If Mario Maker and Celeste had a brilliant, slightly unhinged child, it would be Levelhead. Developed by Butterscotch Shenanigans, this highly-rated indie platformer lets players create, share, and suffer through custom levels with a powerful in-game editor and endless community content. Available on Steam, Levelhead is more than a game — it’s a platform for creators, masochists, and speedrunners alike.
Levelhead: The Ultimate Platformer Maker for Players Who Love to Create (and Suffer)
Levelhead isn’t just another indie platformer. It’s a full-blown, feature-rich level editor wrapped in chaotic, challenging, and hilarious gameplay. Whether you’re looking to build brutally difficult death traps, clever puzzle-platforming stages, or simply jump around with friends in co-op, Levelhead gives you the tools — and then dares you to survive them.
What Is Levelhead?
Levelhead is a 2D action-platformer and level creation tool that lets players build custom stages with a robust in-game editor, then upload them for the world to play. Created by indie developer Butterscotch Shenanigans, the game launched on Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and mobile — but has thrived especially within the PC modding and level-design community.
You play as a GR-18, a delivery robot trained by the Levelhead Division to deliver packages across increasingly absurd and dangerous obstacle courses. But while the campaign is fun, the real magic begins when you start building your own.
Key Features That Make Levelhead Stand Out
1. Deep Yet Accessible Level Editor
-
Design levels with switches, traps, enemies, power-ups, weather effects, and more.
-
Snap-to-grid tools, visual logic, and simple UI make it creator-friendly.
-
Perfect for both newcomers and seasoned game designers.
2. Huge Library of Community Content
-
Browse thousands of user-made levels in the Levelhub, sorted by rating, theme, difficulty, and more.
-
Endless replayability with fresh content every day.
-
Like a living ecosystem of platforming chaos.
3. Chaotic Couch Co-op
-
1–4 player local co-op means you can laugh (or cry) with friends.
-
Great for party sessions or screaming at your monitor alone.
4. Deep Customization Tools
-
Customize level art, music, pacing, and game logic.
-
Build puzzle levels, speedrun stages, troll maps, or pure chaos gauntlets.
-
Tag levels with themes to help them get discovered.
5. Tight, Responsive Controls
-
Every jump, dash, and grab feels finely tuned.
-
Designed for precision — critical for both creators and competitive players.
Who Is Levelhead For?
-
Platforming fans who enjoy tough, polished games like Celeste, Super Meat Boy, or Spelunky.
-
Creative gamers who love making their own content.
-
Troll designers looking to torture their friends (lovingly).
-
Streamers and YouTubers — the custom levels and challenge runs make for great content.
-
Game design students or devs who want a hands-on, gamified way to build levels.
What the Community Is Saying
Levelhead boasts Overwhelmingly Positive reviews on Steam, with players praising its level editor depth, tight gameplay, and hilarious tone. Many call it “the best Mario Maker alternative on PC,” while others note its surprisingly advanced logic and scripting capabilities.
Popular content creators have also built cult followings around Levelhead challenge maps, and the game’s Discord remains active with new creators and playtesters daily.
Any Downsides?
-
Steep difficulty curve for some of the user-made levels
-
Not as mainstream or populated as Nintendo’s Mario Maker
-
Learning curve in mastering all tools in the editor — but tons of tutorials are available
-
Local co-op only (no online multiplayer at launch)
Despite those small trade-offs, the level of value and replayability you get from Levelhead is exceptional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Levelhead like Mario Maker for PC?
Yes, in many ways — it’s a full-featured level editor and sharing platform, but with its own original mechanics, tone, and community.
Q: Is the level editor hard to use?
Not at all. It’s designed for ease-of-use with deep flexibility. Plus, tutorials and community guides are everywhere.
Q: Can I play offline?
Yes, you can play campaign levels and any downloaded custom levels offline.
Q: Does it support mods?
While not officially moddable, players have creatively stretched the editor’s tools to create almost anything imaginable.
Q: Is there cross-platform sharing?
Yes — levels can be shared across platforms using Levelhead’s Levelhub system.
Final Verdict: An Indie Masterclass in Creative Platforming
Levelhead isn’t just a game. It’s a playground, a design lab, and a gauntlet. Whether you want to build the next viral rage level, compete on global speedrun leaderboards, or simply chill in the campaign, Levelhead delivers an experience that’s as rewarding as it is ridiculous.
If you’ve ever wanted to make games without coding or find a platformer that never runs out of levels, this is the one to grab.
User Reviews
