Toki Tori Review (Nintendo Switch)
Toki Tori was originally about two decades ago in 2001 on the Game Boy Color, before seeing re-masters of sorts appear on the Wii and Wii U etc... I actually had my first encounter with this game on device called the Palm in the mid 2000s.
So imagine my delight when I got the Nintendo Switch and saw it on the e-shop... on sale! Of course I had to get it and relive my childhood.
It's a very rewarding yet challenging and fun puzzle game. You are tasked with guiding Toki Tori around 5 worlds and their multiple levels. To complete each level and progress to the next, you need to collect all of the eggs. All of this is to be accomplished with a set number of moves and abilities such as building bridges, freezing the enemies, and using blocks, bubble or teleportation etc...
The first world is relatively simple and with each world and level you get introduced to new abilities. Of course the more you progress, the more challenging it becomes and solving the puzzle really takes some brain power. Thankfully there are videos online to help you out if you do get stuck on certain levels and it gets somewhat frustrating as you find yourself sort on one bridge or teleport move to complete the level.
One of the features I love is the rewind button by simply pressing the 'Y' Button! This saves time having to restart the level all over again and you can just continue from where you think you made a mistake. It does bring the frustration level down a little but then having to start again from the beginning: you get to trial run some of the moves and redo them to get the right path to collect all the eggs.
There are 5 worlds which offer a set of regular levels. Once you have cleared the regular levels, the 'hard' and 'bonus' levels are unlocked. Both of these advanced levels are even more challenging and makes you really think out of the box, giving the most well-practiced puzzle experts a brain workout for sure.
From World 2 onwards, there's a Wildcard option which enables you to pass on to the next level. You can only use this once and once you've spent it you will need to complete the particular level it was used on in the future to have it returned to you. Of course there is the other alternative to search Google and find the solution online to see what you missed out.
Toki Tori's difficulty is hard but rewarding when you manage to solve the puzzles: it forces you to plan out and execute each move to exact precision and timing, the wrong move could jeopardize the whole flow which results in a failed level. Unlike other puzzle games which are tricky due to infuriating mechanics which are out of your control, in Toki Tori you have more control per se.
Some levels are relatively easy but others, especially as you progress, makes you wonder if it actually can be solved or not. The satisfaction comes from having solved or realizing what was the critical step to solve the level. Yes, even if you play cheat and find the solution from the countless of videos available on the internet it is still satisfying.
Not only are the graphics and animation easy on the eyes, the soundtrack is adorable and catchy! So even if you are stuck on a certain level, it helps to soothe the frustration somewhat.
Verdict: 4.5/5
Toki Tori is an adorably charming game which is fun and tricky at the same time. It really gives your brain a workout and the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment when is complete each level is indescribable: it's like you feel you gain more intelligence with each level you complete as you are forced come up with perfect solutions throughout the game.
It's totally worth the money, more so when it is one sale on the Nintendo e-shop.
So if you love yourself a good puzzle game, or simply want to have it on the Nintendo Switch, you should get it!
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