Rating Curve

"Geometrical Dominator" is a level that could not have been a better introduction to the 2.0 update. It's a level which bursts with personality and charm and I personally thank it for being a key inspiration for "Vanilla", which rightfully secures its place as one of my favorite levels of all time. It's a level that introduces so many key mechanics added to 2.0 but never feels like it's excessively dumping all of 2.0's new features onto the player despite how much it manages to showcase and cram within such a short amount of a time. Within the first few seconds of the level, RobTop already displays a considerable proportion of the countless possibilities that update 2.0 paved the way for. There's more than 4 color channels, proper in-game text that you can edit, moving objects, novel block design, new cartoony clouds, moving monsters as well as rainbow galore, and that's all within the level's first 10 seconds. "Geometrical Dominator" acts as an incredibly creative, genuinely awesome and dynamic way for RobTop to showcase 2.0's full potential.

There's no other main level that's able to keep up with "Geometrical Dominator" in terms of color and whimsy; of all the main levels, "Geometrical Dominator" is certainly the one that's least afraid of experimenting. There's so many different and varied environments and features that it attempts to portray. It starts off with a monotonous grassland landscape but then suddenly pops with color as you transform into a robot. There's a section in which you navigate through a dark castle before you then find yourself leaping amongst rainbows and clouds. There's the infamous dark memory section that I personally really enjoy in spite of its pretty notorious reputation. The level finally ends with you exiting through this mechanical, factory-like, yet still vibrant setting, which provides a stark and drastic contrast to the grassy, verdant beginning that you're introduced to. "Geometrical Dominator" is a level that takes you on a journey that truly opens your eyes to how much you can accomplish within GD. Sure, you could argue that it's not extremely cohesive, and it might not be, but that's really the whole point of "Geometrical Dominator". It's an exceptional level that really works to show off how much could be accomplished with 2.0 (even if most player-made levels at the time couldn't successfully capture the unharnessed potential the updated editor now had).

In my opinion, "Geometrical Dominator" is probably one of, if not the best main level in Geometry Dash. It's a fantastic and creative main level that truly shows off the editor's potential. It's extremely fun and I appreciate how experimental it is in its approach to introducing new 2.0 mechanics; it's a level that's the equivalent of throwing stuff at the wall, but somehow it comes together to form an excellent and well-refined final product.

(Also it led to the creation of "Vanilla" so I obviously hold it in high esteem).

I'm all for levels which choose to embrace their silly side (see "Imagination Nation" by squishyj as an example), but sometimes, you just need to learn to dial it down. I've not been a fan of "boogie" since it released. It's a level which tries so desperately hard to be cute and quirky and whimsical that it's nauseatingly painful to play through. It's been described as being "BUSSIN" for girls, although the main difference here is that at least "BUSSIN" was aware of the fact that it was a cringe, brainrot level; what makes "boogie" so frustrating is how wholly sincere it is in trying to be as sickeningly cute and adorable as possible. It might be one of the most punchable GD levels ever made in how 'uwu rawr so quirky ^-^ ♥︎' it becomes, and this is coming from someone who normally loves sincerity in levels. The level genuinely buying into how cute it's trying to be — unlike "BUSSIN" which at least knows it isn't exactly the gold standard of 21st century humor — does nothing but repel me. In fact, it makes the level even more artificial. "boogie" is a level extremely reminiscent of the 'katy t3h PeNgU1n of d00m' copypasta. It's so tryhard and desperate to be quirky that it just leaves a horrible taste. The level is pretty much an annoying, overstimulating TikTok edit designed to capture the attention of 6 year olds. It's devoid of any self-awareness and I personally just despise it.

"boogie" is just so much worse than "BUSSIN". At least "BUSSIN" was ironic and somewhat aware of how stupid it was. "boogie" is a level completely convinced and deluded by its own cuteness.

What is the purpose of this level? Why was it even released? Did Anubis even consent to having a level of this nature made about him? If you've ever questioned why God has forsaken humanity, then this level may very well be the answer you've been looking for. "AncientanubisIsHere" is one of those rare 'levels' that just makes you regret ever having eyes. Even calling this a 'level' is extremely excessive, it's less so an actual Geometry Dash level (which at least something like "TicklishWolfy" tried — and miserably failed — to do) and moreso just terrible fetish art. I think Tickle GD is a masterful creator, especially due to his unmatched ability to never fail at amplifying my disappointment in humanity.

