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We reported previously on the announcement of Axel Quest, a new 2D pixel art action platformer from the ever-dependable budget indie publisher Ratalaika Games, and since then, we’ve had the chance to join Axel on his quest, via the Xbox version of the game.
As soon as we saw the trailer for Axel Quest, we thought that it looked like it had the potential to be something a bit special, and, happily, it turns out that we were right! If the developer PowerSlash Studios set out on a quest to create a 2D pixel art platformer that perfectly recreates the feeling of games from the 16-bit era, then they’ve certainly succeeded on their quest with Axel Quest!
It’s true that there are a lot of good pixel art 2D platformers being published for modern formats these days, and many of them are published by Axel Quest’s publisher, Ratalaika Games, such as the enjoyable vertical platformer Chicken Climber, which we also reviewed recently. And while many such games are, indeed, good, and well worth their modest asking prices, there are very few such budget 2D platform games that we would describe as truly “great,” however, Axel Quest is absolutely one of those rare examples of a genuinely great budget pixel art platform game.
As with many such games, Axel Quest boasts charming retro-style pixel art graphics and a chiptune soundtrack to match, which in this case includes a suitably downbeat sting that plays whenever you die.
But in addition to both looking and sounding the part, Axel Quest also plays brilliantly, with tight, intuitive controls, and flawless level design that sets it apart from many similar games in this space. While there are occasional frustrating instances of “instadeath,” in which enemies appear out of seemingly nowhere and kill you without giving you the chance to fight back, these are few and far between, and generally, Axel Quest’s levels have been thoughtfully designed, being tricky enough to provide a challenge, without feeling like it’s being unfair too often.
Axel Quest Is essentially an old-school 2D platform game in the vein of the likes of Wonder Boy and PC Kid/Bonk, so if you like games in that style, then we’re sure you’ll also enjoy Axel Quest.
While Ratalaika Games has stated that Axel Quest includes “Metroidvania elements,” these are very light, comprising just a little exploration of Axel Quest’s inviting world. Also, perhaps overstated by Rtalaika Games is Axel Quest’s RPG content, although the game is based in a fantasy setting, and you can upgrade your hero by using the coins you collect to buy power-ups such as better weapons or increased maximum health, so while Axel Quest may, indeed, borrow elements from the Metroidvania and RPG genres, it really is a pure 2D platformer at heart, and it’s all the better for it. Had Axel Quest been released back in the 16-bit era, we have no doubt that the magazines of the day would’ve been rating Axel Quest upwards of 90% across the board, and it would be considered a classic of the genre by now.
Perhaps best of all, even though Axel Quest is straightforward enough for newcomers and novices to get to grips with, it also offers enough of a challenge to keep seasoned platforming fans hooked, making Axel Quest a very easy game to (strongly) recommend to anyone with an interest in the 2D platform age genre, from curious newcomers to grizzled veterans.
As we’ve said already, there are a lot of good budget 2D pixel art platformers out there, but Axel Quest really is a cut above, so we really do hope it gets the audience it deserves in such a crowded marketplace, as it’s definitely one of the best games we’ve played so far this year!
Axel Quest was developed by PowerSlash Studios, and it was originally released on Steam last year, before Ratalaika Games published the game on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5 and Xbox (version reviewed) on June 26 this year.
At its ridiculously low price of $5.99 USD or local equivalent, there really is no excuse for not embarking upon Axel Quest, and better still, you can save 20% on the Nintendo Switch version of Axel Quest if you buy it by July 17, 2026.
