Venture Kid

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Game Details

Title: Venture Kid
Developer: Snikkabo
Publisher: FDG Entertainment
Website: https://www.fdg-entertainment.com/games/venture-kid/
Genre: Adventure, Action, Platformer, Arcade
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Audience: PEGI 7
Release Date: 02/05/19
Price: £8.99 – Rapid Reviews UK was very kindly provided with a review code for this title.

What the Developers say

The evil Dr. Teklov is about to build a secret weapon, disguised in his huge space fortress. Time is running out but our hero Andy stepped up to defeat him and fight his way through Teklovs minions. Join Andy and prepare yourself for a dangerous journey that demands great skill and determination. Will you succeed?

https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/venture-kid-switch/#game-info

Introduction

Venture Kid is a throwback to the games of the 80s and 90s. Games like Mega Man or for those that remember it, Whomp ‘Em. If you grew up playing video games during the era of the NES, SNES or even on the SEGA consoles, then this style of game will instantly conjure up many fond memories. The 8bit style is a perfect fit for this type of game, and the developers do a good job, in capturing the essence of this style.

The premise of the game is a little random. While out collecting orbs, your friend is injured in an explosion caused by the evil scientist Takrov. Incensed and determined not to let the villain win, you set off on a world-saving tale of revenge. During your travels, you will face off against numerous bosses, including a jungle cat, bikers, miners, a mummy and even death himself, before our scientist friend even does anything remotely dastardly. That being said, his first act is to start blowing up the city from his giant spaceship, so your actions are at least partially justified.

But forget about that. The storyline may be somewhat nonsensical, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t make much difference for a game of this nature.

Gameplay & Replayability

The game is what it is, and as long as you don’t go into it expecting something revolutionary, then you will have a good time. Playing with two main buttons and a third to switch between your primary and secondary weapons, you can blast away anything that crosses your path in an hour or so.

The levels are nicely designed and visually so different from one another you don’t mind that they offer very little in the way of escalating challenges. What I found to be a nice touch was that there were multiple pathways in many levels. Each brought you to the same end location and boss fight, but it offered an extra choice that kept things interesting.

The end of each level will see you gain a new weapon or item that will aid you on your journey. The items themselves are fun and varied, but the majority of them I never actually found the need to use. The double jump and the fireball were the best two additions in my book.

I also enjoyed using the store, exchanging the orbs I had collected for bonuses and powerups, such as recharging more heavily used weapons, or adding an extra life just before you head into a boss fight.

One unexpected but certainly appreciated item of the game was the trophies/achievements. While they would only increase the replayability of the game for the most hardcore of trophy hunters, seeing things pop up as you perform specific actions gave a moment of fist-pumping satisfaction.

The game also offers several different modes of play:

• Classic
• Survival
• Adventure
• Boss Rush (a challenge you can unlock as you progress deeper into the game)

For a game that only costs £8.99 on the eShop, the variety of game modes is a sweet treat and again goes some way to offering an incentive to keep playing – if not just to try out the different modes and see what sort of challenge they offer.

I played through all of the modes and enjoyed classic and survival mode. However, I still don’t know the real difference between classic and adventure, as the levels played out the same, and the boss fight was the same also. Nevertheless, you have to give them a point for effort.

Audio & Visual

The game looks nice for what it is, and it runs well, and the Developers did a lovely job of capturing the pixel art style. I didn’t encounter any glitches while playing, and some screens move by at a fast pace.

The game is made up of numerous levels and each one, while near identical in how to play them, offer a vast range of visuals – jungles, sprawling cities, sewers and pyramids. While this doesn’t help provide any continuity to the storyline, it does present enough altering visuals to keep you interested and engaged through the game. You will even spend some time in space battling it out on an evil spaceship that is intent on destroying your city.

The music is another throwback to the retro style games, and while a good attempt, I feel it just misses the mark in capturing that genuinely nostalgic feel. That being said, I did find myself humming the tune on the bus the day after completing the game.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, if you are looking for a fun Mega man clone to help you get through the morning commute, then Venture Kid will hit the spot. The real question is, do you need a Mega Man clone when you can go out and buy Mega Man itself.

Venture Kid is a solid game, it is, but when all is said and done, you are left feeling that the developers were so focused on getting that Mega Man vibe that they forgot to add their flair to the game.

What you are left with is a fair game that pays homage to the retro games of our youth but fails to progress beyond that. Venture kid is a fun game to pick up and play, but ultimately one that will be speedily archived on your Switch to make room for new and more exciting games.

Rapid Reviews UK Rating

You can purchase Venture Kid from the Nintendo eShop at the following link, https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Venture-Kid-1549217.html