KITATUS Studios released SUPER DISTRO through My Way Games on 22 July 2015, pitching it on the store as a hard 2D platformer in the mould of Mega Man and Super Mario Bros 2: The Lost Levels. It carries five Steam achievements, and four of them do nothing more than mark finishing Levels 1 through 4. Steam purchasers rate it 37 percent positive across 295 reviews, while SteamSpy estimates 200,000 to 500,000 owners because the game circulated widely in bundles.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Role | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Level 1 | Death and restart loop basics | Memorisation Runner | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Level 2 | Four numbered levels mastery | Memorisation Runner | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Level 3 | Five Steam achievements + gear | Cautious Learner or Memorisation Runner | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Level 4 | Build optimization | Cautious Learner | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Beyond Level 4 | Min-max | Cautious Learner or Curious Bundle Owner | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Level 1)
The opening stage and where the First Blood achievement almost always fires. It sets the expectation for the rest of the game, which is that hazards arrive faster than the controls comfortably handle.
Level/Difficulty: Stage 1 of 4 confirmed Key Rewards: LEVEL 1 COMPLETED, First Blood
What to Do in Level 1
- Learn Death and restart loop. The store pitch is built entirely on repeated failure, and the first achievement, First Blood, fires on your first death with the line 'Already? That was fast. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Memorisation Runner as your starting role. See our builds guide for why.
- Set expectations from the review score first. Steam purchasers rate SUPER DISTRO 37 percent positive across 295 reviews, and the criticism concentrates on controls, level design and audio rather than on difficulty being unfair by design.
- Acquire your first weapons upgrade: Running jump or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Death and restart loop fundamentals
- Memorisation Runner selected and functional
- Level 1 main content cleared
- Ready for Level 2
Phase 2: Early Game (Level 2)
The second numbered stage on the achievement list. Player reports are thin because a large share of owners never got past the first level, so go in without expectations from a guide.
Level/Difficulty: Stage 2 of 4 confirmed Key Rewards: LEVEL 2 COMPLETED
What to Do in Level 2
- Work on Four numbered levels. The achievement list runs LEVEL 1 COMPLETED through LEVEL 4 COMPLETED, so at least four numbered stages exist. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Running jump if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Play it inside the Steam refund window. Two hours is far more than one level takes, so you can decide whether the controls suit you and still return it if they do not.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Level 3.
- Consider whether Cautious Learner might suit your playstyle better than Memorisation Runner.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Four numbered levels integrated into gameplay
- Running jump acquired
- Level 2 fully cleared
- Ready for Level 3
Phase 3: Mid Game (Level 3)
The third numbered stage. By this point the retry loop is the whole experience, and progress comes from knowing hazard order rather than from any new mechanic being introduced.
Level/Difficulty: Stage 3 of 4 confirmed Key Rewards: LEVEL 3 COMPLETED
What to Do in Level 3
- Master Five Steam achievements. There are exactly five: First Blood plus the four level completions. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Standing jump. It's the best weapon and becomes accessible around now.
- The whole game is 300 MB and the minimum specification asks for a GeForce GTX 560 with 2 GB of RAM, which is unusually heavy for a 2D platformer of that size. If it stutters on a modern machine the cause is the build, not your hardware.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Single player with no editor for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Five Steam achievements mastered
- Standing jump acquired or in progress
- Level 3 fully cleared
- Ready for Level 4
Phase 4: Late Game (Level 4)
The last stage the achievement list acknowledges. Clearing it completes four of the game's five achievements, which is effectively the full completion for most owners.
Level/Difficulty: Stage 4 of 4 confirmed Key Rewards: LEVEL 4 COMPLETED, achievement list finished
What to Do in Level 4
- Finalize your build. You should be running Cautious Learner or Memorisation Runner with optimized gear.
- Standing jump should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Windows 64 bit is the only supported platform. There is no macOS or Linux build listed, so Steam Deck and Proton users should expect to troubleshoot before it runs.
- Retro platformer influences optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Beyond Level 4.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Standing jump upgraded to max
- Level 4 fully cleared
- Ready for Beyond Level 4
Phase 5: Endgame (Beyond Level 4)
Undocumented territory. Steam tracks nothing past LEVEL 4 COMPLETED and no public walkthrough or longplay covers anything after it, so treat any claim about a fifth stage with suspicion until you see it yourself.
Level/Difficulty: Unverified Key Rewards: None tracked by Steam
What to Do in Beyond Level 4
- Beyond Level 4 tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- The store page lists single player, Steam Achievements, Steam Trading Cards and Family Sharing and nothing else. Controller support is not listed, so plan on keyboard controls.
- The endgame loop: run Beyond Level 4, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Curious Bundle Owner for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Retro platformer influences mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Beyond Level 4 fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Buying it expecting the 3D N64 styled Distro Horizons game. That is a separate Unreal Engine 4 title, not this 2015 2D platformer.
- Plugging in a controller and assuming it will work. The Steam page does not list controller support, so keyboard is the safe assumption.
- Expecting a long game. Four levels are all the achievement list acknowledges, and the entire download is 300 MB.
- Blaming your hardware for performance issues. The stated minimum asks for a GTX 560 for a small 2D game, which tells you where the problem sits.
- Reading the very positive user reviews as representative. The overall purchaser score is 37 percent positive, and the split between enthusiasm and frustration is unusually wide.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Set expectations from the review score first. Steam purchasers rate SUPER DISTRO 37 percent positive across 295 reviews, and the criticism concentrates on controls, level design and audio rather than on difficulty being unfair by design.
- Play it inside the Steam refund window. Two hours is far more than one level takes, so you can decide whether the controls suit you and still return it if they do not.
- The whole game is 300 MB and the minimum specification asks for a GeForce GTX 560 with 2 GB of RAM, which is unusually heavy for a 2D platformer of that size. If it stutters on a modern machine the cause is the build, not your hardware.
- Windows 64 bit is the only supported platform. There is no macOS or Linux build listed, so Steam Deck and Proton users should expect to troubleshoot before it runs.
- The store page lists single player, Steam Achievements, Steam Trading Cards and Family Sharing and nothing else. Controller support is not listed, so plan on keyboard controls.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More SUPER DISTRO Guides
- SUPER DISTRO SUPER DISTRO Overview
- SUPER DISTRO Best Builds
- SUPER DISTRO Tier List
- SUPER DISTRO Beginner's Guide
- SUPER DISTRO Tips & Tricks
- SUPER DISTRO Weapons Guide
- SUPER DISTRO Combat Guide
- SUPER DISTRO Boss Guide
- SUPER DISTRO Maps & Locations
- SUPER DISTRO Crafting Guide
- SUPER DISTRO Classes & Characters
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