If you’re anything like me, the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear Roblox is an endless sea of predatory monetization, controversy, and unchallenging games made for a younger audience. You’d certainly be right to think that, after all with the front page full of AI-coded games with AI assets designed with the sole purpose of wrestling money out of children, navigating the platform is an overstimulating nightmare. However, if you know where to look, there are developers using the all-ages platforms unique strengths to deliver wholly original and engaging products.

Because of this abysmal layout, hunting for hidden gems is quite the undertaking without the help of Better Discovery, a “game” on the platform by the group Mariage Sorcière. This allows you to filter games with a variety of tags and has a player curated review system that lets you pick the treasure from the trash.

If you aren’t interested in searching yourself and would rather skip straight to the truly stand out, there are two games currently on Roblox that I would consider so innovative that they are worth setting aside any feelings you have towards the platform just to play.

Block Tales by Spaceman Moonbase is a 4-player co-op RPG that mixes Paper Mario and Earthbound inspiration with whimsical parody of the platform it’s on. You, the player, are sent back in time to the “peak” of Roblox, 2010, and are tasked with saving the company CEO from disaster. Combat is snappy and will feel familiar to any Mario & Luigi or Paper Mario fans, with multiplayer and build crafting as an added treat. The incredible presentation is nostalgic but retains a modern feel, with great visuals and music to immerse you in a silly world straight from the playbook of Shigesato Itoi or Toby Fox.

If you don’t care too much for a story and prefer more action, Nullscape by Martwaterimp is not only an awesome Roblox title but is my vote for the best roguelike to come out in the past few years. No, seriously. Playing alone or in servers up to 20 players, Nullscape skips the lore and throws you right into its cold, uncaring void. The gameplay is stage based, with a mix between a collect-a-thon and a bullet hell, as each level you take ramping challenges from a wonderfully designed cast of enemies, curses that amplify them, and upgrades to make your character control smoother and more easily escape danger. The movement is some of the best I’ve seen in a game in years, the dumb fun of diving around like a 3D Mario or grappling off of walls like the PS2 Spider-Man works perfectly in tandem with the variety of enemies to create nail biting scenarios as you fight for either ridiculously difficult achievements, or simply to beat your best score.

These are just two good games in a sea of passion and talent. Despite the less than stellar reputation, Roblox is a platform capable of hosting incredible developers who would otherwise not get the opportunity to publish their own games. For the low barrier of entry, availability on all platforms, and being completely free, if you are someone who has written it off in the past, you should really consider giving it a fair shot.

What do you think about Roblox? Is it slop for kids, nostalgic memories, or are you addicted to it like me? Please share your thoughts on our Facebook group or our Discord.

Boss Rush Gamescast – A Gameplay Deep Dive Discussion Podcast & Part of Boss Rush Podcast Plus

Boss Rush Gamescast is the gameplay deep dive discussion podcast from Boss Rush Network. Every other week, a panel of hosts and friends from across the internet take a deeper dive into the games they’ve been playing, featuring light spoilers, fun segments, and great conversations. New episodes drop every other week as part of Boss Rush Podcast Plus, with Patreon members getting early access one week in advance.

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Thank you for ⁠watching the Boss Rush Gamescast⁠ as part of Boss Rush Podcast Plus ⁠on The Boss Rush Network⁠. If you enjoyed this discussion, please consider subscribing to the YouTube channel and leave a thumbs up on the video. Consider leaving the show a rating and a nice review on your favorite podcast service if you prefer to listen to us there. Your listenership and support means more than you know. New episodes post every other week. ⁠Patreon supporters⁠ and ⁠YouTube subscribers⁠ get each episode one week early access. Thanks for watching and listening and we will see you next time.

Featured Image Source: Nullscape, Spaceman Moonbase