Landborne

About

Landborne is a side-scrolling platformer where you play a determined Cheep-Cheep chasing down the thief who swiped the Mushroom Kingdom’s ocean. You zip through deserts, forests, and floating islands using basic moves, run, jump, and dive, to collect stolen sea water and beat up Toads and Goombas. Levels are short but tricky, with hazards like bottomless pits and enemy patrols that force you to think around obstacles. The game leans into its silly premise with over-the-top boss fights and a plot where every character speaks in all caps. The game’s charm comes from its density: 100+ levels packed with inventive hazards and secret routes. Despite being free, it holds up at 4.7/5 on Steam, with fans praising its relentless creativity and retro pixel art. The soundtrack mixes bouncy 8-bit tracks with surprisingly emotional piano pieces. While the difficulty spikes can be brutal, the rewind feature softens the blow. Landborne’s best bet is for players who like their Mario-style platforming with a healthy dose of absurdity.