Pepper Grinder

The OuterHavenCharlie Wacholz

Pepper Grinder boldly defines short and sweet. This movement-forward, white-knuckle 2D platformer was impossible to put down—so impossible, in fact, that I ravenously finished it in two settings. With charming and detailed sprite work, a killer soundtrack, excellent movement, clever level design, challenging boss fights, and just the right amount…

Playstation UniverseJohn-Paul Jones

8/10

Though the in-game shop feels poorly realised and it sometimes veers away from what it does best, Pepper Grinder nonetheless remains a resolutely well made, roundly attractive and frantically satisfying platformer that basically turns you into a terrifyingly militant dolphin obsessed with high speed loot and murder. And, well, who has never wanted to be one of those before?

Dot EsportsRachel Samples

8/10

Pepper Grinder offers players so much more than simplistic gameplay, despite centering around an incredibly simple mechanic.

EurogamerChristian Donlan

Chug through the earth and navigate ingenious levels in this terrific platformer.

Gamers HeroesCasey Scheld

80/100

Pepper Grinder is anything but a grind, letting players drill through land, sea, and air with relative ease. While we would have loved to see more content - and more bosses in particular - this title proves that it’s the pirate’s life for us.

Metro GameCentralGameCentral

8/10

The epitome of short but sweet, that is both a clever tribute to Drill Dozer and Ecco The Dolphin and a welcome alternative to bloated and overlong modern epics.

Pure NintendoJemma Casson

8/10

Pepper Grinder is a fast-paced platformer for the Nintendo Switch. Developed by indie studio Ahr Ech, it takes the classic tunneling concept of Dig Dug and merg

XboxEraJesse 'Doncabesa' Norris

7.8/10

The music is nothing but solid bops.  None of it was too memorable but it got me in the mood to grind some monster butts until their skeletons popped out.  There’s not much story, no voice acting, and I think the game is better for it.  A recent port on Xbox, Neon White, did its best to be a fun/zany anime romp and it made everything drag.  Pepper Grinder is great for a quick hook-up, of fun!  I played over a week without ever closing the title and Quick Resume worked like a champ.  Zero bugs, and crashes, came my way which is always a bonus.

Impulse GamerJames Davie

Let's get one thing straight before diving into this review, Pepper Grinder is NOT what its title suggests. Pepper Grinder is not about seasoning levels to

The Nerd StashPatrick Armstrong

7.5/10

A pixel platformer that melds the best of Celeste and Ecco the Dolphin but lacks length and mechanical polish.

Game RantShane R. Moyer

7/10

Pepper Grinder does a good job of making players feel like their skills are progressing as they play through the game. It does sometimes feel like a grind, but there are enjoyable aspects to Pepper's adventure that should be tried. The drilling as a travel tool is neat, and the boss monster's designs and fights are entertaining, but the fun seems to fizzle out a little too quickly. Still, despite this and the game's sometimes frustrating controls, Ahr Ech set out to create something a bit different. And while some aspects come up short, some players will find things worth drilling through to d...

StartMenuVivian Winn

Unscored

If playing via Steam, be wary of the controller warning. Though Pepper Grinder is technically playable with a keyboard, it is an extremely limited method. Controllers are a practical necessity for this game, thanks to the occasional tight angles that are not easily found via 8-way motion. Thankfully, this is an issue that would only show up on PC and Mac, where most controllers are Steam-compatible and thus a majority of players can avoid the issue. Currently, Switch is the only console that Pepper Grinder is available on; though the low profile of the analogue stick on a standard Switch Joy-C...