Every fantasy fan has, at some point, wanted to be a wizard—to hurl fireballs, manipulate objects with a thought, and brew bubbling potions in a mysterious tower. Most games only let you do this within rigid confines. Waltz of the Wizard, from developer Aldin Dynamics, throws the rulebook into a magically induced black hole and just lets you play.
What began years ago as a pioneering VR experience has evolved, through constant and massive free updates, into an obsessively handcrafted “wizard simulator” that is now fully playable on PC, Steam Deck, and in VR. It’s a game built on pure, unadulterated magical experimentation.
The result is a delightfully chaotic and endlessly amusing sandbox, with a “campaign” that’s more of an afterthought. Yet, it all works, thanks in large part to its hyper-interactive world and one of the best sidekicks in gaming: a sassy, torturable, and shockingly chatty skull named Skully.
“Dive into pure wizardry madness with endless possibilities and a sassy skull sidekick. Craft spells, tinker with magic, and unleash chaos. This game is a wild ride for any fantasy fan.”
This is the core fantasy. It’s not about a 40-hour epic; it’s about the joy of discovery and the thrill of seeing what happens when you poke, prod, and set fire to everything.
The Tower and The Skull
Your journey begins in a magical tower, the centerpiece of your wizarding life. This is where Waltz of the Wizard truly shines. The room is a tactile wonderland of ingredients, artifacts, and mystical instruments. Your primary task? Combine ingredients in a boiling cauldron to discover new spells.
The spell-mixing itself is fun, though a dedicated wizard will uncover all the primary combinations in under an hour. The real fun comes from using those spells. You’ll unleash fireballs, turn objects (and Skully) into frogs, manipulate gravity, and even control time. The game’s blazing-fast voice powers, which run locally, are a highlight, allowing you to modify the world with a word.
But the real star of the show is Skully. With thousands of voice-acted lines, he is arguably the most hyper-interactive character you can find. He reacts to what you do, what you say, where you look, and what you throw at him. He’s your assistant, your test pilot, and your primary source of witty banter. The developer’s devotion to this single character is astounding, and bullying him (or just chatting with him) provides endless entertainment.
The Fortress and The Repetition
When you’re ready for a more structured adventure, you can venture beyond the tower into the “Observer Fortress.” This section offers a more traditional campaign, featuring combat, challenges, and a storyline. It even features an infinite level generation mode for dungeon crawling.
Unfortunately, this is the game’s weakest link. While the core magic-flinging combat is fun, the levels of the Fortress quickly become repetitive. The procedural generation could use more variety, and it doesn’t have the same “handcrafted” magic as the tower. Users have rightly pointed out that this section feels shallow and doesn’t have the same replayability. It’s a fine diversion, but it’s not the reason you’ll keep coming back.
A Sandbox That Keeps on Growing
What truly elevates Waltz of the Wizard from a “fun tech demo” to a must-own title is the developer’s incredible post-launch support. Aldin Dynamics has consistently released massive, free content updates that add hours of new gameplay.
The latest “Skully’s Fantastic Fails” update is a perfect example. It adds over 1,000 new voicelines for Skully, a completely new rocket launch platform in the Courtyard (where you can blast Skully into space), new tower events, and a totally redesigned menu with a magic codex and fast travel.
This is a game that was fun at launch and has only continued to improve exponentially. The updates show a commitment to expanding the chaotic sandbox, listening to fans, and polishing the core experience.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅ Skully is a 10/10 Companion: Hilarious, surprisingly deep, and incredibly interactive. | ❌ Repetitive Dungeons: The “Observer Fortress” mode lacks variety and feels repetitive. |
| ✅ Incredible Magic Sandbox: A “pure wizardry” experience with tons of chaotic interactions. | ❌ Shallow Spell List: The core spell combinations can be discovered very quickly. |
| ✅ Constant, Massive FREE Updates: The developer support is top-tier, adding huge value. | ❌ Campaign is an Afterthought: The story is light and not the main draw. |
| ✅ Plays Great on PC, Deck & VR: An excellent, accessible experience on any platform. | ❌ Can Feel Like a “Tech Demo”: Some may quit after they’ve “seen it all.” |
| ✅ Excellent Voice Controls: Fast, responsive, and run locally without an internet connection. |
Waltz of the Wizard: Waltz of the Wizard is an essential title for anyone who loves magic and chaotic fun. It understands that being a wizard is about experimentation and wielding absurd power, and it delivers that fantasy in spades. While its dungeon-crawling campaign is a repetitive weak point, the core sandbox in the tower is a masterpiece of interactivity. Led by Skully, one of the most memorable sidekicks in recent memory, and backed by unparalleled developer support, this is far more than a tech demo. It’s a living, breathing, and ever-expanding world of magical mayhem. For pure, unadulterated fun, it’s hard to beat. – Obsidian