Reach New Heights in Ladder Lad
BUCK Games has officially unveiled Ladder Lad, a quirky new 2D platformer that puts an unusual twist on the genre by making ladders the star of the entire adventure. The game is set to launch on PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch in 2027, while attendees at PAX West will get the first chance to try it during the PAX Rising Showcase.
Developed by BUCK Games in collaboration with BUCK, the globally recognized creative company behind projects for brands such as Nike, Apple, Netflix, IBM, and Airbnb, as well as work on Love, Death + Robots and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Ladder Lad builds its gameplay around one simple tool: the ladder.
The story takes place in a strange world where people have forgotten how to jump, leaving ladders as the only way to reach new heights. Players control the titular Lad, who climbs a towering, ladder-shaped structure using a single ladder that can bridge gaps, launch the player into the air, serve as a pogo stick, or even act as a sled.
As players ascend, they’ll face physics-based platforming challenges, hazardous environments, and deadly obstacles while mastering intuitive ladder controls. New upgrades add even more possibilities, including a hot air balloon attachment, a reality-bending Warped Ladder, and the Big Flying Ladder.
The climb also introduces eccentric characters, from towering Rungmasters to sentient ooze and a poetry-loving eldritch frog, alongside an original soundtrack and sound design from the award-winning audio studio Antfood.
Ladder Lad is shaping up to be one of 2027’s most delightfully unconventional platformers, proving that even the simplest idea can lead to something surprisingly creative.