Toodee & Topdee Review

Toodee & Topdee, a new puzzle hybrid developed and published by dietzribi. Dietzribi is a team made up of just two brothers with a passion for games. With a combination of 2D and top-down graphics, Toodee & Topdee is one of the most unique puzzle platformers on the market right now. 

It has a beautiful art style and a fantastic soundtrack to complement its interesting story, colliding the worlds of literacy and puzzles. It’s a game that you can play single-player or multiplayer. 

If, like me, you struggle with puzzles sometimes, there are even ability controls that you can fiddle with so that you have an easier time in the game, if you’re just there to experience the story! I really appreciate that they added that feature, as I often play through games first on the easiest difficulty to fully appreciate the story. 

Toodee & Topdee contrast from each other so much, right down to the way they speak to other characters within the game. This is the first game published by dietzribi, with it taking just over 2 years. They have received fanart and praise for their game, with dietzribi being proud of the game releasing with a minimal amount of bugs! 

Toodee & Topdee offers a selection of worlds to complete, adding something new with each world that you traverse through. I wasn’t expecting to have to be fighting bosses by the end of the world, but they definitely add some tension to the game, as bosses are not something you tend to see in puzzle games! The interactions between the characters in the game are fantastic and had me chuckling to myself a couple of times, too. Some of the levels seem so confusing and difficult, but once you realize what it is you have to do, it becomes blindingly obvious and seemingly simple! Admittedly, I did get stuck quite a fair bit during the game and often turned to my boyfriend for help. 

It’s a great bonding experience for friends and family. I recommend playing this game alongside someone, as it can take a weight off your shoulders having someone else help you figure out all the difficult stuff! 

One thing within the game is that despite there being a couple of difficult levels here and there, some of them are blindingly obvious, and the game doesn’t necessarily seem to follow any sort of “scale” in difficulty, as some of the easiest levels were right at the end of the world which was mildly confusing. 

It was the same for some of the most difficult levels; some of them would be very near the start of the game, with one of them being really close to the start of world one. The one level, in particular, left me baffled for quite a bit, and my boyfriend too. 

Although a seemingly controversial topic in the gaming industry right now, one of the biggest features that I appreciate from Toodee & Topdee is the ability to make the game easier. 

There are features such as infinite health, air jumps and super strength. If perhaps you aren’t the best at puzzles, or you want to introduce a young child to this game, this is the perfect way to help them play the game! I am one of those people who are very grateful for features added to games like this, as it can also serve as an accessibility feature for people with disabilities.

Overall, I really recommend playing this game, singleplayer or multiplayer. It’s a blast! Since playing it, it has been on my mind constantly, as I want to go back and replay it again. It’s super fun, a great time-waster, but also keeps the brain cogs whirring away. I recommend this game to anyone of any age.