This is actually really nice! I normally do not say this, but the thumbnail did quite a disservice to the game, given how good the pixel art is in the game. The idea is really nice, shifting the age of the player character as a mechanic makes the game feel more like a puzzle platformer, and I am not complaining. The game comes with a boss fight too, which is a nice surprise.
Other things I like:
- Not really difficult yet not a-walk-in-the park level design
- Really great player character and enemy art
- Sound feels nice
Suggestions:
- I think the animation's cool-down after an attack makes the game feel really unresponsive after attacking. It makes combat not as enjoyable as it could be (And that's why I preferred the old man, as he has the least cool down). Consider halving that, and it would make a noticeable difference
- Boss attacks (and normal enemy attacks) are too fast to react to (paired with the above point), and it makes the boss fight quite unmanageable at times. I don't think it needs to be slowed down a lot. Just a bit would be enough
- I'll suggest having some more noticeable effects to show you are getting hit. This would make health management much easier
- Can we have W as the jump button too?
Anyway, this is a really surprisingly good entry. Well done!