Super Meat Boy Forever, the sequel to the ludicrously difficult 2010 platformer, goes all the way back to 2014. It was originally developed strictly for mobile devices, before turning into a full-blown sequel developed with consoles in mind.
It will make its official debut next week on December 23 where it will be a timed exclusive for the Nintendo Switch. It will then make its way to Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Linux, iOS, and Android sometime in January of next year.
The first game saw players stepping into the shoes of Meat Boy (does he wear shoes?) as he embarked on a quest to save his beloved girlfriend Bandage Girl from the evil Dr. Fetus. What followed was a series of wildly challenging levels that saw poor Meat Boy get torn to shreds more than a few (dozen) times. It was absurdly fun and just as gross as you would expect from a game with characters named Meat Boy, Bandage Girl, and Dr. Fetus.
The sequel sees the return of all of these characters, but this time around Meat Boy and Bandage Girl have a child, Nugget. Unsurprisingly, Dr. Fetus kidnaps Nugget, and it’s up to Meat Boy and Bandage Girl to rescue their child.
Things are a bit different this time around, with levels being randomly generated based on how well the player is doing. It’s an interesting idea and one that means that the game will show you mercy if you’re doing poorly. On the flip side, as you progress successfully, the levels will get more difficult.
Once you complete the game, you’ll have the option of replaying with all new-levels. It certainly sounds as if this new system effectively means there are infinite levels, which is a very special kind of torture that most don’t want to think about.
Possibly the biggest addition to the sequel is a combat system, which allows the two protagonists to punch and kick their way through new enemies. Sawblades aren’t the only things to fear, anymore.
The original game was designed by Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes, and while Tommy also co-designed Super Meat Boy Forever, McMillen left the project after a few years of seemingly little progress. McMillen famously went on to develop The Binding of Isaac series.
Will Super Meat Boy Forever capture the hearts of gamers like its predecessor did? Will it then drive those gamers mad with its sadistic challenges and a neverending assortment of stages? The answer to both is likely yes.
