Ultimate Chicken Horse
A competitive platformer where players build and race through levels.
Ultimate Chicken Horse is a multiplayer platform game where players compete as different animals. The goal is to build a level piece by piece, then race to a flag at the far end. Each player adds obstacles meant to trip up opponents while still being able to get through themselves. No one scores if everyone reaches the goal or if no one does. Points are given for things like being first to the flag or setting a trap that works. The match ends when someone hits a target score or after a set number of rounds, with each round lasting about a minute. The game supports cross-play across PC, mobile, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation.
Developed and published by Canadian studio Clever Endeavour Games, the idea came from a game jam in October 2014. Developer Richard Atlas told Gamasutra he was starting Clever Endeavour Games at the time. The team included people who had worked on Gardenarium and Rimworld. The game was built in the Unity engine. It launched on Microsoft Windows on 4 March 2016, then on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in December 2017, and on Nintendo Switch on 25 September 2018.
The PlayStation 4 version got "generally favorable" reviews on Metacritic. The Escapist wrote that it "does everything it tries to do very well, but a few quibbles keep it from greatness," and suggested "a better guiding hand for stage building, especially for new players."
A spiritual successor, Ultimate Sheep Raccoon, came out on 9 December 2025.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Ultimate Chicken Horse
- Developer
- Clever Endeavour Games
- Composer
- Vibe Avenue
- Genre
- Platform
- Modes
- Multiplayer
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows · Linux · Mac · Nintendo Switch · PlayStation 4 · Xbox One
- Released
- Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac WW · 4 March 2016PlayStation 4WW · 12 December 2017Xbox OneWW · 15 December 2017Nintendo SwitchWW · 25 September 2018
- Engine
- Unity
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The concept for Ultimate Chicken Horse emerged in October 2014 during a game jam. Developer Richard Atlas stated in an interview with Gamasutra that he was in the process of forming Clever Endeavour Games when it came about. The final team included personnel who had previously worked on games such as Gardenarium and Rimworld. The game was primarily built in the Unity engine.
In gameplay, players assume the role of one of various animals. The goal of each game is to score points by building a platform level one piece at a time (per player) and race each other to a flag on the other side of the level. Players add obstacles designed to challenge their opponents, while also making sure they themselves can handle their handiwork. If nobody reaches the goal, or if everybody does, nobody gets any points. Points are awarded each round for various achievements, such as reaching the goal first, or setting a successful trap. The winner of the match is the player who reaches a set number of points or has the most points after a set number of rounds. Each round is estimated to last a minute. The PC, Mobile, Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PlayStation versions of the game support cross-play online.
Reader's Guide
Ultimate Chicken Horse occupies a distinctive niche in the 2010s platform game landscape as a multiplayer competitive title that emphasizes player-created chaos. Its core mechanic—where players simultaneously build and race through levels—creates a dynamic tension between cooperation and sabotage. The game's reception on PlayStation 4 was 'generally favorable' according to Metacritic, with The Escapist noting that it 'does everything it tries to do very well, but a few quibbles keep it from greatness' and recommending 'a better guiding hand for stage building, especially for new players.' The game's cross-play support across PC, Mobile, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation versions helped sustain its multiplayer community. Its spiritual successor, Ultimate Sheep Raccoon, released on 9 December 2025, indicates the lasting appeal of the concept. The game's origin in a 2014 game jam and development by a small Canadian studio using Unity demonstrates how accessible tools and creative concepts can produce notable multiplayer experiences.
Did You Know?
- The game was developed by Canadian studio Clever Endeavour Games.
- A spiritual successor, Ultimate Sheep Raccoon, was released on 9 December 2025.
More in Platform Games of the 2010s, Part 2 1-24
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