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Psychofunk – a hand-drawn ‘reverse platformer’

This impressive game reminds us of App Store classics from years gone by

Price: $3/£3
Version: 1.0
Size: 164 MB
Seller: Tommy Soereide Kjaer
Platform: iPhone & iPad

Psychofunk

Psychofunk is a recent release on the App Store that’s all about staying one step ahead. Inspired by the trippy ’60s and funky ’70s and offering a platformer unlike anything you’ve ever experienced, Psychofunk is addictive, fun, and reminds us of App Store classics from years gone by.

The aim of the game in Psychofunk is fiendishly simple – guide a robo-block through a multi-story puzzle by tapping platforms to make them appear or disappear. It’s kind of a reverse platformer, as you’ll be moving the stage rather than the player. Your character continually moves from left to right, meaning the only way to go is down – all the way to a vent that sucks you out of this level and into the next.

Psychofunk on iOS.

Of course, no decent platformer is ever straightforward, and Psychofunk is no exception. Along your way, you’ll encounter death spikes, speed pads, and big boss battles – though, without giving anything away, these aren’t too challenging.

So you can see, Psychofunk is all about staying one step ahead, since the key to success is looking at your upcoming path and making quick but careful decisions to avoid a spikey disaster. It’s classic arcade fun.

Tap to hide the platform.

Perhaps what’s most becoming about the game is it’s nostalgic feel, with a hand-drawn charm reminiscent of App Store classic Doodle Jump. The difference here is that Psychofunk also leans on the stylings of vintage cassette players, with the tactile platforms inspired by those clunky old buttons.

Watch out for those spikes!

Psychofunk offers a total of four “seasons,” featuring levels that become progressively more challenging, so there’s a lot to work through. And right from the get-go, the game’s levels are tough – you won’t feel at all patronized as you work through the initial stages in Psychofunk’s first season (in short, expect to die a few times over).

Progress through the game’s levels across four seasons.

While the app’s graphics are delightful, its sound effects are equally fun and help induce a techno-psychedelic vibe. The app also supports haptic feedback, enhancing your taps ever-so-subtly – perhaps a little too subtly, actually, since you’ll need to pay a fair bit of attention to notice them.

Though it’s not the most exciting game we’ve ever seen, there’s not much to criticize here and for fans of the genre, it’s a ton of fun.

Psychofunk can be yours for a one-time purchase of $3/£3 and it’s fully optimized for both iOS and iPadOS.