They Need To Be Fed

They Need To Be Fed is a physics-based 2D side-scrolling platformer where players control a small black creature navigating levels composed of variably shaped platforms, each with independent gravity centers. The goal is to dodge hazards like spikes, rockets, lasers, orbiting mines, and homing missiles while collecting required diamonds to unlock new worlds, ultimately guiding the creature into the mouth of a hungry monster at the end of each stage.

They Need To Be Fed: Review

Introduction

Imagine a platformer where “death” isn’t the end but the goal—where you hurl your adorable, bug-eyed protagonist into the gaping maw of a ravenous monster, not as a tragic failure, but as triumphant victory. Released in 2010, They Need To Be Fed is the unassuming gem that captured lightning in a bottle: Jesse Venbrux’s first-prize-winning entry in YoYo Games’ “Design a Handheld Game” competition. Born from the fertile indie scene of GameMaker experiments, this physics-based odyssey flipped gravity on its head, demanding players master 360° orbital navigation amid escalating perils. Its legacy endures not as a blockbuster, but as a masterclass in concise, addictive design—a thesis that elevates it from curiosity to cornerstone of mobile platforming evolution, proving that innovation thrives in brevity and precision.

Development History & Context

They Need To Be Fed emerged from the grassroots fervor of early 2010s indie development, spearheaded by solo creator Jesse Venbrux—a Dutch prodigy already battle-tested by YoYo Games’ prior contests. Venbrux clinched victory in the inaugural 2008 competition with Frozzd, a clunky planetary gravity puzzler, then refined the concept in the lesser-known Maru (2010). By the fifth contest—”Design a Handheld Game”—he perfected it: a Windows prototype released March 31, 2010, tailored for portable play with bite-sized levels.

Built in GameMaker Studio, the game leveraged the engine’s physics prowess amid an era dominated by iOS’s App Store boom and Android’s nascent rise. YoYo Games, GameMaker’s stewards, published an expanded commercial edition on November 17, 2010, for iPhone/iPad, followed by Android (2011), browser, and Symbian ports. This version ballooned credits to 23, incorporating additional programming (Jack Oatley, Allison James), art (Darrel Flood), level design, core tech from YoYo veterans like Michael Dailly, and QA polish. Music maestro Jacob Almond (aka Jake Almond) provided soundtrack and effects.

The 2010 gaming landscape teemed with platformers—Super Meat Boy‘s masochistic precision, Limbo‘s atmospheric dread—but They Need To Be Fed carved a niche in handheld innovation. PSP ports were teased (via Joystiq rumors), but canceled; a Steam Greenlight compilation of the trilogy never materialized. Technological constraints? GameMaker’s 2D limits fostered minimalism, yet Venbrux’s vision transcended them, birthing a series (sequels in 2013 and 2014) under his Bit Ate Bit banner. In an age of Flash experiments and iOS gold rushes, it exemplified how contests democratized quality, turning a “quick” project (per Venbrux) into a portable paradigm.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Don’t let the cutesy visuals fool you: They Need To Be Fed harbors a deliciously macabre core, a cannibalistic food chain rendered in pastel whimsy. You command a diminutive black blob—wide-eyed, bouncy, eternally optimistic—tasked with self-sacrifice. Collect shimmering diamonds strewn across hazardous voids, then leap into the salivating jaws of colossal, toothy beasts awaiting at each level’s terminus. No dialogue, no lore dumps; the plot unfolds implicitly through seven worlds of escalating lunacy, each culminating in a “perfect” run to unlock bonus “X” stages.

Characters are archetypal yet evocative: your pint-sized protagonist embodies futile heroism, a willing martyr in a predatory cosmos. Monsters evolve from benign cloud-lurkers to spiked behemoths, their “Yummy…” taunts (echoed in ad blurbs) underscoring gluttony. Themes probe sacrifice and inevitability—your “win” condition is annihilation, subverting platformer tropes where survival reigns (Super Mario‘s coin-hoarding vs. here, gem-funneling doom). Diamonds symbolize hollow rewards, fueling progression amid permadeath retries.

Deeper still: addiction’s siren call. Frustration mounts as homing missiles and lasers claim you, yet each death whispers, “Your fault—retry.” This mirrors real-world compulsion, emotional blackmail via adorable animations (your blob’s puff-of-smoke demise tugs heartstrings). Critics like All About Symbian noted the “macabre twist” of feeding smaller monsters to larger ones, evoking Cut the Rope‘s hunger motif but with ironic reversal. No overt story, yet thematically rich: a meditation on consumption, where player agency feeds the machine, perfectly suiting portable “one more try” sessions.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

At its heart, They Need To Be Fed is a symphony of physics-driven chaos, deconstructing platforming into pure momentum mastery. Core loop: spawn on a geometric “planet” (square, circle, triangle), run its perimeter via local gravity (360° freedom—no fixed “down”), build speed, jump to orbit another. Each object pulls independently, enabling seamless transitions mid-leap, with mid-air steering for precision arcs.

