Pixel Worlds by developer Kukouri is a Massively Multiplayer Online Sandbox game originally available on Android and iOS devices, and has now been ported to Steam. The idea is for the player to chat, trade, and build worlds to share with other players.
There is no doubt going to be the inevitable comparison of Pixel Worlds with the popular Growtopia. Both games are very similar in design, and if you’re a fan of Growtopia then there isn’t much reason for you to jump over to Pixel Worlds. The community of Pixel Worlds seemed to be what you could expect from a game like this. The game doesn’t encourage any kind of teamwork. It doesn’t really encourage anything at all. You can jump into a popular level with a plethora of other players, but there wasn’t a reason to work together. Part of this problem could stem from the overall design of the game. The levels are created by other players. Just like with any game that is dependent on user-generated content, the content is a really big hit-or-miss.
Pixel Worlds doesn’t have much going for it in the gameplay department. There’s jumping and smashing. In order to get anywhere in the game you have to do a lot of smashing. A LOT OF SMASHING! Most people will be turned off immediately by the infinite grind-fest to make any sort of progress. There is, of course, in-game currency that can be accumulated through spending real-world money. The more money you spend, the more in-game items you can get. You almost have to spend money if you want to get anything within the first few hours of playing. Otherwise, you’ll be grinding so much you’ll start to wonder why the company who made the game isn’t paying you a salary to do it.
The platforming elements aren’t really all that fun either. It’s nothing but running and jumping. The only thing that could add a variety to its run and jump formula could be an item placed on the map that changes the player’s movement speed or jumping height. The limitation for how far a map could go horizontally requires most levels to be designed like an ant farm. There’s no momentum to any of the levels, and to make it a challenge there has to be environmental hazards. The hazards always revolve around the same idea; wait here until the hazard goes away and then move past it. There are no puzzles to solve, or enemies to defeat. It’s extremely boring.
Part of the appeal comes from being in the worlds with other players. The matchmaking works well, and there was no noticeable drop in framerates when in heavily populated levels. Loading times are brief. The controls are responsive and easy to pick up. The game runs well. The graphics aren’t anything special. The levels are made up of pixelated blocks that the player can smash (unless the blocks are locked and most levels are locked). If you find joy in smashing pixelated dirt and rocks then you will have plenty to do. Otherwise it would be advisable to pass this one up.
Overall, Pixel Worlds is a boring grind-fest that offers nothing innovative to the genre. Therefore, it’s a 5/10.
Here is the Pixel Worlds Launch Trailer:
Pixel Worlds is now available on Steam and mobile on the App Storeand Google Play.
Mac Review
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- 5/105/10
I was born and raised in a town so small there were more cows than people. I joined the USAF as soon as I could, and I currently reside in San Antonio. I am a singer/songwriter on the side, but I've been a gamer since birth. I grew up with PlayStation and Nintendo, though, I don't discriminate between consoles and PC. I have a PC with a 3080, Steam Deck, and a PS5.
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