Calling your game Butterfly and then not letting the main character jump, let alone fly, has to be a pretty big call. But Xitilon are going big for their gimmick: this is a platformer where you play a caterpillar, and you can’t do anything but crawl. That’s right: this is a platformer where you stay rooted to the floor. Butterfly is out now on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S to join a previous release on PC through Steam.
It’s like making a shoot-’em up and then shouting about a lack of shooting. But we’re inevitably intrigued: the marketing has worked, and we’re interested to see how a platformer can work with those limitations. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker pulled off the same trick on the Nintendo Switch and Wii U, so perhaps – perhaps – this little indie dev can create something special with it.
You navigate about levels through the use of Mario-like pipes, and you can reach other platformers by bouncing off the enemies strategically. It’s not quite clear what that means, other than different enemies causing you to bounce in different ways, but it’s clear that there’s an equal split between platforming and puzzling prowess needed to complete each level.
There are 40 levels in this budget title and, looking at screenshots, this is an extremely pared back and – let’s be polite – simple-looking game. There’s something of the Bubble Bobble or New Zealand Story to the spartan, colourful sprites, and that can be a good thing. It’s a shame that there’s no multiplayer or couch co-op planned, as that can enliven similar games to this.
Butterfly is out now on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S and starts at £4.19 from the Xbox Store – with a two week discount bringing it down to £3.77. It’s also out on PC.
Game Description:
Platformer puzzle game with an interesting gimmick. You can’t jump, so you need to bounce off your enemies or use tubes to your advantage. Both platformer skills AND logic are required to complete 40 challenging levels! Deft fingers and quick reactions are required. Sweaty neck guaranteed. “I am a little caterpillar. I live in a world where obstacles and enemies are waiting for me on the way to a blossoming meadow, where I will fly like a butterfly. I do not jump like a grasshopper, I can not swim like a fish and fly like a bird. But I am smart and can use the weaknesses of my enemies. Every water lily or pebble, every loophole will be my faithful helpers. The adventure begins. You can help the caterpillar to quickly turn into a butterfly.”
