Lucky switch
Lucky’s Tale has gone through quite the journey throughout its iterations. What began as a VR game has slowly morphed into the proper 3D platformer it always should have been. The weirdest part about its journey is that each version was good, while the changes made to each one simply made it better. Now that Lucky is on the Switch, he just feels at home. The new camera controls and tweaks to levels make this feel like the definitive version of the game. Nintendo has yet another 3D platformer on its console that is well worth checking out.
New Super Lucky’s Tale is more than just a port. The team at Playful have gone back and added a ton of new pieces to the game including new animations, visual effects, and cut scenes to make this feel almost like an entirely new game. I like to think of it as a director’s cut of what was supposed to be. The disappointing piece is those that bought the game on Xbox One have not received these updates. It seems like something that may be coming, but for now they are only available on the new Switch version.
MSRP: $39.99
Platforms: Switch
Price I’d Pay: $39.99
The biggest upgrade to the game though is the new camera controls. Players now have full 3D rotation of the camera, which was absent from the Xbox version. There are also new camera angles that better showcase the action onscreen. For anyone who played the Xbox version, the camera would often find itself in awkward positions during some platforming sequences. This led to frustration. This has all been remedied in this new version.
There are also new animations and lighting effects that just give the cartoon-style more flavors. New cut scenes that flesh out the wacky bosses and a host of new touches here and there that just give the game more character. It feels like the game the team at Playful always wanted to make.
The core game is still a bit on the short side with little to work towards. This is a collect-a-thon more than anything. There is plenty to find and pick up, but Lucky has all of his abilities from the get-go so progression is really tied to challenges and collection. The DLC packs that were added to the Xbox version are already here so there is a little more content than the original, but it is still extremely shallow when it comes to progression.
The game is also extremely easy. While collecting everything will require a grind, it is never frustrating or even challenging. Sure it is a game aimed at kids, but this difficulty takes the cake. The biggest issues came from the awkward camera angles, which are now removed making the game even easier than it already was.
New Super Lucky’s Tale is an extremely polished director’s cut of a solid 3D platformer. I loved seeing its final incarnation finally see the light of day. I am glad more people can experience it now, but I do wish Playful would update the other versions, and perhaps even bring it to PS4 to complete the circle. Still, Switch owners looking for a solid, albeit simple platformer have yet another title worth checking out.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
