Ruffy and
the Riverside

Ruffy and the Riverside (2025) is an action-adventure game set in the hand-drawn world of Riverside. You run, jump and explore the world with one big twist: you can swap any material to help you get where you need to go. This copy-and-paste novelty is a big part of the fun, but only because it's backed with such a vibrant world and rich cast of characters.

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You play Ruffy on a mission to save Riverside from being destroyed. With the help of your animal friends, you climb, fight, jump, run and skate the world to safety. To begin with, much of the world is out of reach, so you need to use your swapping ability to get to where you need to go. Perhaps a stone wall is blocking your way? Simply swap it for wood and break it down. Maybe you need to sneak into a farm? Why not swap the sun to the moon so you have the cover of darkness?

As you progress, you discover how to use this copy-and-pasting mechanic to not only adjust the materials around you but also adjust the properties of the world and even trigger switches to solve puzzles. As you explore further into the world, you meet other animals to help you on your way. Help the Etoi heal the forests of Riverside. Team up with the fish gang and defeat the bully sharks. Meet the Water Watchdogs and solve the mysteries of the stone beets.

The result is an adventure game that requires considerably more brain power than its purely platforming peers. It's a novelty that develops well as you play and gets put to use in all manner of circumstances as you help the citizens of Riverside get to safety.

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Our examiner, Ellen Robertson, first checked Ruffy and the Riverside 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 6 days ago.