The Videokid takes us back to a time when arcade cabinets ruled supreme. A time where people, not yet branded gamers, traversed to an arcade and inserted quarters into machines. We were always seeking the elusive one credit clear. The Videokid would not be The Videokid without this monumental era and this is clear from the moment you start and insert the first coin.

The Videokid presses heavily on our nostalgia by playing a lot like Paperboy, while attempting to deliver its own experience with a unique spin fitting a game released in 2018. The joy of this game doesn’t come from playing a “Paperboy clone” but rather from recognizing all the cameos as you fly down the road on your skateboard whilst weaving in and out of traffic in an attempt to achieve your next best high score. If you were born in the 90s or earlier, you have likely lived with most of these characters. Or, if you’re hip on “retro” movies and cartoons, you will also catch these cameos and totally dig The Videokid.

The world vs the Videokid

Where’s the beef?

The mean streets of The Videokid are quite similar to those of Paperboy. Except for this time, you’re delivering pirated videotapes to make some cash to bring your girlfriend out on a date. Everything out there exists to make it harder for you to succeed. The Videokid’s gameplay is simply you, attempting to navigate on your skateboard down the street while delivering videos to your neighbors. There are numerous hazards and nostalgic characters you must avoid. Simple joystick controls for switching lanes, two buttons for throwing videotapes, and jumping are really easy to master for players of any age. The audio for the game complements the gameplay and retro feel. The audio segments played when you wreck are sometimes hilarious. But, do remember, one wrong move and you’re starting over.

Go play under the road

Time to motor.

Some of the same hazards from Paperboy still exist. It’s a nice hat tip to the legend that is definitely felt throughout the game. Lawnmowers will attempt to run you over and cars will still attempt to knock you out. There is even that crazy mechanic and metal-punk rolling the tire across the street. They have all made it into The Videokid.

Thankfully it’s refreshing to see The Videokid advance beyond angry neighbors, lawn mowers, and cars. While playing, you will find Ninja Turtles, Pac Man, Martin Riggs, The Terminator, and many more. All of your favorites characters have suited up in an attempt to distract and reset your run. Part The Videokid’s charm is that it feels like it has more cameos than The Simpsons, with each run being a magical journey down memory lane. The further you progress, the more you will see. The more you die, the more you will try again. It’s a formula that works well if you’re into nostalgia and get it. Less so, if you’re not.

Gnarly tricks

Hang 10!

The Videokid takes a step ahead and a half step backwards with its inclusion of gnarly tricks. You can grind, jump, and shred till your heart’s content but be warned: not everything is grindable or jumpable and it’s not very clear without some experimentation. Cars you may have thought you could have pulled off a sick trick on while yelling “Cowabunga!” will suddenly end your run, leaving you puzzled as to why. This will come as no surprise for those who have smacked the side of an arcade cabinet or two. The Videokid maintains this spirit with a “find out for yourself” way of playing. Some things you just have to learn by . . . actually playing the game.

Unlockables

Biscuit Guzzler?!

The Videokid also supplies a small assortment of unlockables. There is nothing cooler than rolling down the road as the Biscuit Guzzler while chucking videotapes through peoples’ windows. The character unlockables are cool and give the player some variety, while the additional tricks add little to nothing to the overall experience.

Take a chill pill

Failure IS always an option.

The Videokid is not without a few flaws, albeit minor in comparison. It feels like it takes too long to respawn and get another run in. One could say this is a throwback to the cabinet-coin-eater days, where you inserted more coins to press the start button, but I hoped we could have skipped that part. Some players might not like the pixel style of the game, but that’s largely personal preference.

Overall, The Videokid delivers a fun and semi-challenging experience chocked full of nostalgia. Priced at $4.99, I think any Switch gamer enjoying this type of single run, try and try again gameplay will find more than their money’s worth.

If you enjoy pixel style games, another Nindie Nexus author, Ryan Rogerson, just completed his review of Pixel Action Heroes. If pixelated graphics are not your thing, check out our superb review of Bad North. We have all been raving about this game in our Discord server. You should come hang out and play games with us. We don’t bite!