain angles for the 3D platforming were not quite as refined or well-directed as I’d have hoped. An even more drastic top-down view may have helped with this, and to make the platforming a little more comfortable.
Some of the sound effects could be downright rage-inducing when having died too many times to enemies, but the sweet sweet sounds of victory more than made up for it when I finally got to where I needed to be. Some of the background tracks grew repetitive when having to hear them too many times, but for a different player, this will all depend on your own ability and skill in overcoming the various obstacles and boss battles. I’m not ashamed to admit that I was often stuck on the same boss battles for a long time, and close to screaming in the face of my TV.
Co-Opportunities
I didn’t know this at the time of offering to review Toodee and Topdee, but there is the option to play through the entire game in local co-op. Playing in co-op makes one player Toodee and the other Topdee, making for a much easier time if needing to use different abilities simultaneously. The pressure is no longer just on the one player to get both types of movement correct, and this is a lovely opportunity for memories to be made with a friend.
The game is very inviting for cooperative play, and is simple enough in its controls and objectives that there should be little misunderstanding between the two of you playing together. It does substantially change the difficulty dynamic as well (much like in Overcooked) as you are not needing to control the two characters at the same time yourself, which can often get pretty confusing. I died many times from a slip of my finger on the button to switch, or else just the thought in my head that I was in control of the opposite character.
Playing in co-op also has the potential to negate one of the most frustrating aspects of the gameplay for me, which was moving the objects as Topdee or distracting enemies. It is possible to push the boxes with your body as Topdee as well as picking them up, and more than once I accidentally did this while trying to pull off a complex manoeuvre when switching between the two characters. While I understand that offering this mechanic allows for easier movement, it was also incredibly frustrating to deal with, and I wish the movement of boxes in particular could have been limited to just if they were picked up and moved manually.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Toodee and Topdee is an inventive puzzle platformer that brings together elements of 2D and 3D gameplay in a unique way. I thoroughly enjoyed the puzzle elements, though some of the platforming could be awkward and the obstacles could be repetitive at times. The boss battles were incredibly difficult for a single player to tackle in my opinion, but can be made much easier or manageable through the use of the available accessibility and difficulty settings or by tackling them in co-op. There are also some surprising twists towards the end that add an extra layer of difficulty for those interested in a challenge.
The various twists in the story and the bizarre nature of the plot kept my attention and were engaging enough to drive the game forward, though it is a very short experience overall, taking only a few hours to complete. It isn’t the most complex story, and is fairly generic, but has its perks and quirks. The game’s replay value is heightened by its available ladybug collectibles and ability to play on different difficulty settings, though if going for the ladybugs, you’ll likely need to work out their criteria on your own as the game does little to explain how to obtain these.
I would recommend Toodee and Topdee to anyone looking for a different-style puzzle platformer with a unique take on the genre, and to anyone wanting to challenge themselves to not lose their temper with the various bosses at the end of each world.
Don’t be afraid to die repeatedly in the pursuit of understanding how each of the levels work, or how the bosses are going to try and squash you. It’s inevitable, so it’s best just to accept it.
