Speedrun Squid

In Speedrun Squid, you take control of a squid navigating treacherous underwater caves, using a single tentacle as a grappling hook to swing through rocky passages. Your mission is to chase fish through each level while dodging deadly hazards like bottomless pits, sharp spikes, and aggressive crabs. It's a physics based adventure that leans into the chaos of unpredictable movement, much like cult classics Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy and Octodad: Dadliest Catch. These games thrive on intentionally awkward controls, turning the struggle against the game into part of the fun and Speedrun Squid taps into that same chaotic energy.

At first, it might feel a bit limiting that your squid only uses one tentacle, despite having six available. But once you get the hang of it, the grappling hook mechanic becomes surprisingly entertaining. You latch onto specific rocks and propel yourself forward, all while dealing with the squid’s natural buoyancy it slowly drifts downward, so timing your swings is key to making progress. It’s a unique control scheme that keeps you on your toes, even if it takes some getting used to.

Visually, Speedrun Squid keeps things simple with charming pixel art graphics and a side scrolling perspective. The squid’s legs wiggle constantly, adding a touch of personality, and parallax scrolling gives the underwater world a sense of depth as you swing through each stage. That said, it’s not always clear which surfaces you can hook onto, and getting stuck on the scenery is a common frustration. A little more visual clarity would go a long way here.

The game features an overworld map that, while linear, gives you a sense of progression as you move from one level to the next. It’s a straightforward approach, but there’s potential for Speedrun Squid to expand on this maybe by introducing branching paths, similar to games like Slay the Spire, to give players more agency and replay value.

As a prototype, Speedrun Squid still has some rough edges. It’s possible to get stuck in a level with no way out, especially since there’s no basic movement button like a “float” command. The graphics, while stylish, could use some polish the game loads in full screen but appears blurry, so options for anti aliasing or screen resolution would be a welcome addition. Still, for an early version, Speedrun Squid shows plenty of promise with its quirky mechanics and engaging underwater escapades.