Bzzzt

I picked this game up on sale mainly to support my local indie developer, and if it wasn’t for that, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up.
It is a mediocre 2D platformer, but it certainly radiates the author’s love for it, and I admire that.
The most exceptional aspect is the pixel art — it’s bright, playful, and fits the cheerful tone of the game perfectly. Every level looked great, and I was honestly amazed that this game was made by just one person.
However, the most important thing in platformers is the movement, which in this game is pretty solid. It starts off a bit weak because all the fun stuff is locked in the early stages, but once the player unlocks dash and double jump, it gets really fun. Every move feels responsive and precise, and I wouldn’t really change anything about it. The dash has a unique twist I don’t see often — it has a 0.5–1 second cooldown and doesn’t require the character to touch the ground to reset. This unlocks new ways to traverse levels, and combined with the double jump allows for a lot of fine-tuning each run.
Speaking of fine-tuning your runs, this is the game’s whole premise. Each level has scraps to collect and a timer to beat — or if you’re lazy, you can just reach the finish line, but that’s boring. Every level is designed to be speedrunned. Each piece of scrap is strategically placed so that with the right routing and perfect execution, the level becomes surprisingly easy and you feel like the best player in the world. It never gets too intense because the levels are small, but it provides just enough challenge to keep me engaged. It’s really well balanced.
The story, on the other hand, is pretty poor. It’s been roughly a week since I finished the game and I honestly don’t remember a single character’s name. There isn’t a single charismatic NPC and the story feels like cheap filler. The game knows this and doesn’t try to take itself seriously at all — it tries to be funny, but mostly ends up cringe. I wasn’t expecting anything from the story, but I still hate catching myself cringing while playing, and unfortunately that happened a few times here.
Thankfully, the soundtrack is pretty good, and I’m bummed it’s not available on streaming platforms because I’d love to listen to some of the tracks again. Not every track hits, but there are definitely a few bangers.
EDIT: The soundtrack is available on streaming platforms!
BZZZT is a short, cheerful platformer that doesn’t reinvent anything, but it nails the essentials with confident movement and charming presentation. It’s not a must-play, yet it’s clearly a game made with love — and that shows. Supporting a passionate local dev felt good, and the few hours I spent with it were genuinely enjoyable. If you’re looking for a fun little platformer — or you’re from Czech Republic — definitely check this one out!

It's a pretty neat platformer, as a fairly decent platform player I needed about 5 hours to 100% it with not only 100% achievements but also finishing the bonus levels (which are not needed for any achievements.
Smooth controls, catchy soundtrack, nice hidden stuff and somewhat challenging but never unfair gameplay. It could be longer but apart from that really not a single thing to complain about.

