Published by Flynn’s Arcade and developed by Vidvad Games, Goliath Depot is an indie retro-themed platforming game inspired by classic arcade games from the 80s. It was initially released on PC in 2023 and is now available on Nintendo Switch.

On a winter stormy night in 1985, George notices during his night shift that suspicious doors appeared all over the Goliath complex spawning evil products everywhere. Quickly, he tries to close them all to seal them away and alert the CEO at the headquarters. Can he do it before it’s too late?

Goliath Depot is a throwback to the classic arcade games from the 80s, utilising simple controls and a simple goal to aim for, but the increasingly challenging difficulty it provides will get players addicted and coming back for more. The aim of the game of this 8-bit 2D side-scrolling platformer is to shut all the open doors and windows while avoiding enemies and obstacles, then exit through the main doors and proceed to the next stage. There are four worlds with ten stages each, with the last stage of each world being a boss fight.

The overall concept is incredibly simple, making the game easy to pick up and play from the get-go. There are tutorials explaining the game’s mechanics, but the game is that simple, you won’t even need them and can get a grasp of everything just by playing. It may be easy to pick up and play, but beating the game is a whole different story.

Early on it may not be that difficult, but it won’t be long before players find themselves in difficult situations. There are a wide variety of enemies that’ll get in your way and various obstacles to avoid, all while trying to traverse and land safely on each platform.

Simply touching an enemy, getting hit by their projectiles, or getting too close to obstacles will cost a life. Players only get three lives and can only replenish them by reaching the next world or starting over from the beginning after a Game Over, so you’ll need to make them count.

Shutting a door or window not only leads to the goal, but also shoots out projectiles going left and right, which will temporarily stun enemies if they connect and players can kick them off the stage by simply running into them, but they can respawn. Each boss battle is different from the other, offering more variety and adding to the challenge. The bosses can be beaten by, again, shutting the doors to shoot projectiles and deplete their health bars. Just like the rest of the game, it sounds simple but it ain’t easy. While you’re focused on avoiding one thing, something else will likely get you when you least expect it.

At first glance, it looks like most other retro-themed indie games, but its unique gameplay mechanics is what sets it apart. Fans of the old arcade classics from decades past can see what elements of their favourite games were implemented into Goliath Depot, such as running to one side of the screen to appear on the opposite side like in the Mario Bros. arcade game from 1983, but utilises that feature in a platforming aspect.

8-bit graphics were used for the overall art style to keep to the retro theme, and it’s done in a way that makes it look bright, colourful, vibrant, and full of personality. The soundtrack also sticks to the retro theme with catchy 8-bit techno music mixed with some modern sounds, that perfectly complement the action on screen. Goliath Depot truly feels like a game from that era, and it looks just as good playing at home on the TV or on the go in your hands.

Before starting each world, players can choose different Powers granted they have enough coins collected in the game to purchase them. They include Jump Down, Turbo Speed, Gliding, Super Crouch, Double Jump, and Dash. They’re fun to use and provide a different experience. Adding to that, a harder difficulty can be unlocked for each world for an even tougher challenge and even a randomiser to change things up, feeling like a whole new game offering plenty of replay value.

2 Player mode is also available for some couch co-op action with a friend to double the fun and double the mayhem. Sadly, there is no online multiplayer, because this would’ve been a fantastic game to play with a friend over the net, but looks like the door might be shut on that idea for now. There are online leaderboards however, so you can compare your score or fastest time with other players around the world, speaking of which, there is also an option to turn a speedrun timer on to help keep track of your time, which serious speedrunners will appreciate.

Goliath Depot is proof that modern retro-themed games can be a ton of fun and incredibly addictive. It’s the kind of game where no matter how many times you fail, you just can’t get enough of it. Even if players manage to beat this simple but challenging game, there is still so much replay value to enjoy and keep them coming back for more. Goliath Depot is a game that needs to be played to be believed.

Written by: Sammy Hanson