Product Info

Platform

Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Publisher

Armor Games Studios

Developer

Massive Monster

Genre

Action, Adventure, Platform, Puzzle

Players

1-2

File Size (Minimum)

417.6 MB

Release Date (NA)

Apr 3, 2018

Purchase From

eShop

PSN Store

Microsoft Store

Steam

There’s quite a list of strong platformers on the Nintendo Switch: Super Mario Odyssey, Sonic Mania, Celeste, Iconoclasts (from the PlayStation 4 and Vita, coming to the Switch this year), the SteamWorld Dig series, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, and Shovel Knight to name a few. Now,  with its silly dialogue and humorous animations, The Adventure Pals deserves a spot among them.

More Than Just a Name Change

The sequel to the 2012 game Super Adventure Pals was originally going to be called Super Adventure Pals II, but in the years it was in development, the title changed to The Adventure Pals. However, it was more than just a name change, the game’s design and mechanics received an overhaul as well.

Compared to the original, the game has been much improved. The animations are more fluid, the colors feel more natural, and the entertaining dialogue matches the new, goofy designs. Without these upgrades, the game may not have received as much attention as it does now. Sure, the character designs feel a bit too goofy and awkward, but the game takes an inspiration from popular indie game Castle Crashers and the Adventure Time cartoon. Combining the two to make The Adventure Pals results in a delightful experience.

No Time to Celebrate

Happy Birthday! To celebrate, your papa gives you a special surprise — your very own giraffe! Fantastic, and who wouldn’t want one? Things are going great for the birthday boy and his papa until Mr. B shows up. Mr. B takes your papa away to turn him and everyone he captures into hot dogs — yes, giant, living hot dogs — and it’s up to you, along with your new giraffe companion, Sparkles, and your pet rock to stop him before that happens. Oh no!

As wild as it sounds, the storyline is straightforward and simple but oh so amusing, and the entertainment doesn’t stop there; on your journey, you will meet many out-of-the-ordinary characters in need of help, such as a whale that feels naked and needs something to cover it up. In exchange for assisting with these off-beat quests, you’ll find rubies, one of the main currencies in the game, at the end of the level. Collecting these red, sparkling gems is an essential aspect of the game since they play a part in the storyline.

Adventure Forth!

The game’s level designs feel very similar to how classic Sonic the Hedgehog layouts were built, though not as vast and complex, and a bit more repetitive. You will travel through the level, unlocking passageways to take on enemies, and gather cupcakes, coins (for spending on items at shops), and collectible items like grapes and sparkling sand that are based on quests you take on.

Just when you think you have reached the end of the level, you’ll be transported to a new section within it. (Think of it like new zones in Sonic the Hedgehog.) At the end of each level, you’ll receive your prized ruby and get a score based on length of play, how many things you’ve collected, and the number of deaths. You can revisit the levels for any missing items if you so choose, and anyone who enjoys getting 100% completion can expect to replay these levels a lot. That said, some levels take about 20 minute to complete on the first playthrough, so while it can feel a bit overwhelming initially, you get used to it.

Boss battles are entertaining but cumbersome. Aside from the patience needed to study attack patterns, some fights are clever and will take some pondering to figure out the boss’s weakness. That’s easier said than done, though, since certain attacks can be difficult to avoid, but in the end, they’re boss fights; they’re supposed to provide a challenge.

Outside the levels, you visit areas to chat with people to take on quests, fight in arenas, and shop. Before choosing a destination, the viewpoint changes into a top-level layout, similar to the map in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and you will ride on Sparkles across the land. You can attack roaming creatures to collect coins, travel to different areas of the map if you need to revisit levels, and even find hidden cupcakes.

When fighting in arenas, you’ll take on waves of enemies, and it’s just plain fun to go wild with combo attacks. However, you may experience some frame rate issues when loads of enemies fill the screen. Still, it’s a blast to play, and when you’re finished, you’ll receive a prize such as a sticker packet.

And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a co-op option. You and your best pal can play through the whole game together, each having their own giraffe in their backpacks, knocking enemies around with crazy combos.

Level Up!

When it comes to leveling up your character in The Adventure Pals, it’s more about learning new skills. Take down enough enemies, and you’ll be given a choice between various abilities such as being able to break shields more easily, having your pet rock hover around you to help in fights, or upgrading to a bigger bag that holds more of each item. This style of leveling is similar to the Paper Mario series, giving the game some welcome role-playing mechanics in what would be an otherwise normal platformer.

Collect Them All!

As you traverse each level, you can collect cupcakes, but they’re not for you to eat. Every five cupcakes you find can be exchanged for wearable clothing: a new hat for yourself or for an outfit for your pet rock. From chicken and fishbowl hat to a sheep outfit for your rock buddy, these additions make the game more enjoyable.

You can also collect up to 44 stickers in the game, but don’t expect to find them all easily since they can be found in levels, bought in shops, and given to you by characters you encounter. Stickers are not necessary to beat the game, but they provide a decent reason to replay levels in order to find them all.

Delightful Beats and Small Details

The soundtrack to The Adventure Pals is upbeat, fun, and energetic, matching the style of the game. “The Adventure Pals!” track in particular is very uplifting and can easily get stuck in your head after playing a few levels.

There are several small details the game developers added to the game, such as the character’s face near the health gauge in the corner of your screen. As you receive a beating, your character’s face changes to include a black eye or even a tear drop, and when you change hats, it’ll update there too. It really shows how much effort was put in.

Speaking of small things, the dialogue text is quite tiny and may require you to squint to see. Also, when playing in handheld mode, the game feels too zoomed out, and there isn’t a way to adjust that. Having the option to adjust the text size and zoom in and out would be a welcome patch to ensure that everything is crystal clear whether you’re sitting on your comfortable couch or going on your own adventure away from the Switch dock.

Summary

Colorful, wacky, and fun, The Adventure Pals is an entertaining platformer that’ll give you a reason why you should have your very own giraffe and pet rock as companions. While some levels feel repetitive and the dialogue text size could be tweaked, it’s a purrrtastic adventure to play on your favorite console.

Disclaimer: A digital review copy was provided by Sandbox Strategies.