Everything comes to an end, so why even bother? "Dreary Premonitions" leans heavily into the 'dreary' section of its namesake, maybe a little too far for its own good, but it undeniably encapsulates it. It's an extremely nihilistic and negative level at its core, with deeply pessimistic messages such as "WHY BOTHER" and "IT'S ALL FOR NOTHING" plastered across it. I think a decent amount of people would find it too melodramatic, edgy, and on-the-nose if it came today, especially nowadays where this sort of unrelentingly brooding mindset is ridiculed (take for example how people have reacted to "WhyMeWhyMeWhyMeWhyMe" in the years following its release). However, at the time, I'd say it was an interesting level due to the novel and 'dreary' ambience it contained. "Dreary Premonitions" is not subtle in its intentions, but what is abstract about it is its narrative (if it even has any). At its core, it could be interpreted as a level about death and impermanence. An eye aimlessly darts around as it glitches and flashes a myraid of colors. An image of a battery slowly flickers as its life is drained away. A Wi-Fi signal is slowly weakened. A featureless figure sits on a bench, wasting away as the environment around it deteriorates. This level really wants to hammer into you that nothing can truly last.

I think the glitch effects are impressive for the time that it came out (I remember really liking this level when it came out due to the song, atmosphere and effects). Although, it doesn't feel too incredibly cohesive now that I think about it. It's a depressing level about how you should give up because nothing lasts forever, but does that really make everything we do in life redundant? Perhaps "Dreary Premonitions" is too narrow-minded. It does feature nice visuals but they're only very loosely connected to one another (even my reading of it as an interpretation of death could be excessive, it's possible it's just a collection of interesting visuals for the sake of it). It does end a little too abruptly, but maybe that's part of the whole 'everything ends' theme that ties the whole level together.

One of the best auto levels of its time and still one of my favorite auto levels to this day, "Space Travel" is an auto level that just has a certain charm to it. It's extremely simplistic and barebones by today's standards, but I think its simplicity is what makes it so special. It still manages to evoke the same exciting, dynamic and chaotic energy one tends to think of when they see the words 'space travel'. It's an engaging auto level that perfectly captures the feeling of being frantically and widlly thrown in all directions as rockets and spaceships zoom by you. In a way, it's a level that I personally think embodies and encapsulates the spontaneity and adventure we tend to associate with space. I kind of miss the era when more hectic, basic and fun autos like this just ricocheted the player everywhere they could (this isn't to say that I don't appreciate modern auto levels — especially when they can be some of the most spectacular visual marvels, — but older auto levels just possess a certain 'je ne sais quoi' to them, even if some of them can be buggy due to changes in the physics).

This level is too funny to give less than a 10/10 to. I'm sorry, but levels like these are why Geometry Dash was made in the first place.

Moving, magnificent, profound and deeply touching, Jayuff's "The Ballad" is a postmodern masterpiece that will leave you speechless.

"i do not care if you sing get off my screen right now" —Bii (from the comments of Tickle GD's level "The Birdy Singer")

The primary reason I remember this level is a now-deleted video from Elisione about how "The Birdy Singer" was the worst featured level in Geometry Dash. It probably isn't the worst, but that's hardly a compliment. It's certainly no "TicklishWolfy", but that doesn't mean it's any better of a level. The gameplay is pretty terrible, as is expected for a Tickle GD level, and "The Birdy Singer" as a whole just looks extremely cluttered and messy with its clashing, discordant and nauseatingly vibrant color palette. I wouldn't nearly be as harsh towards its distinct and cartoonish artstyle if Tickle just didn't feel the urge to shove his foot fetish into this level. I get it, people have the right to be whatever they want to be into, but that doesn't mean they should unnecessarily and unsolicitedly sprinkle it into every single project they make. Tickle's obsession with feet could rival Tarantino's, although the main difference is Tarantino can actually make good films (even if his 'interests' tend to leak in). I have yet to play or witness an actually good (or even just mediocre) Tickle GD level.

When was the last moment that sparked your interest for astronomy?

I doubt there's another level in recent memory — aside from "Experiment" and "HideOut" perhaps — that I've replayed so many times. A technical, visual, and artistic marvel, "Aperture" is a monumental masterpiece that truly surpasses and breaks through the boundaries for what should be possible within the confines of Geometry Dash. There has been a lot of pushback recently against levels which focus primarily on serving up a visual spectacle, and while "Aperture" rightfully seals its role as one of the most stunning and jaw-dropping levels that update 2.2 has bestowed upon the community, "Aperture" is a level that is able to masterfully blend both its spectacle and artistic merit to create what could only really be termed as an exceptionally dazzling and sensational achievement.

There's a wonderful narrative that is subtly told and sprinkled throughout "Aperture". All of the incredible effects and details within it don't just add up to make a beautiful albeit hollow canvas. It's a profound yet passionate level concerning a girl's own passion towards astronomy. Her fervent dedication to chase and capture the stars through the lens of her own tiny Polaroid drives her to pursue her passion, only for her to be faced with failure as she begins to slip behind academically. Even in spite of this, she doesn't surrender and instead returns back to the pivotal memory of a night that changed her life and perspective on the world forever. The reason why she chose to pursue her dream in the first place. "Aperture" is a beautifully escapist level, in my opinion. Escaping from the troubles and burdens of everyday life through one's interests is something I believe everyone out there can relate to, whether it be through astrophotography, video games, literature or music. "Aperture" is a level about finding a vessel in which you feel comfortable enough to abscond from the harsh reality surrounding you, whether that harsh reality mainfests as disappointing grades or any other entity not of interest.