Controls are Spartan—left/right arrows (or touch swipes on mobile), jump—yet demand finesse. Early levels tutor basics: stationary platforms, static spikes. Ramp-up is merciless: orbiting mines circle spheres; homing missiles track relentlessly; lasers sweep; rotating triangles demand timed pivots; vanishing balloons pop post-landing; rail-moving bars oscillate. Multitasking peaks in late worlds—dodge dual threats while planets react to impacts, timing jumps pixel-perfect amid physics jank turned virtue.

Progression gates via diamonds: requisite hauls unlock worlds (7 per world, plus “X” bonus for 99% collection). Stars award low-death clears; 25 achievements spur mastery. UI shines: clean carousel menus (credited to Jason/Nathan Stockton), world maps tracking gems/stars, waypoints mid-level for respawns. Flaws? Touch controls occasionally slippery on mobile; prototype menus stuttered (user-specific). Innovative: replay flexibility—tackle levels nonlinearly, blending skill-checks with collection. Short bursts (under 60 seconds/level) fuel addiction, frustration alchemized into “I can do this.” Replayability soars via perfectionism, echoing Super Meat Boy but gravity-bound.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Seven worlds form a vibrant, abstract cosmos—cloudy idylls yield to spiked hellscapes, balloon fleets, laser grids—each introducing mechanics organically. Atmosphere thrives on juxtaposition: perilous voids framed by serene backdrops, your blob’s perpetual cheer against oblivion. No sprawling lore, but environmental storytelling via evolving biomes builds tension, culminating in boss-like “X” gauntlets.

Visuals: minimalistic cartoony bliss. Hand-drawn animations (smooth bounces, expressive deaths) pop in 2D scrolling splendor; slick shaders and particles enhance physics (diamond sparkles, missile trails). Criticisms minor—early clouds jar stylistically (per GameMakerBlog); Symbian ports blurred via aliasing. Yet cohesion reigns: black-white protagonist contrasts candy hues, ensuring readability amid frenzy.

Soundscape, by Jacob Almond, is understated perfection: twinkly chiptunes swell with tension, bouncy SFX punctuate jumps (boings!), spikes (zaps!), feasts (gulps!). Menu carousels hum softly; deaths elicit wry puffs. Minor role amplifies focus—sound as rhythm, not distraction—elevating immersion. Collectively, these forge hypnotic flow: visuals beg motion, audio cues peril, world design a playground of doom.

Reception & Legacy

Launch reception crowned it indie royalty. Windows prototype: MobyGames player score 5/5 (sparse); competition win sparked buzz (GameMakerBlog: “smooth, so smooth”). Mobile editions soared—Metacritic 83/100 (iOS), lauded by Slide to Play (100/100: “gravity platformer worth feeding on”), TouchArcade/Pocket Gamer (80s: “smart, endearing”). Eurogamer (70) nitpicked brevity; All About Symbian (68%) praised twist but noted graphics blur. Commercial ports averaged 82% critics, 7.6 MobyScore.

Commercially modest—free prototype, cheap App Store ($1-2)—yet spawned trilogy (2 2013, 3 2014; Android/iOS). PSP dreams fizzled; 2018 Eat Me Please compilation Greenlit unreleased. Influence ripples: pioneered GameMaker handhelds, inspiring gravity tinkerers (They Breathe, physics platformers). Venbrux’s Q Entertainment stint amplified cred. Reputation evolved from “quick contest win” (echoing prior works) to handheld archetype—addictive, innovative amid iOS flood. Academic nods (MobyGames citations) cement preservation status.

Conclusion

They Need To Be Fed distills platforming essence into 50+ levels of gravitational genius: a solo-dev triumph iterating Frozzd‘s promise into buttery precision, addictive loops, and thematic bite. Brevity bites—crave sequels?—yet that’s its genius, portable perfection amid 2010’s deluge. Not revolution, but refinement: 360° gravity as mechanic milestone, influencing indies toward concise mastery. Verdict: Essential artifact, 9/10—enshrined in history as the game that fed our platforming souls, proving less (levels) yields more (innovation). Play it, feed the beasts, master the void.