VVVVVV is very reminiscent of a game one would find for the Atari or Commodore 64 in that the graphics are simple, but the gameplay is anything but as it plays like nothing one would have found back then. It is fast paced and very precise, also extremely tough.
The main mechanic in the game is that the player can switch the gravity in any level allowing the character to flip from the bottom of the screen to the top. This is used in an ingenious way in order to solve puzzles and avoid hazards throughout each level.
The basic plot is that you are trying to save your crew members, but really it is just a loose story to tie the levels together as there is really not much there to discover.
VVVVVV is a tough game, one that will cause frustration quite easily. Luckily there are unlimited lives in the game, so areas can be played over and over again with no consequences.
Through the use of random generation the game is able to create a different experience not only for each person that plays it but for each time one restarts the game. Which lends to a bunch of replayability.
To navigate through the world of SteamWorld Dig, you need to dig through the earth, shaping out the tunnels and paths you need to pass through, requiring you to think twice about how to dig so you can get through the tunnel efficiently, and escape when you need to before you run out of power.
Combat consists of hitting an enemy with ones pick or drill, which is time consuming and not really satisfying. It is much easier to just go around opponents, even if it takes more time.
Alt-world levels are alternative versions of puzzles you've already completed with hints changed to combine the hints of 2 rows or columns adding a new dimension to how you solve the puzzles which can be interesting to players who have already mastered the standard picross rules.
There are 759 puzzles that take anywhere from a few minutes to over half an hour to complete in the game giving you plenty of content to keep you occupied for a long time.
Once you have made about $30 worth of purchases of in game currency, the currency becomes free limiting how much the game can cost. This allows you to try the game for free and only put in as much money as you want for how many puzzles you end up playing, while still limiting the total cost to that of an average 3DS game.