Bamerang Review

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Fast Facts

Introduction

Bamerang is an action-packed party game featuring boomerangs. Prepare to compete against your friends as you face off in this silly feud to please an almighty goddess. Is this game perfect for game night? Or will it leave you wanting more? Find out in this Rapid Review.

The first thing I noticed when I booted up Bamerang was the presentation. I was welcomed with vibrant colours, an excellent upbeat soundtrack, and a clear and concise menu. Everything was pleasant. It immediately caught my attention and captivated me in the world. Moreover, it features excellently animated characters. I enjoyed seeing my opponents bawling on the floor after I bested them in combat. The presentation is great, and I think it is one of the reasons Bamerang was so fun to pick up and play.

Gold Digger

Even if the game looks great, I will only bust it out at parties if the combat is enjoyable and easily explained. Thankfully, Bamerang meets both criteria. Primarily, the game is simple. Random pieces of gold drop from the sky. Each player is tasked with collecting as many of these as possible. Collecting thirty wins the round. Each player was given a boomerang to supplement this collection aspect and could wield it against their opponents. When I got hit by a boomerang, I would drop some of the gold pieces I was carrying. This amplifies, as when I fell off the stage there was another penalty. Before returning me to the stage, a magical hand would shake half my gold pieces out of me.

This basic loop encouraged me and my friends to chase after each other and collect fallen gold. It discouraged hiding in a corner as well because successful hits are not beneficial to the thrower otherwise. I had a great time firing boomerangs at my friends are participating in these fast-paced rounds. I was able to throw precise shots by properly aiming and giving my boomerang enough power. Each victory or loss in Bamerang was my own doing. While may seem complex, the functionality is incredibly simple. It is very easy for a newcomer to join in the fray, and they will not be confused or bombarded with advanced techniques. This was one of my favourite elements of the game. Since there are no combination attacks or advanced techniques, there is not much of a skill gap between players. I found it made the game more enjoyable.

Flat Zone 2

Furthermore, Bamerang includes a plethora of stages for the battles to take place. There are some that are simple plateaus but then others have walls that change the flow of gameplay. These not only differentiate the gameplay but encourage new strategies and tactics. As interesting as these new stages are, there were no things that made them vastly different from each other. I wanted to see additional features such as portals, teleporters, or even hot zones where there is an increased rate of gold pieces spawning. The most detrimental aspect of this title is that it gets repetitive. It is easy to enjoy the game with a wide variety of friends for a couple of rounds, but each stage begins to blend after a while, and I wanted additional features.

Moreover, as aesthetically pleasing as the game is, the colour palette does not change. Each stage is the same blue and pink combination. Sure, this makes sense, as they would not encounter alternate colours, but this variety would help increase the lifespan of the game. Though there were many features left to be desired, the developers did include one option to fluctuate the gameplay. In the options menu, you can turn on a counter catch. This allowed me to catch my foes boomerang mid-air if I mastered the timing. I appreciated this feature and that it was toggleable, as I preferred keeping the skill gap to a minimum. I would have liked to see additional features like this though. For example, being able to delay getting up could both add additional depth and prevent chain attacks.

Best with Friends

Additionally, I was let down by the lack of single-player options. The only mode in the game is the party mode. I could not fight opponents online or participate in a story mode. At the price point, I do not mind the lack of such features. However, I wanted single-player content. I wished I could fight computer opponents or practice my accuracy in a training mode. Even a break the targets mode would have increased the longevity of the game. Unfortunately, there was nothing to be found.

Even if the gameplay did not offer variety, I had an excellent time throwing boomerangs at my friends and thought Bamerang makes for a great experience when played in short bursts. At the price point, I think it offers a lot of value if you intend on playing with others. However, there are other titles at this price point for people who do not have friends over often or those who like playing games in single-player.

Conclusion

Overall, excellent presentation and a rewarding gameplay loop make Bamerang a rewarding experience. Unfortunately, with a lack of gameplay variety and single-player modes, I was disappointed by the longevity of the title. Regardless, Bamerang is a lot of fun when played in short bursts and is especially enjoyable when played with your close friends. I enjoyed my time with Bamerang.

You can purchase Bamerang on the Nintendo eShop here