Fantastic Contraption

Released Apr 2016

A surreal building game for VR. Create life-sized contraptions as tall as you can reach, then send them whirling, flinging, and trundling off to solve puzzles on the other side of a floating island. There are no right or wrong solutions, so bring your creativity.

77% positive · 271 reviews

Done

All announced content has been released

High confidence

Done

All announced content has been released

High confidence

Where to buy

Steam Updated 12 Oct 2026 $19.99

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Evaluation

Fantastic Contraption launched on April 5, 2016 and received a healthy run of post-launch updates. The developer shipped several major content updates: the Social Update (v1.1.0) on June 20, 2016; the Kaiju Update (v1.5.0) on November 15, 2016; and a large Version 2.0 update on February 12, 2018 that doubled the level count, added new mechanics, and included significant performance improvements. The developer explicitly stated in the January 13, 2017 Level Editor update (v1.6.0) that this was "the last update we originally planned for the game," with Radial Games and Northway Games indicating they would keep maintaining it but were "moving on to new things in 2017." Version 2.0 in February 2018 then delivered a substantial expansion beyond that original plan. The final recorded update was a controller bindings patch (v2.03) on April 10, 2020. No content has been announced or released since that date, and no unreleased DLC exists in the store listing. The game has been complete and content-stable since April 10, 2020.

Evidence

Version 2.0 launched with doubled level count, new gameplay mechanics (cactuses and balloons), and major performance improvements — a substantial content release that went beyond the originally planned scope.

news post · Feb 12, 2018 source content shipped

high

Developer explicitly stated that the Level Editor update (v1.6.0) was 'the last update we originally planned for the game' and that the team was 'moving on to new things in 2017,' with only maintenance support continuing.

news post · Jan 13, 2017 source development ending

high

Media

Details

Developer

Northway Games

Publisher

Northway Games

Achievements

Platform

Windows

Controller

—

Steam Deck

Unsupported

Players

Single-player

VR Puzzle Strategy Physics Building Level Editor Puzzle Platformer Immersive Sim Simulation 3D First-Person Sci-fi Logic Automation Relaxing

About this game

Fantastic Contraption is surreal building game for virtual reality. Create life-sized machines as tall as you can reach, then send them whirling, flinging, and trundling off to solve puzzles on the other side of a floating island. Your task is simple: get the squishy purple ball to that goal off in the distance, or above you, or on the other side of that gap. And your tools are elegantly minimalist: spinning wheels and stretchable rods. But the solutions are endless, and there are no right or wrong ones.

We've designed this game from the ground up for room-scale VR. Come immerse yourself in a strange skybound archipelago and befriend Neko the photosynthesizing cat. Build contraptions with your own two hands, life sized and as big as horses, right there in front of you. Play with the physics, juggle pieces, throw darts, and feel another world all around you.

Features:

Challenging puzzles. 50 official levels that range from cakewalk to what-the-hell-this-is-impossible-right-tell-me-this-is-impossible. But guess what, it IS possible. I think.
Infinite solutions. Working cars, tanks, catapults, conveyor belts, walking creatures or minimalist structures that use only gravity. Design for elegant simplicity, or build a rattling pile of junk that just barely makes it to the goal. Whatever.
Building with your own hands. Movement so simple and natural you'll forget you're holding controllers. Need a wheel? Just pick it up. Want a longer rod? Just grab an end and stretch. It's like playing with children's blocks, except they're bigger than you are.
Noble ancestry. Fantastic Contraption is the VR evolution of Colin Northway's 2008 2d browser game, played by millions and still playable for free. But don't be fooled, this new game is WAY different.
Full 3d audio and music. Actually, this game has no music. What it does have is musical instruments. Except you have to build them. Well... you'll figure it out.
Surreal and beautiful landscape. Hey guy, chill here awhile, why don't you just lie down in the grass and just listen to the sky whales singing? You'll totally forget the dystopian present and the 300 sqft windowless cube you now live in. Who needs sunlight? VR.
Neko the toolbox. Yes, your toolbox is alive, and he's kind of a green cat blimp thing powered by pink farts. He doesn't seem to mind when you pull off one of his tails or yank a pin out of his head. They grow back pretty fast, so I guess it's okay...
Online sharing. Venture bravely into the dark world-within-a-world to load contraptions made by your friends and also some random people. Marvel at the crazy crap they came up with. Then narrow your eyes and say: I can beat this. I can do better.
Level Editor. Make your own puzzles to share with your friends and the community.