When it comes to games that are notoriously and unapologetically tough as nails, I would imagine that most long-time indie gamers would put the original Super Meat Boy pretty high on the list. As probably one of the hardest precision platformers I’d ever encountered at the time, and that still holds up incredibly well to this day, I have no doubt that crafting a follow-up to it was a considerable challenge. When Super Meat Boy Forever arrived, in general I’d say that its reception was more mixed, in part due to the move to making it feel more like an endless runner in many way. It still delivered on the thrills and challenge, but taking away the ability to stop for a moment and take a breath also didn’t feel quite right. Now, with the release of Super Meat Boy 3D, it feels like Team Meat has once again found its muse, and if you thought precision platforming was tough in a 2D world, the addition of a third dimension may be a bit of a shock.

The best way I can think of to describe this experience is with a comparison to Super Mario 64. Whatever you may have thought of the game, its control mechanics and general feel essentially served as a pillar for all 3D platformers that came after it. While Super Meat Boy 3D is obviously not reinventing the 3D platforming wheel, what it does manage to do is show the way for how to do precision, high-pressure, platforming in three dimensions right. That said, just like the original Super Meat Boy taught you the many moods of precision jumping and wall sliding, applying all of that and more in an added dimension absolutely carries a serious learning curve with it.

What’s wild is how many ways the addition of the Z-axis changes the feel and flow of things. There will be times where the stages will feel a lot like the original game, just adding some depth to the equation, but then other times where you’ll be jumping between platforms and wall-running at different depths, and since the camera is fixed you’ll simply need to get used to the feel for how this works. What I honestly struggled the most with at times was jumping along a wall where I’d need to remember to push up to have me move back to the wall again. You do get a feel for it, but at first there’s a struggle for building new habits. Soon enough though, once you get the hang of things, you’ll be running at top speed, narrowly avoiding all manner of traps, picking up band-aids, and being on the look out for some of the game’s trademark secrets. What’s great is that this feels like a 3D version of the original game in what I’d consider to be the best way. It has retained everything great about the original, added new elements that have upped the degree of challenge further, and then benefits with what I’d say has been the shift in the gaming public towards tougher experiences. If you love a good challenge, this should absolutely satisfy and keep you busy (and often frustrated) for quite some time.