Vibrant 3D platformer, Super Sami Rolls, has tumbled onto Steam. Sami must roll, jump, and grapple with his tongue through dozens of levels to save his friend, Vera. She has been captured by Albert VII, who is clearly a bit of a jerk! There are tons of secrets to unearth along the way, including secret modes. One of these is even multiplayer according to the Steam page. Players can also customize the protagonist, Sami.
Developed by Sonzai Games, Super Sami Roll is currently discounted to $9.89. On July 28th, the launch discount will end, returning it to $14.99. The press release says the game is heavily inspired by the platformers of the ’80s and ’90s. They specifically mention Marble Madness and Super Monkey Ball. However, this game also clearly takes a lot of inspiration from other franchises, such as Super Mario. There are also some nods to much more recent platformers. For example, one level in the launch trailer looks like it is inspired by Bowser’s world in Super Mario Odyssey.
As you can see in the trailer, or rather hear, Super Sami Roll has a very energetic, upbeat soundtrack. Like the game itself, their OST bundle is also discounted, currently at $11.86. The original teaser trailer says the game is also coming to Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation sometime this year. It also shows a level that borrows some clear inspiration from the Mario Kart series.
Sonzai Games CEO and Lead Developer, Sergio Matta, commented about the game’s design in the press release, saying:
“With Super Sami Roll, I wanted to create a game that brings back the ‘warm and fuzzy’ feeling we all experienced back in the ‘90s (and early ’00s) playing 3D platformers – particularly the rolling kind. However, I wanted more than to simply pay homage to a beloved genre. I want to give players something new … and that’s precisely where the grappling tongue comes in! This core mechanic – plus a living, breathing world filled with personable NPCs – is what makes Super Sami Roll special.”
If you loved and still love these sorts of games, then Super Sami Roll may be right up your alley. The levels look impressively varied, and nods to past games are sprinkled generously all over. For example, on one level in the launch trailer, you can see rotating platforms that are quite reminiscent of Super Mario Sunshine‘s sub-stages. Another example would be the pixel art world maps, paying homage to many other games of yesteryear.
Last but not least, here are a few screenshots bursting with color:
