McPixel first burst onto our computer screens back in 2012, thanks to indie developer Mikołaj Kamiński, aka “Sos Sosowski”. The titluar mullet-sporting hero gained notoriety after the game sold millions thousands of copies to adoring (?) and bewildered fans. Now, over a decade later, we finally have the long-awaited sequel, McPixel 3! What happened to McPixel 2, you ask? Well, let’s just assume it was so awesome that our puny, mundane brains couldn’t handle it. But let’s not ponder what might have been in the elusive McPixel 2, let’s strap on a parachute and dive into McPixel 3!

As you’ve undoubtedly surmised (at least I certainly hope so), McPixel 3 once again centers around our hero, McPixel, trying to save the day in numerous ways. Sometimes he’s defusing a bomb, sometimes he’s deflecting a bomb, sometimes he’s tricking enemies into being destroyed by a bomb (there are a lot of bombs in here), and sometimes he’s turning into a superhero in order to punch a T-Rex in the balls. You know, classic hero stuff.

Much like the original, McPixel 3 is comprised of tons of mini-levels where you have to figure out how to “save the day” in order to progress. The majority of these puzzles aren’t too difficult to figure out, especially once you allow yourself to think outside the box and embrace its absurdity. However, simply discovering how to get past each level isn’t really the point. McPixel 3 is a game made entirely out of gags, and the real challenge is to discover each one. Sure, you could lessen the devastation of an explosion from a stick of dynamite by putting it in a birthday cake in lieu of a candle, but then you’d miss out on becoming piñata while being levitated by festive balloons. Look deep within yourself and ask, is that something you’d truly want to miss out on? I didn’t think so.

Being a throwback to retro games from the early 90s, McPixel 3 is a point-and-click adventure that relies on you interacting with everything onscreen in order to find out what works. One great thing about this is that even when you fail, you still win because you’ll be able to see another ludicrous joke at your expense. While most of the solutions are relatively easy to figure out, a rare few are rather obtuse. That said, there are other solutions that are so beyond basic and stupidly simple that you’ll probably overlook those as well, especially if you’ve just come off a few that required you to flex those brains muscles a tad. All I’ll say is that sometimes doing nothing or just saving yourself can be the right answer.

However, not everything revolves around McPixel, although I’m sure he’d disagree with this sentiment. There are plenty of secret levels to be discovered throughout the game, many of which involve Steve, who likes to hide in unusual places. Unlike McPixel, Steve is just a regular guy, and his levels are usually comprised of seemingly mundane tasks, albeit with hilariously unexpected results. You can never be certain when or where you’ll come across Steve, but he’s certain to leave a lasting impression… or not. You never know with Steve.

There’s also a bonus mode that becomes available later in the game, where we meet McPixel’s grandma. She’ll send him a letter saying she is looking forward to a visit from him, which unlocks a series of new levels. In these levels McPixel puts “saving the day” on the back-burner in favor of saving his grandma from a variety of perilous situations. He’ll aid her in crossing the street, protect her from food poisoning from her own home-cooked meal, and help her drive through the city. All of this is easier said than done, but that’s to be expected from someone in the McPixel family.

All of the shenanigans in McPixel 3 are rendered in 8-bit graphics, as part of a loving tribute to classic games from the 80s and 90s. Some levels are more detailed than others, but there’s a whopping one hundred levels to explore, so shut your pie hole and enjoy the ride. There are also quite a few levels that are designed to look like they’re on older systems, such as the Atari, the original NES, and the Game Boy, so veteran gamers (like myself) and retro gaming enthusiasts (the proud nerdy hipsters, like our own Leo Faria) can enjoy some delightful throwbacks to classic titles.

The sound design also celebrates the classic action games of yore, but it’s not quite as successful as the visuals. While the soundtrack fits McPixel 3 perfectly, there are only a few tracks for the entire game. Unfortunately, this means you’ll hear them repeated over and over. They’re perfectly fitting in short bursts, but if you’re playing for any amount of extended time (more than fifteen to twenty minutes), then you’ll more than likely get tired of them before too long. There aren’t different tunes for any new areas either, so what you hear from the get-go is what you’ll get all throughout.

I cannot stress enough how happy I am that Devolver decided to breathe some life into this (potential?) franchise. McPixel 3 is the perfect follow-up to a largely underappreciated game from the mid 2000s. Yes, it has some shortcomings, but it’s still an unexpectedly fun game, especially when you consider that it was made by only one person. Sos Sosowksi, I applaud your efforts and am eagerly awaiting the next McPixel game.

 

Graphics: 7.0 McPixel 3 celebrates retro games by embracing an 8-bit art style. Some levels are much more detailed than others, but there are a whopping one hundred levels to explore.	Gameplay: 6.5 A throwback to old-school point-and-click adventures of all types. Trying to select the action or object you want interact with can be difficult at times, though.
Sound: 6.0 While the soundtrack fits the game perfectly, there are only a few tracks you’ll hear repeated over and over.	Fun Factor: 8.0 A game comprised entirely out of relentless gags by solving ridiculous puzzles, this is the perfect game to play in short bursts whenever you need a laugh. Also, there’s Steve.
Final Verdict: 7.0

McPixel 3 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.

Reviewed on Xbox Series X.