Our favorite little red blob, the Super Meat Boy, is back, and this time, he jumps out of the 2D plane, leaping headfirst into a whole new dimension. Super Meat Boy 3D, revealed as part of Xbox’s recent showcase, promises to reinvent the ultra-challenging platformer with a fresh perspective and a visual overhaul that no one is going to complain about.
This new Super Meat Boy entry feels like a collision between the creative platforming of Mario World and Sony’s Astro Bot. Platformer games have been making a massive comeback lately, making it no better time for the franchise to come back, and that too, with a banger.
Super Meat Boy 3D: A new dimension of pain and joy
Revealed during Xbox’s June Games Showcase, in Super Meat Boy 3D, precision still reigns supreme. But instead of side-scrolling corridors filled with circular saws and lava pits, you’re now running, jumping, and dashing through sprawling 3D obstacle courses.
The upcoming game is practically Astro Boy, but now with significantly more blood and guts gushing around, along with more death animations. While there is no particular release date announced for the game, the official trailer reveals plans for it to release in early 2026, leaving us less than a year to wait for what’s going to be a peak platforming experience.
Judging from the trailer, Meat Boy still hasn’t lost its edge. He still controls like a dream, with buttery-smooth movement and frame-perfect inputs that allow for stylish maneuvers and high-speed runs. However, in this new 3D format, puzzles have been added that in no way could have been made possible in the game’s old traditional format.
Super Meat Boy 3D gets this one thing right about modern games
The best part about Super Meat Boy 3D? It doesn’t try to be a Soulslike in disguise. Instead, it leans into the joyful chaos of classic platforming, bringing back the same feel gamers enjoyed while playing Mario Galaxy, while keeping the iconic tension of the franchise alive.
This 2026 title is also possibly one of the best things that could have happened to Xbox. While PlayStation has had Astro Bot and Nintendo continues to rule with Mario, Xbox has traditionally lagged behind when it comes to mascot platformers. Super Meat Boy 3D could change that narrative in a big way.
Bringing back this one franchise is possibly one of the smartest moves Microsoft has made in a while, and it’s definitely not going to regret it anytime soon. Super Meat Boy 3D is slated to launch on PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5.
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