BZZZT, developed by KO.DLL and published by CINEMAX GAMES, is a standout platformer that masterfully captures the spirit of classic 1980s arcade games while infusing it with modern precision and design sensibilities. From the moment players jump into its world, they’re met with a finely tuned challenge that demands careful timing, strategic thinking, and relentless perseverance. The game’s tight controls and responsive mechanics ensure that every jump, dash, and maneuver feels intentional, providing a deeply satisfying gameplay loop for those who appreciate skill-based platforming.
Set in the distant future of 4096, BZZZT centers on ZX8000, a small but clever robot created by two scientists, Emma and Robert, who imbue it with advanced artificial intelligence. The storyline, while not overly complex, effectively serves to frame the action — with the player guiding ZX8000 through a series of increasingly intricate test chambers designed to stop the malevolent Badbert. This futuristic narrative backdrop adds a subtle layer of motivation and urgency to the core gameplay, pushing players to overcome deadly traps and cunning level designs.
One of the game’s most impressive aspects is the level design, which showcases meticulous care and creativity. Each of the more than fifty stages is crafted to offer a unique combination of hazards, requiring players to adapt and refine their approach constantly. The difficulty curve is well balanced, challenging newcomers without becoming overwhelmingly punishing, while still providing veterans of the genre plenty of opportunities to perfect their runs. The gameplay’s similarity to other acclaimed platformers like Celeste and Super Meat Boy is apparent, but BZZZT distinguishes itself with its distinct aesthetic and pacing.
Visually, BZZZT is a true labor of love. The hand-drawn pixel art is not only nostalgic but also incredibly detailed and vibrant, evoking the charm of retro games while feeling fresh and modern. The backgrounds, painstakingly created over several years, contribute to a rich and immersive atmosphere that perfectly complements the intense platforming action. The retro-futuristic aesthetic is further enhanced by the game’s dynamic soundtrack, composed using the Rytmik program, which adds layers of energy and emotion to each moment, seamlessly tying the audio and visual elements together.
Critics and players alike have praised BZZZT for its exceptional blend of gameplay, design, and presentation. Many highlight how the game manages to be both challenging and fair, encouraging repeated attempts without frustration. The soundtrack and visuals are frequently cited as standout features that elevate the experience beyond simple platforming. Reviewers commend the game’s ability to keep players engaged and motivated, thanks to its combination of tight mechanics, clever level design, and an infectious retro style that feels both nostalgic and new.
Overall, BZZZT is a remarkable achievement in the platformer genre, offering a finely crafted experience that appeals to fans of classic and modern platform games alike. Its commitment to precision gameplay, combined with a strong artistic vision and engaging audio, makes it a must-play for anyone seeking a challenging yet rewarding adventure. Whether you’re a veteran of demanding platformers or simply looking for a beautifully realized pixel art game with depth and heart, BZZZT delivers an experience that is as exhilarating as it is memorable.
Rating: 9/10

The music is great. gameplay is solid and smooth. It's pretty difficult (or I'm terrible, both can be true). Definitely recommend

Very polished and cute platformer, but for me the first playthrough was not that enjoyable compared to IL grind later.
Stunning stylized pixel art really carries this game, but what I value the most in platformers - level design - is kinda lacking. Most of the levels are just corridors with enemies, only a few have interesting ideas in them. That is mostly because the main character's moveset is not that expansive, and the developer did not want to go by the precision path.
Anyways, it's fun to beat once, especially for someone who are not that experienced in the genre. And for those who are: you can grind frames later, but I wish there were IL leaderboards and not just the global one.

I picked up this game in a bundle for just a few bucks, mainly because of the screenshots and some YouTube let's play videos. I managed to get through almost the entire story on normal difficulty, even though I usually don't enjoy action arcade platformers. But this game has something special that makes you want to play a few levels and feel satisfied.
So, the biggest advantages of this game are:
You can adjust the difficulty level anytime;
The graphics are adorable, and the level design is phenomenal;
This game doesn't require any serious hardware to run smoothly;
You can play for a few free minutes and still feel a sense of progress;
There are many hidden or story levels that pay homage to classic arcade games (like Arkanoid, Project-X, and Donkey Kong).
One minor issue is that a gamepad is required for this title.

The levels in this game teem with high-resolution, elaborately-animated pixel art that'd probably seem busy in any other genre—but since everything in this game serves the same basic function of "kill you if you touch it," it ends up working out. Somewhat paradoxically, that ends up being the most memorable aspect of it—certainly more so than the actual main characters, who are comparatively small and indistinct and rendered no more distinct by the game's story, which I can comfortably describe as "in one ear, out the other." I wasn't expecting much from story in a game like this anyway, but for all the gratuitous retro gaming references (You know, if the main protagonist and the twist villain being named after old consoles didn't show their hand there already), you'd think they'd at least nail the delightfully campy awkward translations that were so common in the era.
It's kind of funny; despite all its love for that era, Bzzzt! doesn't actually have much in common with games from that time period. It's just a twitch platformer, that might you end up playing if you already like twitch platformers. It looks good and controls well, which, at the end of the day, is really all you need. The fact that there is nothing technically wrong with it might sound like damning with faint praise, but please take it as the compliment I mean for it to be.