You’ve created a great and fun game. The twist, where one character is practically top-down and the other is side-scrolling, offers so much potential for many more puzzles and—most importantly—the possibility to play it cooperatively. I think you should continue working on this idea after the jam. I can easily imagine that a game like this would be very interesting for the Nintendo Switch, especially as something to keep kids entertained on car rides.
You’ve integrated the colors really well. I’ve played quite a few games from the jam by now, but in your case, I noticed the preset palette the least. The soundtrack was very fitting and complemented the game beautifully.
I’d like to give you some food for thought based on what I noticed while playing, in case you decide to keep developing it further.
I’d suggest rearranging the levels as follows:
Level 3 teaches me the movement.
Level 4 would make the perfect second level. It introduces mechanics like briefly turning off the beam.
Level 2 teaches how the two buttons work together.
Level 1 is similar to Level 2 but felt a little more difficult.
Level 5 could serve as the first real puzzle level.
This order might give the game a more understandable flow, especially for younger or less experienced players who aren’t familiar with 2D platformers.
Personally, I feel that the sliding of the character when the speed drops to zero adds unnecessary complexity. I understand the design choice, but from a gameplay perspective, it can be frustrating when control is taken away, especially when precise jumps are needed. I’d recommend adding a friction parameter instead. That way, you could easily introduce ice levels as well.
The reduced fall speed is a great choice for new players, as it gives more time to aim. Similarly, the cube hints are a nice touch. If you’re considering different difficulty levels, increasing the fall speed might be a good adjustment for advanced players. I’d also suggest making the hints optional.
The only "bug" I noticed was that the controls deactivate when both characters collide. I imagine you experimented a lot with the kinematics and might have taken the path of least resistance when things didn’t work as intended.
All in all, it’s a fantastic game—hats off to you!