theCallumB
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Game player and game maker :)
Enjoy platformers especially, trying to learn how to make awesome games.
Game player and game maker :)
Enjoy platformers especially, trying to learn how to make awesome games.
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This is a fun cute little platformer inspired by the old school NES games. Its not very long, clocking in at around an hour, but its also less than £1 to buy! Its cute, charming and has some really fun ideas. I experienced a couple of small bugs but the visuals are cute, music is fun and the game itself presents a decent challenge considering the length.
This game is fine. It's okay. The difficulty is never particularly strong and it really isn't very long. These elements are both good and bad. I never felt particularly challenged by the level/puzzle design, but moreso by the Mini-Mario follower AI (which would sometimes just launch itself off a ledge right into an enemy) and Mario's slower physics, moreso how he is kind of locked into a jump direction for a few moments after pressing the button.
The pacing of the levels is also a bit strange, each of the levels in the first half of the game is broken down into two sections, one in which you have to find a key and take it to the locked door, and a second section where you find the Mini Mario toy to save it. The two sections of each level are pretty much always completely unrelated in terms of the puzzles used which is pretty jarring to me. I wish they kind of revolved around a similar gimmick used in two separate ways but that was rarely, if ever, the case.
The second batch of levels (the + worlds) were much better in terms of pacing, this time only being one section each and revolving around escorting a key-wielding Mini Mario toy to the exit. While shorter, these are much more satisfying and feel much less jarring to complete. The ability to blast through them quickly was really fun. I kinda wish there was more of this and less of the first type of levels.
The boss fights range from fun to infuriating. A couple feel a bit too heavily reliant on RNG to be fair to me, the jungle fruits one especially was really frustrating considering to get a perfect run you need to complete them without taking a hit.
The lives system is really redundant considering if you manually reset the level yourself you don't lose a life. Life systems are getting more and more useless, I kinda wish Nintendo would move past them.
The presentation is really nice, if a little static and lacking personality. But it looks really nice either way. More could've been done here but what has been done is charming and gets the job done.
Overall this game is cool. There's some fun level concepts and the second half especially kept a good pace and made me feel like a puzzle master. The game, however, is weighed down by a slower first half thats just a bit too easy and overall a game that's probably a bit too short to justify full asking price.
Truly a middle of the road game for me. Well... Just a smidge above.
The pacing of the levels is also a bit strange, each of the levels in the first half of the game is broken down into two sections, one in which you have to find a key and take it to the locked door, and a second section where you find the Mini Mario toy to save it. The two sections of each level are pretty much always completely unrelated in terms of the puzzles used which is pretty jarring to me. I wish they kind of revolved around a similar gimmick used in two separate ways but that was rarely, if ever, the case.
The second batch of levels (the + worlds) were much better in terms of pacing, this time only being one section each and revolving around escorting a key-wielding Mini Mario toy to the exit. While shorter, these are much more satisfying and feel much less jarring to complete. The ability to blast through them quickly was really fun. I kinda wish there was more of this and less of the first type of levels.
The boss fights range from fun to infuriating. A couple feel a bit too heavily reliant on RNG to be fair to me, the jungle fruits one especially was really frustrating considering to get a perfect run you need to complete them without taking a hit.
The lives system is really redundant considering if you manually reset the level yourself you don't lose a life. Life systems are getting more and more useless, I kinda wish Nintendo would move past them.
The presentation is really nice, if a little static and lacking personality. But it looks really nice either way. More could've been done here but what has been done is charming and gets the job done.
Overall this game is cool. There's some fun level concepts and the second half especially kept a good pace and made me feel like a puzzle master. The game, however, is weighed down by a slower first half thats just a bit too easy and overall a game that's probably a bit too short to justify full asking price.
Truly a middle of the road game for me. Well... Just a smidge above.
This review contains spoilers
This is the culmination of Pikmin. Its SO good, it incoporates ideas and themes from every game in the series so far, whilst also feeling like quite a direct sequel, or answer, to Pikmin 2 - taking the concept of the cave system and improving it tenfold. Gone is the randomly generated level sections, with randomly populated enemies and hazards. Instead, you get these tightly designed and well crafted puzzle floors, that don't outstay their welcome and keep up a great pace as you traverse the caves. It also helps that each "set" of caves are shorter than most of those found in Pikmin 2. Besides maybe the final cave sets, they mostly stick to five or so floors, which makes them way more manageable.
