PN Review: Mutant Mudds Deluxe

Mutant Mudds Deluxe is Renegade Kid’s fourth installment of their nostalgic platformer (3DS, iOS, PC and Wii U). Even though the game is just a rehash of its predecessors, it does a good job keeping things fresh with new levels and HD graphics.

In Mutant Mudds, the player takes control of a young man called Max. With the help of his snazzy water pistol and jetpack, he is tasked with saving the world from Mudd Mutants. The player uses Max, and his abilities, to find their way through a nostalgic 12-Bit platformer game, while collecting Water Sprite’s to help save the world.

Mutant Mudds Deluxe adds 20 new Ghost levels, which brings the game’s total levels to 60. These extra 20 ghost levels are loosely based on pre-existing levels but add an extra undead twist. In the Ghost levels, the Mudd Mutants are replaced by altered ghost mutants. These ghost mutants cannot be hurt by water…because they are ghosts. Instead the player needs to find a different, more unique, way around the world. This mostly consists of dodging, ducking, and jumping for dear life over and under these undead mutants.

I was very skeptical that the addition of Ghost levels would be enough to keep my attention for a third time (3DS, iOS and Wii U). However, seeing Mutant Mudds in all the HD glory is something that impressed me all over and soon my skepticism went away. Playing the game on the big screen makes things feel fresh, new and fun again. The addition of off-screen play, with the Wii U GamePad, is nice but takes away from what makes the game the Deluxe version: the HD graphics.

One of my favorite aspects about Mutant Mudds 3DS, was how it played with layers. Each level has three different layers; front, middle, back. Throughout the game Max is teleported between the three different layers to explore and collect the water sprites. With the 3D of the 3DS, this experience was really unique by adding a sense of depth and a feeling of looking into the game; with Max looking small and far away in the back level and larger in the front level. Obviously the Wii U version is missing that 3D effect but the game still feels like it has some depth to the levels even without the 3D effect.

I am at a loss to what to rate this game. The original Mutant Mudds was bestowed the highest honor of a 10/10. Mutant Mudds Deluxe is the same game but without the 3D effect but does have 20 fun new levels. This game is a must buy for any Mutant Mudds fan, and for anyone looking for a nostalgic platformer, but for some reason I feel this game is missing a little charm from the original. For that reason it is hard for me to give this game another 10.