Bobo and the Chest of Nightmares
Glide a clumsy jester through gothic nightmare realms in a one-person homage to '90s collectathons.
By Polycast Labs. Out now on PC.
Play and Install open the Steam app on this computer
1 / 10Bobo and the Chest of Nightmares is a 3D platformer from Polycast Labs, built entirely by one developer as a love letter to late-'90s collectathons. It launched on Windows PC through Steam on October 30, 2026 with a US$19.99 list price and a 15% launch discount.
You play Bobo, a clumsy court jester with a big heart, leaping through dreamlike realms that the Dreammaster has twisted into macabre nightmares. The structure is classic: a central hub, levels you tackle in any order and a pile of collectibles hidden in every corner.
Two touches set it apart. A Retro Mode recreates the unforgiving feel of the era for purists, and replayed levels bring back defeated monsters as aggressive ghosts, so a second lap never plays quite like the first.
Gameplay
Movement is the heart of it. Bobo chains double-jumps, wall-slides, rail grinds and an umbrella glide to climb tall, vertical gothic stages, and the levels are built to reward flowing between those moves rather than stopping to line up each jump.
The Twilight Circus acts as the hub, and you pick the next realm from there in whatever order you like. Each world hides Twilight Sweets to scavenge, Nightmare Wisps to rescue and rare Voodoo Dolls to track down, alongside environmental puzzles and mechanisms that open hidden paths.
Boss fights are theatrical set pieces. Floating DreamMasks stack up around Bobo as protection against attacks, and the invulnerable Dreamburst is your trump card for turning a fight around.
You can choose a modern setup with conveniences or switch to Retro Mode for a tougher, old-school challenge, and difficulty is adjustable. Time Trials test how fast you can run a stage for elusive rewards. Going back for 100% is smarter than usual: collectibles you already own show up translucent, so you can see what you missed, while beaten enemies return as ghosts. Gamepad play is recommended.
Story & Setting
The kingdom's dreams have gone wrong. An ancient entity called the Dreammaster has twisted them into living, macabre nightmares, and the precious EchoMares that held them together are scattered across corrupted realms.
Bobo is an unlikely saviour: a court jester in oversized shoes, more clumsy than heroic, but with a heart of gold. Armed with an umbrella and a stack of DreamMasks, he sets out from the Twilight Circus to reclaim the EchoMares, face the Dreammaster and bring joy back to a world shrouded in darkness. The tone mixes whimsy with genuinely eerie gothic imagery, closer to a dark fairy tale than a bright cartoon.
Key Features
- Chain double-jumps, wall-slides, rail grinds and umbrella glides across vertical stages
- Pick realms in any order from the Twilight Circus hub
- Hunt Twilight Sweets, Nightmare Wisps and rare Voodoo Dolls in every level
- Stack DreamMasks and unleash the Dreamburst in theatrical boss fights
- Switch to Retro Mode for an unforgiving '90s-style challenge
- Race the clock in Time Trials for the most elusive rewards
- Replay levels against ghost enemies while owned collectibles show translucent
Platforms & Availability
Bobo and the Chest of Nightmares is out now on Windows PC via Steam at a US$19.99 list price, currently on sale. Standard prices are RM49 in Malaysia, S$18.50 in Singapore, ₱615 in the Philippines, ฿400 in Thailand, Rp 165,999 in Indonesia and 260,000₫ in Vietnam. Languages are English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and French. Full controller support covers DualShock and DualSense, with a gamepad recommended, and you can save anytime. It runs on modest hardware: an Intel Core i3, 4 GB of RAM, a GTX 650 and 4 GB of storage.
Why it matters
The late-'90s 3D collectathon is a genre big studios rarely touch now, so indie revivals carry it, and this one adds a moody gothic look and a proper Retro Mode for players who want the old difficulty. That it is the work of one person makes the scope impressive. It suits fans of Banjo-Kazooie, Spyro or A Hat in Time who want a fresh hub to clear to 100%. Skip it if you dislike platforming precision or want a story-heavy adventure.
System requirements
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i3 | Intel Core i5 |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA Geforce GTX 650 | NVIDIA Geforce GTX 770 |
| Storage | 4 GB available space | 4 GB available space |
Questions
How much is Bobo and the Chest of Nightmares in Malaysia?
Bobo and the Chest of Nightmares has a standard Steam price of RM49 in Malaysia, and it launched with a 15% discount.
Is Bobo and the Chest of Nightmares hard?
Bobo and the Chest of Nightmares has adjustable difficulty and a modern mode, while Retro Mode brings back a tougher, unforgiving '90s-style challenge.
Does Bobo and the Chest of Nightmares support controllers?
Yes. It has full controller support, including DualShock and DualSense pads, and the developer recommends playing on a gamepad.
Who made Bobo and the Chest of Nightmares?
Bobo and the Chest of Nightmares was made by Polycast Labs, and the developer describes it as a passion project built by one person.
What PC do I need for Bobo and the Chest of Nightmares?
The minimum is 64-bit Windows 10, an Intel Core i3, 4 GB of RAM, a GeForce GTX 650 and 4 GB of free storage.
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Checked 1 Nov 2026. Key art, screenshots and trailer: Polycast Labs via Steam.