You Have to Win the Game

You Have to Win the Game is a free exploration platformer with a retro 1980s PC aesthetic.

You Have to Win the Game is a metroidvania, free to play and retro game developed and published by Minor Key Games.
Released on May 06th 2014 is available in English on Windows, MacOS and Linux.

It has received 5,657 reviews of which 5,257 were positive and 400 were negative resulting in a rating of 9.0 out of 10. 😎

The game is free to play on Steam.

The Steam community has classified You Have to Win the Game into these genres:

Metroidvania Free to Play Retro Platformer Indie 2D Pixel Graphics Difficult Singleplayer Precision Platformer Action Adventure Exploration Old School Arcade Side Scroller Great Soundtrack Classic Controller Open World

Media & Screenshots

Get an in-depth look at You Have to Win the Game through various videos and screenshots.

screenshot_ss_8828c154cc251359ceb07af6e79e438611912bb9.1920x1080.jpg

screenshot_ss_6b0a2bfcde541b679382805771dcc34b2d8e44b6.1920x1080.jpg

screenshot_ss_9560ffe2af2581d778c9e560be49c366880abe32.1920x1080.jpg

screenshot_ss_6d2db8906233d3167a246385c9af0b44f58e7274.1920x1080.jpg

screenshot_ss_4962cba1c8d3fbaec18fc0fd80720797f8438508.1920x1080.jpg

Requirements

These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.

Windows

OS *: Windows XP SP2
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Storage: 20 MB available space
Additional Notes: 32-bit executable

MacOS

OS: OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
Storage: 20 MB available space
Additional Notes: 64-bit executable

Linux

OS: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS or similar
Storage: 20 MB available space
Additional Notes: 64-bit executable

Reviews

Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.

April 2017

A fun little game that reminds us of the retro platformers. But, sometimes the game is a little too hard and can...um...make you RAGE (a lot). Overall, though, it is a free platforming game by an indie developer that is well polished and well made. However, the lose thing towards the end set me back to the beginning - and that was really iritating. 9/10

Feb. 2017

A game which fulfills some of that metroidvania itch without being complicated or costing any moolah. There's a distinct lack of music so you may want some 8-bit chiptunes playing in the background. :) This game will also remind others of super meat boy in it's structure. You can spend hundreds of lives at a specific point, but there are many checkpoints and unlimited lives (in normal mode). These allow you to become comfortable with the controls and gameplay, not to mention giving an endorphin rush for getting to the next bell after a particularly challenging section. One small downside I noticed is that the cling power-up has some issues on moving platforms, but those areas that necessitate it are few and far between. I would easily pay at least $5.00 for games which provide a similar experience, and that's saying something because I'm an extreme cheapskate. I say you should totally grab it for the current price of $0.00 because it is a really good game. I also will highly recommend you support the creator because it's not often that one can find a quality product provided with no strings attached like this.

Feb. 2017

Look here if you are a fan of good ol' retro platformers that give you a fair challenge, then this is a game for you, and did I mention (or need to) that it is FREE. What's stopping you? I mean it's free, as in 0 dollars and 0 cents, click the button already and enjoy.

Jan. 2017

You have to win the game is the best f2p platformer i have played. i wasn't a big fan of the curved edges, but the art and colors looked great! the extra spicy campaign was pretty cool too. if you didn't win, it's okay because once you win it's easy to beat it again. i got this gmae because i was bored and was very pleased. the only complaint i have is that some parts are tedious, and frustrating. mainly the "never could see any other way" and "leap of faith". parts like these make me question how anyone could beat this game without dying. overall i give it a 8/10

Jan. 2017

This is a great game if you like wandering and exploration. Winning the game itself isn't that hard, but a 100% completion might take awhile because it's easy to miss one item and have to go backtracking for it. If you're up for an even bigger challenge, try the Extra Spicy campaign, or try to win on YOLO mode. Good luck, I recommend using a D-pad for some of the maneuvers if you're having trouble.

Similar games

View all

VVVVVV VVVVVV is a platform game all about exploring one simple mechanical idea - what if you reversed gravity instead of jumping?

