A code was provided by the game’s publisher FDG Entertainment for review.

Are you ready to venture out on grand adventure?

Venture Kid by FDG Entertainment will take you back to your roots with its retro graphics and action packed platforming.

There are surprises around every corner as you seek out different treasures that are hidden throughout the 8 levels.

Get to grips with responsive controls and put your skills to the test with 4 modes. As well as a plethora of special weapons to help you defeat each end level boss.

The Mission

The evil Dr. Teklov is about to create a secret super weapon which he has disguised as a huge space fortress.

Our hero Andy has to defeat Teklov’s minions and his powerful guardians that reside at the end of each level.

Fight hard and use unique weapons such as flame grenades, rockets or boomerangs to help you reach items or damage enemies.

Your main character Andy has the ability to jump and shoot as well as select one of his many different weapons. Weapons that you need to compete in the game’s various modes.

The Modes

Classic

Classic mode lets you play through the game in a linear fashion. By defeating the level and each boss, you will receive an item that can help you progress through remaining levels.

In this regard, Venture kid reminds me of Mega-Man in both its visual department and gameplay.

Furthermore, Classic mode has speed runner clock which is great for competitive speed runners. Sadly, the game doesn’t support any online leaderboards.

Adventure:

Adventure Mode is little different from Classic Mode as this time around you are able to pick which level you want to play in any order. Again, perhaps a nod to the blue bomber.

You can pick anyone of the 8 levels that range from forest to city volcano.

It’s a little generic as far as environments go, but thankfully the levels themselves do offer unique mechanics. This is thanks to their secret paths and treasures that can be discovered during gameplay. Each one of the 8 levels has a hidden treasure that requires you to go that extra mile to find them. There’s also 37 achievements that can be achieved while playing.

Survival:

The Survival Mode is a new Nintendo Switch exclusive mode, as well as the unlockable boss rush mode.

I was surprised by the Survival Mode in Venture Kid. I didn’t expect it to be included, but am glad they added it in as an extra incentive to keep you playing.

The mode challenges you to take on as many stages as possible with just one life. It was pretty fun, it’s just a shame that there’s no online ranking or leaderboards to compare yourself to other players or friends.



It’s definitely a fun distraction, but will not extend your gameplay for more than a few hours.

Spend em!

You can collect coins during your adventure and these coins can be used in the inventory shop.

Here you buy hearts, energy to refill your weapons, extra lives, emergency kits and health extensions, that are always handy in a pickle. However, use them with caution, as there is a limit per level- so be aware!

Controls

The controls in Venture Kid are super simple. You move with the direction pad or the analog stick. Shooting is mapped to the Y button and jump with the B button, the longer you hold the B button the higher you’ll jump.

Finally, pressing the + button opens up the inventory. Here you can see and select you secondary item that can be acquired after defeating bosses. You can cycle through weapons with the bummer buttons.

Each item has its own power bar and after each use the bar will deplete. Only power pellets can replenish these power bars, which can be found by defeating enemies.

Visuals and Audio

Visuals in Venture Kid are your typical 8-bit style graphics. The graphics are…. fine. However, I wish they went with a more unique art style. I know Venture Kid is referring to Mega-Man with it’s artstyle. However, chunky retro graphics are a dime a dozen on the eshop, so it would have been more interesting to play the game if it had its own identity.

The music in Venture Kid is pretty decent with a range of chiptunes created by Matt Creamer. Each tune fits each area well and all sound effects are very Mega-Man-ish, which like the art style is… fine.

Should you buy?

What do I think of Venture Kid? It is very reminiscent of the Mega-Man games with its level structure and always ending with a difficult boss. With said boss rewarding you with an item that empowers you to beat the next boss. Each power helps you move little closer to your goal, but I would have liked to have seen more creativity in some weapons.

There’s a range of different modes to play such as Classic, Adventure and Survival mode. As well as one hidden mode to unlock.

There’s even extra incentives to keep playing after you’ve beaten the game. For instance there’s treasure hidden in every level and even achievements to unlock.

My only real negatives are there are no online leaderboards for speed-running runs or survival mode. Furthermore, I would of liked to have seen extra content with a more lasting appeal.

The game does offer 3 difficultly settings if you want to increase the difficulty of your runs. However, for most veterans of platforming titles, Venture Kid will be completed in few hours at most.

It’s not the most in-depth platformer and takes inspiration from other well known platforming heroes. Nevertheless, I can’t deny that I’ve enjoyed my time with Venture Kid. It’s a pleasant romp through some good old fashioned platforming.

And with a cheap price point, I think its worth picking up.

That’s why I give Venture Kid by FGD Entertainment my rating of

Are you craving for a Mega-Man game on the Switch? What did you think of Leigh’s review? Let us know over on Twitter or come and join us in the SIF Discord!

For more reviews of FDG Entertainment games, make sure to check out our Blossom Tales and Oceanhorn reviews. FYI if you already own these games on the Switch, you can save 25% on Venture Kid!

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