VVVVVV: Difference between revisions

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{{other uses|V6 (disambiguation)|6V (disambiguation)}}

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{{More citations needed|talk=Platforms List Unclear|date=March 2025}}

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{{Infobox video game

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'''''VVVVVV'''''{{efn|Pronounced "V" ({{IPAc-en|'|v|iː|}}, {{respell|VEE}}).<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVsa3-H3OGo |title=IndieCade 2010: Terry Cavanagh, VVVVVV |date=2010-10-01 |publisher=Indie Cade |time=0 minutes 47 seconds |access-date=2025-02-11 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/wVsa3-H3OGo |archive-date=2025-02-11 |url-status=live |via=YouTube}}</ref>}} is a 2010 [[puzzle-platform game]] created by [[Terry Cavanagh (developer)|Terry Cavanagh]]. In the game, the player controls Captain Viridian, who must rescue their spacecrew after a teleporter malfunction caused them to be separated in Dimension VVVVVV. The gameplay is characterized by the inability of the player to jump, instead opting on controlling the direction of gravity, causing the player to fall upwards or downwards.<ref name="kotaku-review" /> The game consists of more than 400 individual rooms, and also supports the creation of user-created levels.

The game was built in [[Adobe Flash]] and released on January 11, 2010, for [[Microsoft Windows]] and [[OS X]]. The game was [[Porting|ported]] to [[C++]] by Simon Roth in 2011,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/12kqw6/comment/c6vvzvj |title=I'm Simon Roth, creator of sci-fi god-game Maia. AMA - IAmA |website=[[reddit]] |date=3 November 2012 |access-date=2020-01-12 |archive-date=2021-02-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204195338/https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/12kqw6/comment/c6vvzvj |url-status=live }}</ref> and released as part of the [[Humble Indie Bundle|Humble Indie Bundle #3]]. The port to C++ allowed the porting of the game to other platforms such as [[Linux]], [[Pandora (console)|Pandora]], [[Nintendo 3DS]], and [[Nintendo Switch]].

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Later areas introduce new mechanics such as moving floors or rooms which, upon touching one edge of the screen, [[wraparound (video games)|cause the player character to appear on the other side]].<ref name="indiegames-review" />

''VVVVVV'' contains eight main [[Level (video gaming)|levels]], including an intro level, four levels which can be accessed in a [[Nonlinear gameplay|non-linear sequence]], two intermission levels, and one final level, only seen outside Dimension VVVVVV (in a "polar dimension"). These are situated inside a large open world for the player to explore, spanning more than 400 individual rooms.<ref name="rps-review" /> Due to its high level of difficulty, the game world contains many checkpoints, to which the player's character is reset upon death.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dawson |first1=James |title=James D. Plays a lot of Ports in 2011 - Feature |url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/28968/the-year-in-review-2011-james-d-plays-a-lot-of-ports-in-2011 |access-date=July 13, 2025 |work=[[Nintendo World Report]] |date=January 21, 2012}}</ref>

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Cavanagh first unveiled ''VVVVVV'' on his blog in June 2009. The game had been in development for two weeks, and Cavanagh estimated that the game would be finished in another two, "but hopefully not much longer."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://distractionware.com/blog/2009/06/vvvvvvvv-preview |title=VVVVVVVV Preview |first=Terry |last=Cavanagh |date=2009-06-10 |publisher=Distractionware |access-date=2010-12-01 |archive-date=2012-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308214845/http://distractionware.com/blog/2009/06/vvvvvvvv-preview/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A follow-up post published in July 2009 included screenshots of the game and an explanation of the game's gravity-flipping mechanic. Cavanagh wrote that ''VVVVVV'', unlike some of his previous work such as ''Judith'' and ''Pathways'', would not be a "storytelling experiment", but rather "focused on the level design".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://distractionware.com/blog/2009/07/when-its-done |title=When It's Done |first=Terry |last=Cavanagh |date=2009-07-15 |publisher=Distractionware |access-date=2010-12-01 |archive-date=2012-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308214859/http://distractionware.com/blog/2009/07/when-its-done/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The game was first shown publicly at the 2009 [[Eurogamer Expo]], which gave Cavanagh the opportunity to collect feedback from players.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://distractionware.com/blog/?p=1019 |title=Eurogamer Expo 2009 |first=Terry |last=Cavanagh |date=2009-11-05 |publisher=Distractionware |access-date=2010-12-01 |archive-date=2011-07-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725230842/http://distractionware.com/blog/?p=1019 |url-status=live }}</ref> In December 2009, a beta version of ''VVVVVV'' which had been given to donors was [[Internet leak|leaked]] on [[4chan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://distractionware.com/blog/2009/12/final-push |title=Final Push |first=Terry |last=Cavanagh |date=2009-12-07 |publisher=Distractionware |access-date=2010-12-01 |archive-date=2012-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308215335/http://distractionware.com/blog/2009/12/final-push/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The visual style of ''VVVVVV'' is heavily inspired by 8-bit computer games from the 1980s, especially ''[[Jet Set Willy]]'' and ''[[Monty on the Run]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/intervvvvvview-i-vvvvvv-i-developer-terry-cavanagh|title=Intervvvvvview: VVVVVV Developer Terry Cavanagh|access-date=26 September 2021|date=January 18, 2010|archive-date=25 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925232251/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/intervvvvvview-i-vvvvvv-i-developer-terry-cavanagh|url-status=live}}</ref> which is referenced by the element of collecting difficult-to-reach shiny objects and most notably the naming of each room; Cavanagh aimed to create a game "that looked and felt like the [[Commodore 64|C64]] games I grew up with." He eventually entrusted naming the rooms to ''[[QWOP]]'' developer [[Bennett Foddy]], who created every room name in the final version.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://distractionware.com/blog/2010/01/down-under |title=Down Under |first=Terry |last=Cavanagh |date=2010-08-01 |publisher=Distractionware |access-date=2013-09-08 |archive-date=2013-08-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821160246/http://distractionware.com/blog/2010/01/down-under/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The game's music is heavily dependent on [[chiptune]] elements. Swedish composer Magnus Pålsson scored the game, and released the original soundtrack in 2010, titled ''PPPPPP''.<ref>{{Citationcite news needed|last1=Dabi |first1=Gideon |title=PPPPPP: Soundtrack to VVVVVV Makes Me CrazYYYYYY (RevieWWWWWW) |url=https://www.originalsoundversion.com/pppppp-soundtrack-to-vvvvvv-makes-me-crazyyyyyy-reviewwwwww/ |access-date=OctoberJuly 13, 2025 |work=Original Sound Version |date=January 20, 20222010}}</ref>