Similarity 80%

Price -76% 1.20€

Rating 9.3

Release 07 Sep 2010

View

La-Mulana LA-MULANA is an “Archaeological Ruin Exploration Action Game,” bringing the classic appeal of adventure with the punishing difficulty of retro-inspired gaming. Search inside ancient ruins, seeking out the “Secret Treasure of Life” – which sleeps in the sprawling ruins of “LA-MULANA” and is said to be the beginning of all civilization.

Similarity 79%

Price -75% 3.74€

Rating 7.7

Release 15 Apr 2013

View

La-Mulana 2 The long-awaited sequel to La-Mulana, La-Mulana 2 follows Lumisa Kosugi as she explores the ancient ruins of La-Mulana. Desperate to find the cause of the recent slew of monsters appearing from the ruins, Lumisa discovers the "other" La-Mulana: the ruins known as Eg-Lana.

Similarity 79%

Price -60% 8.39€

Rating 8.1

Release 30 Jul 2018

View

Gato Roboto Pounce inside of your cozy armored mech and set off on a dangerous trek through an alien underworld full of irritable creatures and treacherous obstacles in a valiant effort to save your stranded captain and his crashed spaceship.

Similarity 78%

Price 7.79€

Rating 9.1

Release 30 May 2019

View

Janosik Challenging retro pixel graphics action-platformer. Become a legendary rogue Janosik and explore the big mountain castle level full of secrets. Available for FREE!

Similarity 78%

Price Free to play

Rating 8.7

Release 25 Sep 2020

View

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon Battle with swords and whips in this retro-style action game brought to you by game creator Koji Igarashi and Inti Creates! Play as Zangetsu, a demon slayer bearing a deep grudge, who must travel through perilous lands to defeat a powerful demon lurking in a dark castle.

Similarity 77%

Price -50% 4.99€

Rating 9.1

Release 24 May 2018

View

Axiom Verge Explore and uncover the mystery of a surreal alien world by blasting aliens and glitching your environment in this intense retro side-scrolling action/adventure.

Similarity 77%

Price 17.99€

Rating 8.8

Release 14 May 2015

View

Super Win the Game Throw on your nostalgia goggles and travel back in time with Super Win the Game, a retro-core explosion of exploration and platforming action!!

Similarity 76%

Price -35% 5.16€

Rating 8.3

Release 01 Oct 2014

View

Cyber Shadow The world has been taken over by synthetic lifeforms. A desperate plea for help sets Shadow, the sole survivor of his clan, on one last mission to uncover what started the path to perpetual ruin.

Similarity 76%

Price -36% 12.88€

Rating 8.0

Release 26 Jan 2021

View

Primal Light Inhabit Krog, a mysterious blue creature in a red loincloth, as he traverses a labyrinth of ladders, levers, traps, and monsters. Explore the nooks and crannies of a bizarre and evocative world as you hack and slash your way to victory, leaving a graveyard of grotesque bosses in your wake.

Similarity 76%

Price 12.49€

Rating 7.7

Release 08 Jul 2020

View

Wings of Vi Wings of Vi is a challenging 2D platformer in which the player controls the angel Vi, tasked with defeating the Demon Lord Jeh’oul after he is freed from captivity. While inspired by masochistic retro platformers, Wings of Vi aims to cut out arbitrary difficulty in favor of skill based gameplay.

Similarity 76%

Price 14.99€

Rating 7.6

Release 28 Nov 2014

View

Cave Story+ Run, jump, shoot, fly and explore your way through a massive action-adventure reminiscent of classic 8- and 16-bit games.

Similarity 76%

Price 14.99€

Rating 9.0

Release 22 Nov 2011

View

More games like You Have to Win the Game

Data sources

The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.

Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.

Last Updates

Steam data	04 December 2024 00:30
SteamSpy data	20 January 2025 10:00
Steam price	04 December 2024 00:30
Steam reviews	22 January 2025 19:53

Free to play

9.0

5,257

400

Online players

Developer

Minor Key Games

Publisher

Minor Key Games

Release 06 May 2014

Platforms