Publisher: HandCircus
Developer: HandCircus
Medium: Digital
Players: 1
Online: No
ESRB: Not Rated
Playing Rolando Deluxe is like a glimpse into another world. Rolando was originally released as an iPhone game back in late 2008, way back in the days before the freemium craze took over mobile gaming, and every game was drowning in monetization. It was a complete game released for a decent price (around $10 at launch, which, admittedly, was fairly premium pricing at the time) that showed off how the iPhone could work as a gaming device.
Obviously, things changed drastically over the ensuing 15+ years, but playing Rolando Deluxe it’s clear that not even the passage of time can dull what was – and still is – an excellent 2D platformer.
Mind you, it helps immeasurably that this version of Rolando features physical controls, rather than touch- and tilt-based ones. Even though I have fond memories of the original game, playing it as a more traditional platformer, complete with buttons for jumping and a joystick for moving, makes for a far superior experience. While I wouldn’t describe Rolando as a hard game, necessarily, it can still be challenging in places, and being able to time and aim your jumps – rather than hoping you tap or tilt at the right time – makes a huge difference.
It also makes a huge difference that Rolando Deluxe is releasing well after Sony long ago forgot about the LocoRoco franchise. Back in 2008, Rolando had the misfortune of being released just before LocoRoco 2, and comparisons between the two – both of which star little round balls as your playable characters – was inevitable. Now, in 2025, I don’t imagine LocoRoco is nearly as top of mind for most people, so Rolando Deluxe gets a chance to shine on its own.
And it really does shine. Rolando is filled with a great cast of characters, each of which have their own abilities, and it makes a real effort to ensure you’re using those abilities to their full extent – whether it’s a hyperactive ball who can’t stop moving, a lazy king ball who needs to be rolled everywhere, or a ball that sticks to surfaces (among many others). The game is a riot of colour, and it knows how to create different worlds that mix things up enough to keep it interesting, both in terms of design and in terms of visuals. Rolando was a triumph of mobile gaming on its first release, and Rolando Deluxe shows that it’s every bit as great now.
HandCircus provided us with a Rolando Deluxe PC code for review purposes.
