Windswept casts Marbles and Checkers as unlikely partners trying to find their way home, wrapping that journey in the spirit of classic collectathon platformers. Its cheerful presentation comes with a warning: the route is meant to be demanding, and persistence is part of the design rather than a detour from it.
Across more than 40 stages, players face hidden collectibles, bonus challenges and quirky obstacles. Both characters have distinct abilities, and changing the leader changes the actions available to master. Some specialised challenges call for mixing techniques, so progress involves working out which character and approach suit the task. The game introduces every ability in its opening stage, then leaves players to put those lessons into practice on their own.
Windswept is documented as a single-player game as well as offering multiplayer, including shared or split-screen co-op. The design’s old-school sensibility is explicit in its emphasis on learning through play rather than relying on a manual.
