WATERFALL by CherryTeam // GRAND FINALE (official full version) - Geometry Dash

"Waterfall" by CherryTeam
Amazing level

★My Nickname in GD: Exen

[prakesh]

crazy that this started as a potential firework sequel and now its this masterpiece

[xRetroWAVE]

Fun fact: In Waterfall's song remix, Vernam sings with a high-pitched voice.

[Tibbers]

gd awards are gonna be crazy this year

[Randomplaysgames]

1:12 that skull looks SICK, also the transition to bli's part

[SCatalan_]

This is by far, my favorite level in Geometry Dash, and here the backstory as to why:

When I saw the first trailer by fnm04, 2 years ago, what caught my eye (or ear) first was the song. The song is named NНΞЙ (meaning Hoarfrost) by Russian producer ΔXIUS LIИK and Russian singer ножевые ранения (meaning “stab/knife wounds”). Cherry Team itself is also Russian, so the song choice makes sense.

The song's lyrics are a haunting portrayal of despair and entrapment. The singer, emotionally numb, describes a world of frozen hearts and a desperate longing for warmth, or fire. They feel suffocated, unable to reach the light, haunted by loneliness–a raw glimpse into human suffering, demonstrating empathy for their isolation and desperate search for solace in a seemingly cold world.

I already knew this song, and when I first heard it on the level, my eyes went completely wide open. You all should’ve seen my face during the first watch. I already saw the theme of snow and ice from the very beginning, even though the beginning was the only part with more than just colors for decoration.

At first, I thought they were going to just make another quick and lazy level like Firework, but boy was I wrong. I’ve loved watching the level grow, seeing creators like Culuc, Bli, CynixX, and more building the level. And when I saw the “Finale” video by QwidziT (9 months ago), I’ve been seeing a new theme pop up:

A frozen city. That already is beautiful, and a fitting theme for the name of the song, meaning “hoarfrost”. During my watch, I saw very subtle effects, and while subtle, they tell a story in my opinion. And once I saw the finished level (this video), I was awestruck. Let me walk you through my thought process.

The moment the level began, the first thing I saw was the text “Enter at your own risk”. Which took me a bit off guard, but I knew it meant something good was coming up. After many glitch effects and build-up through a frozen cave, we are greeted with a TV screen that shows a beautiful view of a frozen city, and the singer begins her verse. The singer’s voice is beautiful, and the view is incredible, but once you have grabbed your popcorn to appreciate it, it glitches again, and grows dark, indicating a silent “but”. We are taken to a scene of a city frozen over, destroyed, tilted, and corrupted. To remind us that this is not real, there is another effect with 1 subtle detail: the red dot, and a white arrow, indicating it’s a recording being sped forward. And we are now greeted with a symbol, the eye. Our new environment shows ice, destroyed buildings, and blood, but most importantly, the eye. The eye appears as we pass it as the player, surrounded by circular spinning patterns, blinks once, and disappears a second before the patterns follow suit. Now, I will never know what the eye truly represents, but my best guess is corruption, and power. I think it represents the greed of hierarchy, how strong you feel after seeing the view at the top of the mountain, but I also think it represents weakness, showing how those stuck in snow see a flame, only for that flame to cause more suffering, due to human instinct of making oneself suffer after seeing something you need, but don’t have. All of this is supported by the TV screen shown earlier, indicating this scene is a “was”, and it’s merely a reflection of our cruel world. The eye soon appears again quickly, but this time, it comes right at the screen and can actually scare you. This entire part groups up with glitches, red color changes, and blurriness, indicating a lost, corrupted world. And, right before the drop, all we are left with is a void that has ripped our skulls apart (the logo art before the drop).

During the entire drop, we see the same effects, but amplified. Glitches, red colorations, blurriness, and destruction. But right before Bli’s part, we see another destroyed skull, which I think again, represents a void that has ripped our skulls apart. Bli’s part is much different from the other parts, and shows much more chaos that is both very cool to watch, but quite sad and fitting to the story.

For the rest of the drop, it’s very similar, with a few more easter eggs and hidden stuff that I won’t spoil.

And then, there is the end art (not the cherry team logo). It appears to be that same TV screen from the beginning of the singer’s verse. It shows a woman, taking a unique pose, while trapped in ice. The scenery is the same destroyed, frozen, gray world. The frame of the TV itself has many unique additions, such as a red+white color scheme, X’s on the eye symbol, and more symbols and art that I can’t really understand.

But besides that, I can confidently say that "Waterfall" is a masterpiece that transcends the typical Geometry Dash experience. The combination of mesmerizing and underrated music and visuals demonstrates allows such a work of art to explore the complexities of the human condition, and it will forever hold a special place in my heart as my favorite GD level ever.

(I just wanna say, all of this is only guessed based on my visual experience of the level, and the song itself. If there is lore or context I’m missing here, I would definitely appreciate the knowledge. I want to know more about the level.)

[jacobboughter]

Some 13 year old gonna call this soulless on twitter

[Kerlus]

0:20 love this part how its like a ruined city and that part of the song goes soo well with it too

[Vrossroads]

Cherry`s red
Ice is blue
Waterfall is coming true

[TheRealSparky_]

один из тех коллабов который реально не замёрз на десятки лет вперёд

[zhenfermon.]

Bli's part is the only part that doesn't get replaced or improved like the others 🔥

[Sonic_playofficial]

Я и не думал, что Вернам в реальной жизни оказывается лоли тяночка, который поёт настолько мило, что вся Геометрия попросит его подпевать под уровни, 1000/10 ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[dubinkagd]

я посмотрел шоукейс вф от вернама и тут нейрон выложил 9 сек назад, норм

[DaddyJoks_]

1:05 WHY IS IT ALWAYS THE RIVERS IN COLLABS THAT HAVE THE BEST PARTS

[Riyoe]

CherryTeam try not to make absolute masterpieces impossible challenge ‼️‼️‼️

[ZimbabweBall]

one of my favorite upcoming extreme demons

[nautiluuu]

Watched the development of this level ever since it was just a layout. Good job cherryteam!

[RootRootCarrothroge]

FINALLY! I've been waiting for a full official preview, literally one of my favorite levels.

[russo-dqjx]

Имба и сонг, и уровень. Хорошая работа нейро, выложил сразу после вернама

[florian]

Nice level but can Cherry Team release Silk Song ?

[MuhIbnuAbbas.]

I really love the theme, also so glad your gp is still here