Product Info

Platform

Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC

Publisher

JanduSoft

Developer

Mitsuki Game Studio

Genre

Action, Shooter

Players

1

File Size (Minimum)

2.6 GB

Release Date (NA)

Dec 22, 2022

Purchase From

eShop

PSN Store

Steam

Kawaii Slime Arena is a lighthearted arena shooter for single players that will grab your attention for a short period of time.

Take ‘Em Out

You will play as Yui, a female anime-style character with cat ears. Your goal is to defeat a horde of bouncing slimes that are trying to deplete your health to zero. Compared to many other shooter-style games, this one is unique with its cuteness.

There are a variety of portal doors that slimes come out from. You are timed to take out the batch before additional waves of slimes come out. Taking them out quickly helps gain bonuses quicker such as increased health or enabling quicker shots. Otherwise, more slimes will enter the field, making it more challenging for the player to navigate. Players can maneuver in the area, but the field to roam around isn’t big. You’ll have to be tactical to take out all the slimes.

The slimes come in various colors and sizes. The larger slime takes more shots to defeat compared to the smaller version but lacks in speed. Orange slimes bounce faster towards the player. All slimes are targeted to the player so they aren’t just bouncing in random paths. However there isn’t any variety of movement, making the game feel repetitive.

Gaining Leverage

Players will have to defeat slimes in each wave. Once you survive all waves, you have completed the course and can move on to a new one to play. If your health is depleted to zero, you will see a failure screen instead. In any case, you will gain experience points to upgrade your weapons, increase health, and more. This will give players a better chance of winning and not getting stuck trying to earn experience points. If you have already completed a course, you can revisit them to earn experience if you are having a difficult time.

During battles against the slimes between waves, the game will provide random bonuses. These bonuses are not always the same but can be quite helpful depending on your situation. For example, you can gain allies that attack enemies by using lightning, poison, or ice. You can also increase your bullet and allies’ attack power, pierce through enemies to hit additional enemies behind them, and more. These bonuses only last until you either perish or complete the course, adding value and making the gameplay more interesting.

Players can earn new weapons as they progress further into the game. Each weapon screen offers additional upgrades to help the player such as power and shooting speed. Additionally, you can unlock new stats such as more health. This makes it worth replaying to unlock everything.

However, Kawaii Slime Arena doesn’t provide enough depth to keep players engaging for very long, despite the initial rush of avoiding and defeating slimes. With fifteen zones to clear, a set of weapons to unlock, and being a single-player game, it’s something you can play for a few hours before moving on to something else. Adding more zones, co-op options, additional character attire or color unlocks, or new characters would enhance the game. Expanding the arenas would also be beneficial. It’s a good start, but the game could offer more value. At a price of $5.99 USD on consoles and $7.99 USD on Steam, it’s not a bad deal for a quick playthrough. 

The Way You Play

The mechanics of the game are simple compared to other popular shooter games. There is one button to aim, another to shoot, and movement for both character and weapon are controlled by the controller sticks. Shooter fanatics may find it dull, but those who don’t typically play shooters will find it more comfortable. Additional features such as utilizing the controller’s motion control or additional vibration feature would be a nice touch.

The arenas, slimes, and Yui are all colorful, vibrant, and cute. The arenas are designed with Japanese-style environments and architecture, while Yui is dressed in a kimono-like outfit. The art style could benefit from additional details to add depth and make things more visually appealing. The game’s soundtrack is lighthearted with a bouncy beat, adding some pleasant background noise to the game. While it may not add significant value, it’s better than having no sound at all.

The Final Slime

Kawaii Slime Arena is a quirky and entertaining small shooter title that will keep you entertained for a short period of time. It’s a solid step forward, suggesting potential for a second title to be released.

A review code provided for this review. Kawaii Slime Arena available now for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam).