Review: Super Dinoblasters (Nintendo Switch)
Super Dinoblasters is a cute indie platformer that follows the adventures of a space ranger on a rescue mission. With visuals and other elements that throw back to the heyday of gaming, is this budget title worth a look on the Nintendo Switch?
The game begins with a short intro to set the scene. You play the role of Galaxy Patrol Bot B3RN1 who answers a distress signal from the dinosaur-ridden planet of Cretacia. The platforming adventure soon begins as you explore this new world, facing off against dinos and collecting coins through about ten levels.
Super Dinoblasters proudly wears its retro stylings on its sleeve. The 8-bit graphics are a dead giveaway, but there are other touches, too. Like the voiceover on the title screen that sounds like an old arcade machine. Or the password you receive after completing each level that allows you to restart from that point. Yes, it’s kind of annoying to enter them in, but that’s what we used to do, kids! It’s a blast from the past, and it adds to the fun and nostalgic experience.
The graphics are deliberately simple, but I enjoyed the changing environments. These add variety to the proceedings, with levels featuring mine carts and slippery ice. The differing backdrops also caught my attention, from underground mines to forests. Simple, yet effective.
I also enjoyed the enemies. These come in the form of various dinosaurs that roam around, from triceratops to brachiosaurus. You sport a nifty laser that doesn’t kill the dinos, it simply puts them to sleep. I love this for two reasons. Firstly, it’s sweet and makes the game more accessible for younger players without the need for violence. Secondly, it adds a factor of danger since the dinos eventually wake up, ready to cause you damage again.
Speaking of danger, this isn’t a particularly hard title. I was able to finish it in around an hour. Levels do vary in length and often feature multiple ways to get to the end. If you explore and take your time, you’ll collect more coins and potentially find a few bonus items, namely four lost astronauts. These hidden areas are fun to discover and add some longevity to proceedings. It’s also important to remember that this is a budget title, coming in at $2.99.
With that budget tag does come some caveats. There are a few minor glitches that send your little astro-bot to weird places within the level, forcing you to restart. They aren’t game breaking by any means, and I only noticed a couple, but they are there.
The other negative for me is the character’s speed. B3RN1’s default movement is SLOW. Thankfully, you can run by double tapping the D-pad, but this is slightly cumbersome. Regardless, the default setting is not ideal, and I ran the whole time. Perhaps I’m too used to Mario’s outing, where I hold down the run button most of the time.
Overall, Super Dinoblasters is a fun little indie platformer that, while not perfect, provides an enjoyable experience at a discount price. The retro throwbacks and visuals are a neat touch, and you can tell a lot of love has been put into development. With some minor tweaks and a speed increase, plus a few more levels, this one has real potential. For now, if you’d like to support an indie developer and you enjoy platformers, give this one a shot.
