Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Colin the Cleaner turns the simple act of tidying up into a tense, puzzle-driven challenge. You assume the role of Colin, the diligent museum custodian, and your task is to collect every piece of litter scattered by oblivious schoolchildren before time runs out. Each level is tightly designed around a strict timer that forces you to think on your feet—and on your ladder. The clock is always ticking, adding a thrilling sense of urgency to what might otherwise be a mundane chore.

(HEY YOU!! We hope you enjoy! We try not to run ads. So basically, this is a very expensive hobby running this site. Please consider joining us for updates, forums, and more. Network w/ us to make some cash or friends while retro gaming, and you can win some free retro games for posting. Okay, carry on 👍)

To make matters more interesting, you can’t afford a single misstep: falling off a ledge or accidentally walking down a flight of museum stairs costs you a precious life. Instead, you must rely on teleporters and ladders strategically placed throughout the halls. Learning the layout of each room, planning your route, and executing ladder climbs or teleporter jumps at just the right moment becomes a satisfying mental exercise that balances risk and reward.

As you progress through more than ten unique levels, the puzzle elements deepen. Early stages introduce basic litter-pickup routes and single teleporters, while later areas feature multi-tiered stair traps and overlapping teleporter networks. This ramping complexity encourages you to experiment with different strategies—sometimes even retracing your steps to avoid getting trapped in a corner. The straightforward controls ensure that the only stumbling block is your own planning, not a finicky camera or unresponsive buttons.

Graphics

Visually, Colin the Cleaner opts for a charming retro style that’s both colorful and clear. The museum floors are rendered in bright, blocky tiles that distinctly highlight obstacles, stairs, and teleporters. Litter pieces—ranging from crumpled papers to forgotten sandwiches—pop against the muted tones of display cases, making your objectives easy to identify at a glance.

Each level boasts its own thematic flair: one gallery might showcase ancient artifacts with stone pedestals and dusty scrolls, while the next features sleek modern art installations with glass walls and neon accents. This variety keeps the backdrop fresh and gives players little visual rewards for clearing each room. Simple animations—like fluttering birds outside large windows or the subtle shimmer of a teleporter—add personality without distracting from the core gameplay.

Performance is consistently smooth, even when juggling multiple onscreen elements like active ladders, teleporters charging up, and blinking exit signs. The game runs at a steady framerate on both PC and consoles, and load times between levels are minimal. Overall, the graphics strike a fine balance between nostalgic simplicity and functional clarity.

Story

While Colin the Cleaner doesn’t aim to be an epic narrative experience, it weaves a lighthearted premise around its core mechanics. You’re not just any janitor—you’re *the* janitor tasked with preserving the pristine condition of a world-class museum. The game hints at Colin’s unwavering dedication through humorous loading screen tips and quirky environmental details, like a staff room littered with coffee cups labeled “Colin’s corner.”

Between levels, brief text pop-ups introduce playful tidbits: perhaps the head curator wonders aloud if Colin ever sleeps, or disgruntled schoolteachers grumble about “those messy kids.” These small narrative touches never overstay their welcome but help maintain a whimsical tone. They also provide context for why you’re racing against time—after all, the museum can’t open to the public while Colin’s still sweeping up!

Though there are no complex characters or branching dialogues, the straightforward storyline serves its purpose: it justifies why you’re scooping up trash under intense pressure. For players who prefer mechanical puzzles over deep lore, the light narrative is a welcome bonus rather than a distraction.

Overall Experience

Colin the Cleaner offers a remarkably focused blend of time-attack excitement and spatial puzzles. Each level feels carefully crafted to challenge your planning skills without overwhelming you with too many mechanics at once. The satisfaction of clearing a room with mere seconds to spare is genuinely rewarding, and the game’s design encourages replay—whether to shave off a few seconds or to experiment with a new route.

Despite its simplicity, the game delivers surprising depth as you advance. The interplay between teleporters and ladders evolves from a novelty into a full-blown logistical puzzle, and you’ll find yourself memorizing layouts and anticipating where the next piece of litter will spawn. For short solo sessions or quick competitive runs against your own best time, Colin the Cleaner hits the sweet spot between accessible fun and tactical challenge.

In the end, Colin the Cleaner is a charming, budget-friendly title that proves small-scale gameplay can still be big on engagement. It won’t redefine the puzzle-platformer genre, but it excels at what it sets out to do: turn the humble job of cleaning into a cleverly designed expedition through museum corridors. Players looking for a lighthearted brain-teaser with just the right dash of tension will find it well worth their time.

Retro Replay Score

null/10