Cavanagh also considered this game an opportunity to indulge in his "retro fetish". He has said because he lacks the technical prowess to make more modern-looking games, he instead focuses on making them visually interesting; additionally, he finds this to be made easier by "work[ing] within narrow limits".<ref name="indiegames" /> ''VVVVVV'' was the first game which Cavanagh sold commercially. While his previous games were all released as freeware, due to the size of ''VVVVVV'' compared to his previous work, Cavanagh felt that he "couldn't see [himself] going down that route."<ref name="indiegames" />[[File:Sad Elephant room in the game vvvvvv.jpg|thumb|right|The Sad Elephant near Space Station 2]]

''VVVVVV'' contains many strange visual elements, most notably the sad elephant, sometimes also called the elephant in the room, which is a large elephant with a tear dropping from its eye. It spans four rooms near the Space Station area of Dimension VVVVVV, flickering constantly from color to color. If the player stands near the elephant for a short period of time, it will cause Captain Viridian to become sad. The elephant serves no function to the game, but has served to provoke much discussion about its meaning or symbolism amongst fans of the game. Similarly to many of the enemies in the game, the sad elephant originated in dream journals kept by creator Terry Cavanagh and not from ''[[Jet Set Willy]]'' as once believed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vvvvvv-wiki.wikispaces.com/Curiosities|title=VVVVVV Wiki - Curiosities|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214231154/http://vvvvvv-wiki.wikispaces.com/Curiosities|archive-date=2014-02-14|access-date=2016-07-13}}</ref>{{User-generated inline|date=October 2022}}

=== Release ===

''VVVVVV'' was released on January 11, 2010, for [[Microsoft Windows]] and [[Mac OS X]]. A [[trial version]] of the game is playable on the website [[Kongregate]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kongregate.com/games/TerryCavanagh/vvvvvv-demo |title=Play VVVVVV Demo, a free online game on Kongregate |publisher=[[Kongregate]] |access-date=2010-12-01 |archive-date=2011-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110215183115/http://www.kongregate.com/games/TerryCavanagh/vvvvvv-demo |url-status=live }}</ref> A [[Linux]] version was in development, but a number of technical difficulties arose in the [[Software port|porting]] process, which led Cavanagh to cancel it for the time being.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://distractionware.com/blog/2010/01/|title=January 2010 – distractionware|website=distractionware.com}}</ref>

The game was rewritten in C++ by games developer Simon Roth in 2011, allowing Linux support to be successfully implemented. This formed version 2.0 of ''VVVVVV'', launched on July 24, 2011, as part of the third [[Humble Indie Bundle]]. Version 2.0 also features support for custom levels, and a level editor.<ref>{{cite news|title=VVVVVV v2|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/07/26/vvvvvv-v2-0-now-with-added-notch|first=Lewie|last=Procter|date=2011-08-01|website=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]]|access-date=2020-01-12|archive-date=2020-01-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112231530/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/07/26/vvvvvv-v2-0-now-with-added-notch/|url-status=live}}</ref> The C++ port also allowed for the implementation of new graphics modes and various speed improvements. Version 2.0, however, does not support saved games from the original Flash version of ''VVVVVV''; many players received this update via Steam without warning, and hence were unable to continue their existing saved games. A save-file exporter is in development.<ref>{{cite web|title=Update Killed My Save File|url=http://distractionware.com/forum/index.php?topic=361.0|website=distractionware forums|access-date=2011-07-31|archive-date=2021-11-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110102303/https://distractionware.com/forum/index.php?topic=361.0|url-status=live}}</ref>

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[[Category:Retro-style video games]]

[[Category:Single-player video games]]

[[Category:Video games designed by Bennett Foddy]]

[[Category:Video games designed by Terry Cavanagh (developer)]]

[[Category:Video games developed in Ireland]]

[[Category:Video games about extraterrestrial life]]