Despite their best efforts, Nintendo has never been able to amass the incredible indie lineup other console developers might acquire. Shovel Knight would have been called the saving grace, if it didn’t move to other platforms soon after. But there’s one underrated studio fans always seem to forget. Shin’en Multimedia., They hold some of the most technically impressive stuff under their belt, and continue to amaze with titles such as Nano Assault Neo, Fast Racing Neo and more. But as some of the later mentioned have moved to other systems, so does their puzzle game Art of Balance. So does it hold it’s magic all this way? Let’s find out.

Gameplay:

Online matches even exist!

As a kid, one of my favorite games to play was Jenga, and Art of Balance combines this beauty with a result that isn’t so destructive and depressing to clean up. Better yet, the game also introduces different types of blocks and doesn’t always stay on the same path, so you’ll have to continuously master it as you go on. I’m not a fan of the timers however, as it’s something I’ve always felt to be cheap and more reminiscent of a mobile game.

Story & Design:

Cooperative modes are absolutely killer

On top of it’s successful gameplay, Art of Balance also has a wide variety of modes, including survival, an accumulation of infinite stages, and two separate split screen modes. Art of Balance would never seem like the type of game to put on at a party to a more casual gamer, but the convincing is definitely worth it in this scenario.

Presentation/ Visuals & Audio:

Despite the game’s simplistic nature, the environments and objects look very visually polished

Another great thing about Art of Balance are it’s incredible graphics, that rival some of the more downgraded or mediocre AAA efforts. Sheets and lighting effects look incredibly realistic, and the water physics are so good that they should be replicated into other games. In a way, it’s more than magical that Shin’en was able to accomplish this with such limited scope.

Conclusion:

Art of Balance is probably the best puzzle primary game I’ve played all year. Although the premise seems like it would fit better during the tediousness of a Sunday night train ride, it’s a game I can now see myself playing in nearly any occasion. Other puzzle games fall short, and Art of Balance simply shows them how it’s done.

Art of Balance gets a 9/10 (Very Good)

We’d like to thank Shin’en Interactive for giving us a code!

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