Toodee and Topdee literally combines the action of a 2D platformer with the puzzles of a top down style game.  The story goes that an all-knowing being created some vastly different worlds.  One is 2-D and another is a top down world, for instance.  This god-like being created all this with just words, and used a semicolon to unite them all.  But the assistant to this god, named Toodoo, he got worried that his master would get rid of him after finishing all his work, since he wouldn’t need an assistant anymore. So he stole the semicolon that provided order to everything.  Now all the worlds are mixing up and combining.  So now Toodee, who lives in the 2-D platform world, and Topdee, who lives in the top down viewed world, must work together to get the magic semicolon back.  Toodee and Topdee is available for all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.

In the game, your goal is to get both Toodee and Topdee to a portal somewhere in a single screen level.  Toodee will have to run and jump in 2-D fashion to get there, while Topdee will have to walk there in an overhead perspective.  You can switch between the two modes at any time, and must work together to get them both there.  For instance, you may have to move a block as Topdee so that Toodee can jump on it to reach an area.  Or Toodee might have to jump on some breakable blocks to give Topdee a path.  Enemies behave differently in the two modes as well, so sometimes you must manipulate them in clever ways.  There are also all sorts of environmental hazards and puzzles as well.  It’s all very cleverly done.

There are five worlds to explore with 20 levels in each plus a boss at the end of the worlds.  Two players can control each character, or you can switch out with a single person.  My only problem with this game is that it gets too hard about halfway through.  You can change difficulty parameters like how many hits you can take or the game’s speed.  But some of the block pushing puzzles could’ve used a hint option as well.  But overall this is a really clever idea for a game.

Kid Factor:

Toodee and Topdee is rated E for Everyone with an ESRB descriptor of Mild Fantasy Violence.  If you or enemies get hit, you just kind of inflate and explode in a cartoony fashion, but that’s it.  Reading skill is helpful for the text, and younger gamers may find some of the later puzzles and obstacles too difficult.

Tags: Game Reviews