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The classic game: Beyond Ynth

The latest entry in our classics series, Beyond Ynth (2010), forced its bug protagonist to box clever (or at least to be clever about manipulating boxes), in order to reach its goal.

Beyond Ynth 2010

Beyond Ynth, in 2010.

What was Beyond Ynth?

Technically, a platform game, in that plucky bug protagonist Kribl spent an awful lot of time leaping about. However, much of that leaping was done within – or between – claustrophobic boxes that had to be carefully manipulated to fashion a route to Kribl’s goal. All the while, the environment was doing its best to end the bug’s life, by lobbing balls of lava its way, or freezing the critter in icy cold. And as if that wasn’t enough, Kribl also had to collect hard-to-reach diamonds, which would bring back light to the Kingdom of Kriblonia.

Why was it a classic?

The mechanics felt fresh. Platform games with a smattering of puzzling were nothing new, but Beyond Ynth cleverly turned each level into a single tricky challenge. That could lead to frustration – a solitary mistake during a minutes-long level could force a restart. But that just made you think all the more about how best to reach the exit. And then realize you’d forgotten the diamonds, at which point you’d fry your synapses trying to figure out how to collect them too. Beyond all that, the game offered tight controls, plenty of character, and a branching level map that meant if you got stuck on one pathway, you could always try another.

Beyond Ynth 2025

Beyond Ynth running on an iPhone 16 Pro, in 2025.

Where is it now?

Beyond Ynth – and iPad incarnation Beyond Ynth HD (which is the same, but for Apple’s tablet) – remain on the App Store. These games have not been updated in many years, which means they’re not fully optimized for modern devices. However, both still launch and remain fully playable on the likes of an iPhone 16 Pro or modern iPad. And while the life of insects tends to be fleeting, you’ll make an exception for Kribl, whose adventures feel as fresh now as they always did.

Visit the Beyond Ynth web page or get Beyond Ynth ($1.99/£1.99) or Beyond Ynth HD ($2.99/£2.99) from the App Store.