Turtle-Duck Country Returns - Windswept Preview

The best kinds of adventures are the ones you embark on with a friend. In Windswept you take on the role of a duck named Duck and his buddy, a turtle named Turtle, as they embark on a colorful journey through various lands and places beyond this world. Using the unique characteristics of each character you will hop, flap, twirl, and spin your way through different 2D platforming segments with the main goal of reaching the end of the level. After a brief time with the demo of this 2025 indie release, it became apparent how important a companion will be on this playful journey.

First impressions of Windswept reveal incredible sprite artwork, fun music tracks, and vivid colors. The designs of each area from the platforms you will be jumping on, to the backgrounds looming in the distance, to the enemies you’ll need to defeat or avoid along your path, all are created with a brilliant eye for style, vibrancy, and adorableness. Every single enemy in this game could very easily--and almost assuredly will be--be turned into a stuffed plushie. For the purposes of this demo we only really saw the lush greens of the forest but the final release promises more variation in levels to come.

For gameplay, I was struck by the emphasis on cooperation. Having two playable characters at the same time, à la Donkey Kong Country, often would lead to a decided character preference based on a player’s playstyle. In Windswept, however, each of the two playable characters are so inherently designed for specific tasks that sticking to a single character for a majority of a playthrough is impossible. Initially you begin playing as Duck who’s special ability is being able to briefly flap his wings to glide. Turtle, who becomes befriended briefly into the first level, can do a ground-pound that unlocks secret areas designated by a ground-pound spot. 

The gimmick between these two characters really shows when you have both characters active. You are able to swap who the primary character is at will by pressing the designated button (“B” in my case). Depending on who the primary character is, you can then hit another button (“Y”) which will either cause Duck to hold Turtle in his arms (if Duck is the primary) or Duck to ride Turtle’s back (if Turtle is the primary). Pressing another button (“X”) will then perform a special action. If Duck is holding Turtle, he will simply chuck Turtle forward causing him to spin uncontrollably and hitting any enemies along his path. When he finally stops, Duck can then jump on Turtle’s shell and gain a huge boost in height. If Duck is riding Turtle, then pressing the designated button will see Duck vault Turtle overhead giving both a boost in height as they arc back down to the ground. 

These moves, of course, can be chained together with jumps in order to further enhance their utility and allow you to reach more areas. Unfortunately, the dynamic duo is not invincible. If you happen to take a hit you will lose whichever character is not the primary. For example, if you are controlling Duck and get hit by one of the many enemy Bees hindering your progress, then Turtle will be whisked away and will need to be found again later in the level. 

This punishment is more severe than it initially seems. Throughout the demo alone there were an exorbitant amount of areas, secrets, and collectables which were out of reach due to not having your partner with you. Flying solo essentially cuts you away from significant portions of a level until you can get your partner back. Long-term, I wonder how this mechanic will hold up as levels become more challenging. Removing almost all of your added mobility after a single mistake may be a cost too steep for most players.

An additional highlight during the demo was in the first boss fight. Octulent, the name of this mustached octopi, was simple enough to defeat. It was the classic “jump on the boss’ head three times.” What made it fun was in the situation and slight curve balls that were thrown at me. First, the fight took place entirely in the water with the only dry platform being the bucket that you sit in which is very tiny and cramped reducing mobility. Second, Octulent, despite having a round head primed for jumping on, kept his tentacles up for protection. This meant that if you tried to jump on his head too early, as I most certainly did, instead of smacking his head you would end up pinballing between his two tentacles as they knock you around at chaotic speeds. Given enough time, he will let down his guard allowing for a swift whalloping to the head before the next phase of the fight begins and his attack speeds increase exponentially.

This repeats once more before finally the fight ends. A cutscene plays, a top hat falls onto Octulent’s head, and all is well and forgiven. It seems all Octulent really wanted was his trusty top hat back. Octulent was nothing extravagant, nothing intense, and certainly nothing wholly unique but it was still effective, fun, and ended with yet another absolutely adorable moment. Based on this first boss I would imagine the cuteness levels will only rise higher and higher as the game continues. 

Friends will be essential on this journey and thankfully, thanks to confirmation from the developer, Windswept will be playable entirely in real-time co-op. Don’t worry, as far as can be seen, Windswept has no lives to track or any timer counting down to your doom so you can feel safe knowing that whatever hilarity ensues in a co-op playthrough, there is no pressure. Windswept currently eyes a release date in 2025.

Wishlist now: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1660960/Windswept/