Lace up those luchador boots and strap on your most colorful mask! Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition brings the heat! Having a clever Mexican food reference is not the only thing DrinkBox Studios brought to the table though – this game does the Mexican culture justice by including many elements inspired by traditional folklore and décor. But don’t take that siesta just yet, we still have to dive into this multicultural metroidvania to see if it punches above its weight class!

Developer: DrinkBox Studios

Publisher: DrinkBox Studios

8 Hours Played // Game Self-Purchased // $14.99

I’m going to go out on a limb and say there’s probably only a small minority of you that ever seen old, vintage Mexican films. Being of Mexican heritage with very traditional grandparents, I’ve seen a fairly decent amount of black and white films hailing from Mexico. Among outdated cultural biases and scenes that would never be aired in today’s politically sensitive environments, there is usually one common theme. That would be the man losing the woman he loves, and spending a great deal of time looking to get back to her.

On the surface, the idea is chivalrous and noble. I’m not going to dive into the specific . . . details . . . that occur on throughout these “noble” journeys, but I will say that there are a fair amount of films that end in heartache. Some don’t but the point is each has drama, action, revenge, and most importantly – love. These overarching concepts are beautifully expressed in Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition. You wouldn’t have any idea of this from the title alone; I know I didn’t.

There and Back Again

I’ll start by saying this: I’m not the biggest fan of the Metroidvania genre. I typically find them too repetitive, limiting, and I despise too much backtracking. However, when a game implements it in such a way where you still feel you are progressing, it is tolerable – and dare I say enjoyable? I was both surprised and impressed that I had skipped out on this indie title for so long. But I am glad I decided to purchase and play on my own accord (of course once it came out on Switch!).

Guacamelee! tells a tale of a beautiful young woman who is kidnapped by an evil entity and taken for a ritual in which she is to be sacrificed. Of course, the exchange is for unimaginable power, as evil can never seek enough. Witnessing the abduction, a brave man named Juan, who has loved this woman all his life, risks everything he has to become her savior.

There Can Only be Juan

Now, Juan is your “average Joe” type. He leads a normal, honest life. He does have some size now that he’s an adult, but as a child was ridiculed and bullied. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Juan has a near-death experience that eventually leads to him coming into possession of a magic luchador mask. This mask grants Juan another lease at life – but this time as a powerful luchador hero. As a now macho fighter, you must make your way, even though the depths of Hell itself, to rescue your long lost love.

As cheesy as the story sounds, the game recognizes this. It does not take itself too seriously and incorporates a great amount of humor in the skilled writing of the dialogue. This is one of the strongest points of the game in my opinion. The characters have life, personalities, and substance. Each conversation feels unique and you would know who was speaking based on the wording alone, even if you weren’t seeing them on screen. This is an enjoyable aspect and one I commend the developers on. Perhaps even stronger are the controls and move set in this game.

Directions

Guacamelee! secures its position as a superb platformer with its tight, responsive controls. There are so many abilities to unlock in this game, and many narrow areas to navigate. Besides all the timing needed to master this game, the directional buttons play a huge role in making sure the correct actions are performed. Each input is instantaneous and your character will respond as quickly as you can press those buttons! It’s a good thing too, as this game is so combat, and combo, focused as well!

I was amazed to find everything about this game to be crisp. Snappy movements come together to showcase one of the most fluid fighting experiences I’ve had in a while. Many scenarios call for battling a barrage of skeleton warriors ranging in size. You are able to quickly sweep the ground enemies, then grab one in midair, throw them in a direction of your choosing, and then continue fighting in the air whilst stringing the most ridiculous special attacks together. Offensive maneuvers such as upper cuts, body slams, head-butts, and superman punches are just a few of the things you’ll enjoy in this game. Do well enough and you may even see achievements pop up!

Feats Over Defeats

Guacamelee! incorporates internal achievements that are available for the taking. Many include scores, combos, and impressive feats. This is why many times you’ll see them through combat. On top of the harder achievements, the player is also just awarded in game with “gifts” for beating certain areas. They will show up in the form of a vibrant piñata that you get to break yourself! These party animals will provide you with coins, the currency used in game. With those coins you are bale to either upgrade your character’s stats, or buy new costumes. I say “your character”, because even though you are controlling Juan, you are able to change your costume, effectively making you a different character, with different perks! Oh, the options!

The costume variations are something of which I grew very fond. Unlike the stat upgrades, there is absolutely no need to ever change your costume; however, in doing so you get to play the game slightly differently. Other than offering certain perks, buffs, and even nerfs, specific costumes will also change the movements. Your speed, jumping, and basic movements can be affected by who you decide to play as. It’s a great little minor perk that mixes up the gameplay a bit and can create a bit of a challenge, or a ease the burden of destroying 10,000 skeletons with a limited life force. Whatever the reason, at the very least you will look good as you play!

Que Guapo

Speaking of looking good, Guacamelee! is gorgeous. It truly pushes its 2D sidescrolling graphics to the max . . . or should I say, the Mex? Bad joke aside, I was pleasantly surprised at how well this game holds up. This indie title has been wrestling PC and consoles since its original debut in 2013!

I can’t say that about many games, but I am glad to be able to say it about this one. The animations are pleasant to look at and I had no instance of slow down, skipping, glitching or anything of the sort. I don’t want to spoil much, but it is a great thing seeing as you will be frequently . . . changing worlds . . . throughout your play through.

Fin

But no spoilers for you! You’ll have to pick up this game to see for yourself. This is something I recommend. In fact, I whole-heartedly recommend it. Overall, Guacemelee! is a great game to add to your Switch collection. Whether you’ve played it before or not, if you’re a fan of the genre or not; if you have Latin roots, or if you don’t, NONE of this matters. This is an enjoyable game with plenty of challenges and options. Top that off with a memorable cast of characters, bright colors, and combat heavy gameplay and you have yourself a true fiesta!

Thanks for reading my take on Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition. I regret not playing it sooner! If you enjoyed this review, consider joining up with us in our community Discord or Subreddit. Do you have spare coin burning a hole in one of your Nindie-loving pockets? Perhaps consider contributing to our Patreon or Ko-fi funds. Thanks again reader; we appreciate you. Until next time!