VVVVVV, one of the best platformers of all time, is now Steam Deck verified
Also supports 21 new languages
VVVVVV was part of the initial wave of indie platformers, which means it was released in 2010 and is now a certified classic. To celebrate its 14th birthday, developer Terry Cavanagh has dropped an update which makes it Steam Deck verified and professionally translates it into 21 new languages.
It's been a while since I played VVVVVV and I don't remember it being particularly verbal, but its newly supported languages are: Catalan, Arabic, Welsh, German, Esperanto, Spanish, French, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, Russian, Silesian, Turkish, Ukranian, Chinese (simplified) and Chinese (tradiitional).
The full 2.4 changelog includes a host of bug fixes and upgrades. It's not clear what's changed to earn the verified status, but the only eplicit mention of the Steam Deck is that the game will now launch in fullscreen by default when booted on a Deck or in Steam's Big Picture mode.
VVVVVV was made open source back in 2020, letting anyone tinker with its code to produce updates. This produced its previous major update in 2021 - its first in seven years - which added 60fps support, new graphics options and hundreds of bug fixes.
This newest update is likewise the work of volunteers tinkering with its open source code.
VVVVVV is a platformer in which you can't jump. Instead, pressing a button flips gravity, causing your interstellar explorer protagonist to flip between the ground and the ceiling of whatever single-screen room you're in. This is your one ability in overcoming its various platforming challenges, and its delightful, particularly when paired with its Spectrum-throwback graphics and propulsive chitptune soundtrack. Fourteen years later, it remains on our list of the best platformers for a reason.