

Disclaimer:

Before I even start talking about the game, I should mention l’ve never played a single Wonder Boy title before. So this Wonder Boy Returns Remix Switch review is coming from new player to this franchise.

To note, a review code of the game was provided by CFK.

Story

When starting the game you’re greeted with no context or intro… If there is a story here, it’s not shown whatsoever. Apparently, the PS4 version had intro but it seems to be missing in the Switch port. So let’s move straight on to the gameplay section.

Gameplay

After a bright and very anime style title screen you have two options available to play- The Story and options. There are no extras in sight, which is a little disappointing. However, after you’ve selected the story campaign you are greeted with 3 new modes to choose from.

Tanya – is a practice mode where you always have invincibility with no boss battles present.

TomTom– Is the normal game with a stage select option and ending 1.

One coin – Is the professional mode with no stage select and ending 2.

Tanya Mode sees you somewhat controlling Tanya on her hover bike through all levels with invincibility. This means pitfalls can kill you but enemies can’t.

Tanya Mode sounds cool but the problem is Tanya can barely jump, which came to a head in the second area. You’re in a cave with a high platform that I couldn’t get her to reach.

Overall, the controls felt stiff. As soon as you move, Tanya will constantly be running forward. Pushing back on the direction pad slows you down a little, but being unable to stop makes platforming more difficult than it needed to be.

It felt like a silly implementation in this so called ‘practice mode’. It ended up feeling more like an endless runner than a mode where you’re able to learn how to play the game.

TomTom mode fairs a bit better, as this is how the game is supposed to be played. Although, this isn’t your average platformer.

After selecting this mode you are taken to a stage select. There are eight stages with four levels in each- totaling 32 levels including the boss battles.

Hungry!

So unique thing here is how WB plays. Each stage has multiple check-points scattered throughout the level. Once you start running, you can’t really stop. TomTom needs momentum to be able to jump over the many different hazards and enemies that confront him, as he makes his way to goal at end of the level.

Controls in this mode feel slippery, especially after taking your finger off the direction pad. TomTom will continue to run before stopping, which lead to few avoidable deaths.

In addition, TomTom needs to constantly eat as there is a hunger bar on top of the screen that slowly depletes over time. To replenish this bar, you’ll need to collect fruit, vegetables and sweets during your run to keep the bar full. If it runs out, you’ll lose a life.

You have a few abilities such as cracking open eggs that will reveal a throwing axe that you launch at your enemies. In WB Returns Remix you can use a NEW charge shot, which throws a larger stone axe causing more damage.

Furthermore, there’s other items such as a skateboard that gives you extra HP and let’s you move quicker across the stages. There are also 8 items that you can collect from each of the 8 bosses in the game (sort of like Mega-Man).

The core platforming is decent, but jumping and the momentum required for certain areas can be fiddly. Plus, sometimes it never felt like I had full control over the characters, which led to a couple of extra deaths.

One Coin Mode is pretty much the same experience but harder and with no ability to select any stages. The only real difference here is the extra ending and surviving with only 10 lives.

Remix Returns!

One thing I found strange about this title is the lack of any real new content or bonus extras. Normally when a game is re-made or bought back to a new audience, things have been changed or new things have been added.

I did a little research and found the game was originally on PS4 and is so different to game that is available on eshop. The PS4 version had an intro and other quality of life improvements that are shockingly not available on the Switch.

The comic book intro is missing from the Switch version and the stage select screen used to show how many doll’s you collected in each level. In addition, there was once a challenge mode in the PS4 version, but not in the Switch version. Unless it’s an unlockable later in the game, but I doubt that.

Furthermore, when you fight bosses there’s no health bar present in the Switch version but in the PS4 version there is one? I don’t understand why these things were removed from Switch version? The only things I know that are available in Switch version are the remixed enemies, new hazard placement and the new charge shot with a few changes to the title screen, appearance of the HUD and when you select one of the available modes. Other than that, it appears a lot of little things have not been included in this version.

Bring it on!



Most people like good a challenge and I feel like WB will definitely find a crowd of people who will enjoy the runner style gameplay on offer here. Furthermore, with its one hit deaths and limited supply of continues, WB keeps the retro challenge the series is famous for. Honestly, for the most part I’ve enjoyed playing it. It’s not perfect and I do have some issues with its controls and lack of features. Nevertheless, WB does have that ‘one more go’ sort of mechanic that will annoy you just enough to make you try again.

However, it’s a shame there’s no online leaderboards or local score boards available. It would have been great to challenge friends and try and beat their times!

Audio

Audio in WB is mixed. Some of the tunes sound repetitive, especially the starting tune in first few stages. Eventually it lead me to switch the music off completely and listen to my own music during that section.

However, the music does change up in each new world and I quite like that the title music is very cheerful. Overall, it’s not awful but nothing spectacular

Visuals and Performance

One area I love is the visuals in WB. They’re bright, crisp and anime-ish. Very cute, but for some maybe too cute.

Nevertheless, the in game graphics look lovely on the Switch’s screen and in handheld mode. I think they are very well done!

Performance wise, the game ran perfectly fine, I’ve not experienced anything that has ruined my play time.

Value

WB is currently priced at £8.99 and I think that’s a decent price. There are 3 modes available and 32 levels to play, so there is some content here to get your teeth into! However, compared to the PS4 version there are oddly a lot of features that are missing. So if you’re looking for a more ‘complete version’, I’d suggest checking the game out on PS4.

Verdict

Wonder Boy Return Remix is a decent endless runner but sadly doesn’t reinvent the platforming genre. There’s enough here to keep you challenged for while, but I still wonder what this game could have been if it had the features that the PS4 version had.

I just can’t understand why you’d bring out a remixed version of the same game that was on PS4, with less extras that its previous release…

However, if you love Wonder Boy games then there’s still a lot to love here and I did enjoy my time with the game. Even though it’s a little flawed in some areas and doesn’t quite reach the heights of some of the best platformers out there.

That’s why I give Wonder Boy Returns Remix by CFK my rating of

Are you a Wonder Boy fan? Do you also think it’s weird that some features from the PS4 version are missing from the Switch version? Let us know over on Twitter or come and join the SIF Discord.

Since you’re here, why not check out more of Leigh’s reviews!

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