For a level so diverse in its environments, going from scientific diagrams, to film reels, to bedrooms, and ultimately to the stars, "Aperture" manages to come together to form an amazingly cohesive whole. It's not a level in which flashy, fantastic visuals are just tacked onto one another for the sake of it (which I think a decent number of levels might be guilty of). Not only is everything within "Aperture" spectacular, but everything within it is incredibly suitable for both its theming and concepts. I was genuinely blown away when I first played through the film reel part for the first time. It's such an amazing and stupendous section, not only because it looks phenomenal, but also because it's so aptly appropriate for what "Aperture" attempts to capture (see what I did there?). The level's description is merely a date, almost as if the level is trying to capture a moment in the past, a memory you could say. What is one medium by which moments and memories can be preserved and maintained (theoretically) forever (theoretically)? That's right. Film. "Aperture" is a level about a woman remembering the moment that sparked her interest for the cosmos. What would be a more apt manner to convey this marriage of time and memory other than a flickering and aged film reel?

Gameplay-wise, I think "Aperture" is actually incredible. It does take a while to get used to its 3D gameplay, but "Aperture" executes the whole concept of '3D Geometry Dash' better than any level before it has. It's definitely hard to introduce 3D in the middle of a mostly 'traditional' level, especially for a game that wasn't specifically tailored or created to support it. However, I think "Aperture" excels at pulling it off, much more than it has any right to. The final wave is definitely daunting to play the first time you reach it (it's definitely trippy for a level to switch dimensions as smoothly as this level does). But once you learn how to master its 'gimmick' (I hate calling this a 'gimmick'), it is so satisfying to play it and finally be rewarded with watching your waves spiral frenetically further into the sky and beyond.

"Aperture" is a tour de force of a level, the kind of level which once it comes out, it elevates your expectations for every level following it until the next 'big level' to shake boundaries drops. It has the visual spectacle, a meaningful narrative melded into it (which is vague enough that I believe you can have more than one interpretation), perfect theming, interesting and innovative mechanics, a fantastic song (as well as song rep) and is also a mind-blowing showcase for how far the editor can really be pushed. I think the GD editor is an art medium of near-infinite potential, and even with the release of "Aperture", there's still so much more out there that can be explored. This is the kind of level we need more of, a perfect blend of both spectacle and substance.

I don't think there's another level where public sentiment has switched and changed so violently. When "WhyMe" was first released in July 2021, it was practically lauded as a masterpiece by pretty much everyone. It was actually originally featured, but people were so frustrated that it was robbed of an Epic that it ultimately got promoted to an Epic anyways. Then, it was added to the Portal Gauntlet in March 2024 and everybody started to hated it. It hadn't even been 3 years since it was released to the public and people were already turning against it.

I think I understand the hate for it being in a Gauntlet. It's an extremely long and slow story-based level where the emphasis isn't on creating stimulating gameplay and is more so on the story TMNGaming is trying to convey. It's a terrible level for a Gauntlet, but I think as a stand-alone narrative work, it's a fascinating glimpse into a tortured artist's broken psyche. It's overly pessimistic and even incredibly blunt with what it tries to communicate to the player, but it's an interesting vent level that truly really embodies the feeling of frustration and anguish. It's an emotionally raw piece and I can kind of respect it for not placing a filter or diluting itself. It's a level that some people might even relate to (reading comments from 3 years ago on videos of "WhyMe" really demonstrates why I was so blindsided by the violent change in its perception, it was so loved upon its release but it seems the community that formerly loved it seems to despite it for its very existence).

I think "WhyMe" is a level that really unmasks the current state of the GD community. Sure, it's not a good level for a Gauntlet and its placement in a Gauntlet really diminishes its image in the eyes of players (imagine if a great stand-alone work like "SAVE AS" was placed in a Gauntlet and the outrage that it would cause), but most of the hatred and vitriol its placement in a Gauntlet has inspired seems to be overly extreme or unwarranted. It seems just a little hypocritical that a community that literally gave it a "Best Story" award at the GD 2021 awards (with it winning 42.8% of the vote) now so fervently dislikes it for its very existence.

Personally, I find the existence of "WhyMe" to be necessary. Not many other levels out there truly capture an artist or a creator's frustration. And despite how melodramatic it comes off at some points, I think more honest and emotionally raw levels like "WhyMe" should be made. It's an interesting piece of art that I still think is very unique. In 2021, there wasn't really any other levels like "WhyMe" so it understandably blew people away. But even in 2025, there isn't really another level that matches "WhyMe". It's a pure anomaly in its creation and existence.