⚠️ This page mixes confirmed information with industry rumors and speculation. We’ll keep it updated as new details and leaks come to light.
One of the biggest surprises of the Xbox Games Showcase, Super Meat Boy 3D is a brand new take on the tough-as-nails platformer made for a new generation. It’s been nearly five years since the last release in the franchise, the disappointing auto-runner Super Meat Boy Forever, giving Team Meat (and Sluggerfly) another shot at franchise superstardom.
We’re going over everything there is to know about the expected Super Meat Boy 3D release date, which is currently earmarked for a yet-to-be-determined 2026 release window, as well as analyzing the gameplay, characters, features, and more further down the page. Is a perspective and art style change enough to give the slab of raw beef another shot? Let’s find out.
The Escapist recaps
- Super Meat Boy 3D will be released in ‘early 2026’ according to Team Meat.
- As well as a graphical facelift, Super Meat Boy 3D translates the action to three dimensions.
- Confirmed Super Meat Boy 3D platforms are Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC via Steam and Epic Games.
- No Super Meat Boy 3D price has been announced yet, however, it’s rumored to cost around $30-40.
- Precision platforming is still just as vital for Super Meat Boy 3D gameplay, just with more room to move.
When could Super Meat Boy 3D be released?
Confirmed for ‘early 2026’ with no concrete release date yet.
We won’t be waiting too long for the third game in the franchise as Sluggerfly and Team Meat have recently confirmed the Super Meat Boy 3D release window to be “early 2026”. While that’s no exact release date, it does nail things down to Q1 of next year, meaning we could see the platformer debut between January and March 2026, provided that a delay isn’t on the cards.
The proposed Super Meat Boy 3D release date marks a departure from what we saw from the original game and its sequel, as both titles were released in November and December (Q4) of their respective launch years. With that said, the Steam release of Super Meat Boy Forever dropped on January 10, 2022, after previously being an Epic Games exclusive on the platform.
Are Super Meat Boy 3D pre-orders and price live?
Pricing and pre-orders for Super Meat Boy 3D are yet to be announced.
With no confirmed release date, it’s unsurprising that Super Meat Boy 3D pre-orders are not yet available. Similarly, the pricing is still to be determined, meaning we can only speculate on how much the title will cost. Historically, Sluggerfly’s and Team Meat’s games have ranged between $15 and $20, which is fitting given their indie backgrounds, but this could change.
You only have to take one look at the gameplay and graphics to know that it’s a much more sophisticated release, featuring a more advanced game engine. As such, it wouldn’t be out of the question to expect the Super Meat Boy 3D price to be higher than its predecessors; we estimate anywhere from $30 to $40, considering the face-lift, but this is unconfirmed at this time.
Super Meat Boy 3D platforms
Confirmed for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Most people will be able to play the third entry in the franchise as the confirmed Super Meat Boy 3D platforms include the Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC via Steam and Epic. You will, however, note the lack of a Switch / Switch 2 port from Team Meat at this time. It’s currently unknown whether the title will arrive on either of Nintendo’s handhelds.
We wouldn’t necessarily rule out an eventual Super Meat Boy 3D Switch 2 port in the future. That’s because the original Super Meat Boy arrived on the Switch in January 2018, and Super Meat Boy Forever dropped the same day as the other platforms. However, considering the graphical upgrades, some work may need to be implemented for the handheld-hybrid version.
Super Meat Boy 3D trailers & gameplay analysis
The first Super Meat Boy 3D trailer was revealed during the Summer Xbox Games showcase last month as a shock reveal. It had been five years since we saw the sentient brick of mystery meat in action, and he is looking better than ever. True to its namesake, it’s no longer a 2D cartoon precision platformer, but instead, elevated to the three dimensions.
In just over a minute, we get a new look at not only Meat Boy, but also Dr. Fetus and Bandage Girl in this new art style. However, it’s the Super Meat Boy 3D gameplay that is the big talking point. The game shares more of its DNA with Super Mario 3D World and Sackboy: A Big Adventure than either of its predecessors, albeit as a title that’s still just as hellbent on punishing players.
That leads us to the latest Super Meat Boy 3D gameplay trailer, which also gave us the release window of early 2026. We get a substantial look at how the franchise’s motifs, such as a Forest, Factory, and Junkyard, have translated to 3D. What kind of Meat Boy game would it be without perilous threats such as saw blades, saw shooters, spikes, and missiles, too? Check.
Meat Boy’s sense of speed and unique momentum have been perfectly preserved in the jump to 3D, as the wall jumping and slick acceleration are present and accounted for. There are countless instances throughout the new Super Meat Boy 3D trailer where he’s seen weaving through obstacles, leaping up narrow gaps like Ryu Hayabusa, and gliding around the terrain on his meat… juices.
If you were worried that a new Super Meat Boy game would make the same missteps as Forever, better hands seem to be at the wheel here. 3D isn’t an autorunner, giving you full autonomy for your movement, nor is it geared towards the imprecise nature that a touchscreen facilitates. Everything seen so far looks promising; hopefully, the franchise will be back to form.
What is Super Meat Boy about?
Meat Boy was originally developed as a proof of concept Flash game for Newgrounds by Team Meat, Edmund McMillen, Tommy Refenes, and Jon McEntee. The 2008 demo proved to be such a hit that the game was then expanded into Super Meat Boy two years later for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC platforms, which took the indie world by storm for its challenging gameplay.
Difficulty aside, what also helped Super Meat Boy stand out from the crowd was its irreverence. The 2010 game was very of its time with the humor on display, often parodying not only established franchises, such as Ninja Gaiden, but also the tropes of the genre as well. The puerile comedy isn’t going to be for everyone, but that’s the identity cultivated by the release, something it seems that Super Meat Boy 3D looks to uphold 15 years later, too.
Ask The Escapist
It’s currently unknown whether Super Meat Boy 3D will be a remake of the 2010 original or a play on the locales and themes of its predecessor. All we know is that there are familiar locations and characters, and not that the title will employ the same levels, bosses, and structure.
Super Meat Boy is regarded as one of the hardest video games of all time, and this is due to the title’s unforgiving nature. This is due to ‘slippery’ physics, increased presence of threats, and a slim margin of error for making a mistake. Mitigating (most) of the frustration, however, is the fact that you respawn instantly to try (and die) again.
Super Meat Boy 3D is being made by Sluggerfly and Team Meat, where the game is currently scheduled for an ‘early 2026’ release window.
References
- https://store.steampowered.com/app/581660/Super_Meat_Boy_Forever/
- https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/super-meat-boy-forever
- https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/463241