While indie games have seemingly become the pontoon floating parts of the industry, there used to be a time when you could count each of them on your fingers. Among the most prolific of early aughts indie developers is Nicklas Nygren, better known as Nifflas, whose ambient, engrossing mini metroidvanias charmed the early scene. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Nifflas has re-released his foundational freeware classic for modern hardware.
Inspired by residents of Moominvalley, Knytt has you in the teeny tiny shoes of the titular critter. Capable of hopping, scurrying, and little else to combat surrounding dangers, you ascended strange peaks and spelunk mysterious caverns. Your path crossing with quirky locals and hypnotic mysteries, you widen the map and find your place within it. As relaxing as the atmosphere is, the defenseless little Knytt is relying on your reflexes and dexterity to overcome obstacles, insects and space lasers.
Originally released in 2006, Knytt was the result of a forum collaboration, which proliferated around the web alongside similar freeware gems like Cave Story. Garnering attention from even print gaming publications, Knytt’s success leapt into two sequels, Knytt Stories and Knytt Underground for the PlayStation 3, which strangely has an M rating from the ESRB. I’ve always been most partial to Within A Deep Forest, where you play as a mighty magical orb.
The new Knytt Classic is a “pixel-perfect” port of the original on behalf of Chasm makers Bit Kid. On top of the sprawling original, this version features a new “UltraTough” mode and an additional mod from Baba Is You creator Arvi “Hempuli” Teikari. Nifflas’ last published game was the critically acclaimed, more abstract indie Ynglet. He is currently developing the ultra saturated, technicolor Rhythm Doggo, which he described as a space where dogs “can hang out with each other.” Like its namesake, Knytt Classic is free for a new generation to discover and dwell in.