Originally a successful Flash-based browser game, Vertical Drop Heroes received the HD treatment in 2014 when it was released on Steam. That version of the game was slowly ported over to each console before finally reaching the Switch eShop. On a platform stuffed with roguelikes, is Vertical Drop Heroes HD worth your time?

Developer: Nerdook Productions

Publisher: Digerati

6 Hours Played // Review Copy Provided // $9.99

Unfortunately for Vertical Drop Heroes HD (VDHHD), first impressions are important. The game’s visuals make a pretty bad first impression. The icon alone screams “enhanced Flash game.” Browser-based gaming is something that I enjoy, but the “made in MS Paint” art style is very easy to leave behind. Fortunately, the immediate next impression is strong. The music that plays during character select is my jam! The graphics had me feeling queasy about the game’s prospects, but the OST convinced me that quality could be found here.

The gimmick of VDHHD is that it’s an RPG roguelike platformer played from top to bottom. Randomized characters hop and fall around block stages until they reach a portal guarded by a boss at the bottom. Starting the game, I assume that the verticality will play out in a similar way as the river in The Flame in the Flood; if an item or location is missed, it’s gone forever. This thought is contradicted after stumbling upon a special block that teleports you back to the beginning of the level. It’s a nice addition for increased accessibility, but I’m a little bummed about losing the strategy that I thought the level design would bring.

I took this screenshot to illustrate a unique block mechanic of this level. That mechanic is that the blocks with squiggles on them move. I don’t think it comes through in image form.

Death brings my first run to an end. My character’s pockets are full, and there are upgrades to buy. At no point is there a shortage of ways to spend gold. Roguelikes are fun because the player is constantly handed treats. VDHHD understands this, and progression is something the game really succeeds at.

There are three character stats to upgrade from the shop area: damage, health, and pacifist orbs. Damage is damage. Health is health. Pacifist orbs are something that I’ll come back to. All upgrades apply to the current and any new hero. In-level merchants sell new abilities and powers to outfit future adventurers. Unlocking abilities and powers unlocks new weapons. Together, these form an incredibly satisfying reward feedback loop. The player always being rewarded at the end of a run makes this especially true. Gold is never lost due to dying, so any run where gold is collected contributes to character progression.

I enter my next few runs with the mentality that, while the level design strategy may not be intricate, simply making numbers bigger could be enough to still have fun. I grab some gold then hand it to the vendors who give more damage and health. None of the gold is going to the pacifist orb vendor. Pacifist orbs are items that are only present when you haven’t killed an enemy. Collecting them grants gold and experience, and purchasing upgrades increases the amount of gold and experience you get from these. I originally thought this was a nice way to support alternative playstyles, but I’m here to fight monsters. Why let them live? Sorry, pacifist panda, no gold for you.

He really is a panda. That isn’t just a cute alliteration.

My experience with the game continues this way until one run starts with pacifist orbs spawning before any monsters. Nothing else can be done and they give gold and experience, so why not grab them until I can fight something? I descend the level collecting orbs until I find another teleportation block. Everything suddenly clicks. This is the gameplay loop: traverse downward through the level collecting pacifist orbs while trying not to murder anything, teleport back to the top of the level, go back through fighting everything. Assume this was just an adventure platformer? Surprise! This is a stealth game that turns into an adventure platformer, and it is very fun.

Every mechanic funnels back through this design choice. The teleportation blocks fit well since a good run requires going through twice. Shrines can spawn that grant invisibility. Alarms that summon enemies are placed throughout the levels, making pacifist runs more difficult. The options menu has a toggle to turn your autoattack on or off. Enemies patrol stages allowing players chances to slip by. I would write a Nindie Design Focus on these design choices if I wasn’t already reviewing the game.

The Shrine of Shadow allows you to extend your pacifist state for longer.

The progression system and gameplay design would be enough for me to enjoy my time with VDHHD, but this game is packed with small touches to make each run more interesting. The ten levels the campaign ventures through all feel unique with certain block mechanics only appearing on specific levels. NPCs dole out quests ranging from collecting puppies to defeating a certain number of enemies. The risk of missing things due to the vertical level structure is still present despite not being as harsh as in The Flame in the Flood. The teleportation blocks are procedurally generated, so it is possible to have very few in a level. One should be used after completing your pacifist run, but others need to be used more strategically.

Hey Cave Story. I didn’t know you would be referenced here.

Before recommending (or not recommending) Vertical Drop Heroes HD, the blemishes have to be mentioned. I previously brought up the unappealing art style. Combat is shallow: the whole affair is basically ramming protagonist and antagonist together while they damage each other. It isn’t a big list of complaints, but potentially important for some players.

The list of positives is much longer. The game design is incredibly interesting. The reward system is satisfying. The levels are packed with content and mini-challenges. The amount of variety is massive. The positives outshine the negatives so much that Vertical Drop Heroes HD is an easy recommendation.



The Switch eShop has a number of roguelikes that don’t have the same flaws as Vertical Drop Heroes HD. A roguelike with deeper combat is Streets of Red. One with a much stronger art style is Flinthook. Share your thoughts on the game by joining our Discord. Finally, Nindie Nexus is an ad-free passion project – we appreciate anyone willing to buy us a coffee.