We also get introduced to a whole host of new characters who have ventured to the planet for various reasons and part of the game is exploring and saving them, and then completing tasks for them, things like collecting all the onions, collecting all the treasures and more! This really expands the universe Pikmin is set in and it was so cool meeting new travellers from different planets (who all look suspiciously similar and have the same space suit tech, but hey).
One of the characters we rescue is, of course, Olimar himself! This is when the timeline theories get interesting, and I know that this doesn't fit 100%, but I will always now view Pikmin 4 as a follow on to Pikmin 1's bad ending. It probably isn't, but that's my headcanon.
The new Ice Pikmin are really useful, and provide a new fun way to take out enemies. You have the limit your use of them too, as using them will likely mean the body of your enemy will be destroyed (in return you do get some nectar)! So you really have to weigh things up, do I need to make more Pikmin or would I rather buff those that I have with me. It leads to some fun decision making and prioritisation.
The other new gameplay addition is Oatchi! He's SO adorable and acts as this games alternative "captain" playable character - whilst not having three characters in this game, Oatchi is far more useful in that he can do a whole host of things that the Captains cannot, which makes him a fresh new addition. I love his charge ability, and the way he can carry Pikmin across the water, unlocking more exploration possibilities.
The game is also just really pretty to look at, they've clearly taken advantage of the possibilities of Unreal Engine 4, and also pushed the Switch right to its limits.
The game is so filled with content, there's just loads to do, and easily 40+ hours if you try to complete everything. The Dandori battles and timed challenges are so much fun, and well integrated into the main story, there's so much to do there even (and I'm sure there'll be more in the form of DLC...)
There's just so much to talk about with this game, I had an absolute blast playing it, and it really brought me round to the "cave style" Pikmin games. I hope we get Pikmin 5 sooner rather than later, because this series has been such a joy to play. I am a fan now!
Also the Groovy Long Legs is like Top 5 Pikmin bosses ever. SO good. Also also LOUIE IS STILL THE WORST.
We also get introduced to a whole host of new characters who have ventured to the planet for various reasons and part of the game is exploring and saving them, and then completing tasks for them, things like collecting all the onions, collecting all the treasures and more! This really expands the universe Pikmin is set in and it was so cool meeting new travellers from different planets (who all look suspiciously similar and have the same space suit tech, but hey).
One of the characters we rescue is, of course, Olimar himself! This is when the timeline theories get interesting, and I know that this doesn't fit 100%, but I will always now view Pikmin 4 as a follow on to Pikmin 1's bad ending. It probably isn't, but that's my headcanon.
The new Ice Pikmin are really useful, and provide a new fun way to take out enemies. You have the limit your use of them too, as using them will likely mean the body of your enemy will be destroyed (in return you do get some nectar)! So you really have to weigh things up, do I need to make more Pikmin or would I rather buff those that I have with me. It leads to some fun decision making and prioritisation.
The other new gameplay addition is Oatchi! He's SO adorable and acts as this games alternative "captain" playable character - whilst not having three characters in this game, Oatchi is far more useful in that he can do a whole host of things that the Captains cannot, which makes him a fresh new addition. I love his charge ability, and the way he can carry Pikmin across the water, unlocking more exploration possibilities.
The game is also just really pretty to look at, they've clearly taken advantage of the possibilities of Unreal Engine 4, and also pushed the Switch right to its limits.
The game is so filled with content, there's just loads to do, and easily 40+ hours if you try to complete everything. The Dandori battles and timed challenges are so much fun, and well integrated into the main story, there's so much to do there even (and I'm sure there'll be more in the form of DLC...)
There's just so much to talk about with this game, I had an absolute blast playing it, and it really brought me round to the "cave style" Pikmin games. I hope we get Pikmin 5 sooner rather than later, because this series has been such a joy to play. I am a fan now!
Also the Groovy Long Legs is like Top 5 Pikmin bosses ever. SO good. Also also LOUIE IS STILL THE WORST.