Review: Cassette Boy (Nintendo Switch)
Cassette Boy is a puzzle RPG for the Nintendo Switch. It features a top-down perspective, ticklish brain teasers, and a pixel-based world. Is it worth exploring?
The story follows the adventures of an unnamed character who looks away from the moon, causing it to disappear. Your goal is to set things right again. The entire premise of Cassette Boy is centered around this concept of “if you can’t see it, it doesn’t exist”.
What this mantra means in practice is that when an enemy is covered by an object, it’s no longer there, allowing you to safely walk by. Our protagonist sports a pair of headphones that grants the ability to rotate the world at will. The clever part is that you can rotate the environment to make things appear and disappear based on the current perspective, hiding enemies and showing pathways.
This allows the developers to create all sorts of puzzles involving blocked paths, hidden gates, and fun with switches. There are some real brain teasers present, and they’re fun to solve. Cassette Boy also features optional bonus stages, providing longevity if you’re after more to do beyond the main quest.
Aesthetically, Cassette Boy sports a retro look that’s strongly reminiscent of the Game Boy era. The green-tinged monochromatic look will spark nostalgia for older gamers, though it can make it tricky to see things clearly while you’re hunting for those secret paths.
This puzzle mechanic and deliberate retro style combine to create a cute adventure set in a virtual world. The simple story and dialogue keeps things moving briskly, though I found the writing to be a little too cryptic for my liking. As a result, I didn’t find myself bonding with most of the characters, though there are some interesting designs and personalities to interact with.
There’s a light RPG element at play, too, with our hero sporting a number of weapons à la the Legend of Zelda. You can swing your sword, fire an arrow, or plant a bomb as you work through enemies. At times, these enemies felt like a distraction from the main quest, not quite integrating with the overall puzzle mechanic. At other times, the rotating screen is useful to remove pesky enemies you’d prefer not to deal with. There are some fun boss fights thrown in for good measure, keeping you on your toes as well.
Cassette Boy is a short game, but the price is reflective of the time you’ll spend in this pixelated world. You’re in for about a four-hour adventure, depending on how long you take to solve the puzzles and whether you take on the optional challenges and collectibles. There’s also a free demo available, so give it a try to see if it’s your style before diving in fully.
Overall, Cassette Boy is a unique little adventure that will keep you thinking over the course of its short runtime. The classic look sparks nostalgia for older gamers, with a sweet story that could have been fleshed out further.
