Which Way Up: Galaxy Games – Gravity-Bending Party Game

• DEVELOPER: Turtle Flip Studio
• PUBLISHER: Turtle Flip Studio
• PLATFORMS: PC, Nintendo Switch
• GENRE: Multiplayer / Party
• RELEASE DATE: March 27, 2025
• STARTING PRICE: 14,79€
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC

Which Way Up: Galaxy Games is a family-friendly party game built around a unique gravity-defying mechanic. Up to four players can compete locally (or online via Steam Remote Play Together) in 12 distinct mini-games, each leveraging physics-based challenges where you run on walls, orbit planets, and navigate shifting gravity fields. Controls are simple, move with the analog stick, jump with a button, and use a “Comet Push” to interact with opponents or propel yourself, making it accessible for all ages.

While the gameplay is simple and engaging, it’s clearly not designed for keyboard, a controller is highly recommended. Another key detail is that the current version of the game is split into singleplayer and multiplayer modes. The singleplayer experience features three distinct game modes. Nebula Nab tasks you with running across planets to collect and match shapes to their correct slots. Hole in One offers a space-themed twist on golf, complete with celestial obstacles. Finally, Comet Collect reinvents football in a cosmic setting, challenging you to score goals within designated zones.

Frustrating Fun in Space

But here’s my biggest gripe: it’s much harder than it looks. Some levels are significantly more difficult than they should be, making them frustrating – even for kids. Each mode includes six levels and 24 medals to collect. Progression requires a certain number of medals to unlock levels, but the game never explicitly tells you how many are needed. While you do get time to practice the mechanics and controls, the game never truly prepares you for the different modes. The tutorial simply explains movement and controls but doesn’t offer hands-on practice for actual gameplay challenges.

Timing is crucial, as your speed in solving levels determines the medals you earn. Unfortunately, medals don’t serve much purpose beyond unlocking levels, which feels like a missed opportunity. A customization system, allowing you to personalize characters with unique outfits and accessories, would have made the experience feel more personal and rewarding.

The gravity mechanic offers a fresh twist on platforming, imagine Mario Galaxy meets Mario Party, and stands out as one of the game’s most innovative features. That said, the gameplay occasionally lacks depth: mini-games are bite-sized and chaotic, but rarely evolve beyond their initial premise. Some modes, like the golf-inspired challenges, rely more on luck and unpredictable ball physics than actual skill. Another minor frustration is the slightly prolonged loading times between levels, an unnecessary pacing disruption for such quick-fire gameplay.

Stunning Art, Stumbling Depth

While the narrative serves as a functional backdrop, it’s ultimately forgettable. The wall-of-text delivery feels ill, and multiplayer bypasses the story entirely. That said, the lore itself has charm: before the universe existed, Celestial Space Sprites, cosmic embodiments of concepts like nature (Sprout), light (Prism), and the moon (Luna), created the Galaxy Games as a diversion while shaping life. Don’t expect branching narratives or deep plotlines here, though.

Where the game truly shines is its presentation. The vibrant 2D art style bursts with cosmic personality, featuring colorful planetoids, star-dusted arenas, and obstacles like jelly berries or baby dragon fireballs. The seven Space Sprites are visually distinct, with playful animations that pop against the dynamic backdrops. It’s a shame the gameplay doesn’t always match this level of creativity.

The absence of AI opponents in multiplayer limits the experience, solo or duo play feels incomplete, and online play requires workarounds like Steam Remote Play, which can come with lag. As mentioned, some mini-games also suffer from balance issues, and the game struggles to find its ideal audience, caught between being overly casual and lacking depth. That said, it’s worth considering if you have kids to play with or friends willing to try an unfinished game. More levels are planned for future updates, which could help flesh out the experience.

Review copy provided by the publisher

3.3