Nintendo Switch Review Key Provided By DotEmu
Though I never had a chance to play the original back in the heyday of the NeoGeo, Windjammers 2 instantly caught my eye with its insanely unique gameplay and gorgeous visuals. Most arcade-like titles these days go the side-scroller route so this title seemed excitingly refreshing from the start.
Having played it for a few weeks now, I’m so grateful that this title exists. Through its chaotic gameplay, impressively intriguing sport, and 90s nostalgia, Windjammers 2 was a dynamite way to start off the new year.
Gameplay
Windjammers 2’s gameplay is simple yet quite unique. It’s a 1v1 affair where the point of each game is to throw your disc into your opponent’s goal. While it may sound like a pretty boring reskin of tennis, you’d be dead wrong. It’s a fully realized sport that really made me wish that something like this could be made real.
You’re allowed to choose from a list of characters both new and returning from the original game. Each has their own stats that is basically a bar that shows their speed and strength. Some are faster which allows for quick movement around your turf and others are stronger which allows for them to slam the disc into their opponent’s goal with ease.
When it comes to matches though, each player is placed on one half of a divided court with a net in the middle. Each side includes a goal that has various scoring zones within it. It typically breaks down to two areas worth three points and a single one worth five but it can vary.
You can also earn points if your opponent fails to grab the disc in time if it just lands on their side. Your actual target though is to get to or over fifteen points before your opponent or at least have scored the most before the timer goes out for the period. Each game itself is broken down into a best-out-of-three method so there is room to come back even if you’re doing bad.
The different courts available to play in are really cool as they offer other obstacles. Some are smaller which makes gameplay feel tighter, other feature obstacles that will slide out of the way as the disc bumps into them, and others feature solid fixtures that will hinder a lot of the momentum that you may try to build.
Controls are very intuitive and playing begins to feel extremely satisfying as you go on. There are quite a few moves to use in order to turn the tide of each match and while they may seem complex, they become second nature shortly as you play. It’s mostly boiled down to spiking, tossing, rebounding, and performing special moves in order to slam that disc into the goal.
Overall, I’m in love with the gameplay. Everything feels really good and each character has a unique feel when comparing them to each other. This is a fun little title that you can pick up and just play with no attachment required. You can play for five minutes, put it down, and then return later.
There are three different ways to play, online, arcade, and local. As the servers are sparse before launch, I didn’t get the chance to play with anyone there but local multiplayer is as enjoyable as one would expect. Though I have to say that my favorite to play was arcade mode.
With arcade mode, you have the ability to rise through the ranks and try your best to get to the game’s final boss. It’s pretty forgiving if you lose, allowing you to start from where you are as opposed to starting from scratch. The game also tries to shake things up every so often with little mini-games so you decompress between matches.
Audio and Visuals
I’ve got to hand it to this game, it is just superb. Its audio, score, and visuals truly recapture the awesomeness that was 90s gaming. I absolutely think that it actually outdoes that era in many ways with the clarity of both sight and sound. It’s just vibrant in every aspect in every case.
My eyes and ears fell back in love with the game every time I started it up. The arenas have their own distinct looks which bring a new experience to every match, the characters are colorful, and even the menu screens just shout polish.
Replayability
As I said, the game exudes replayability in the fact that it’s non-threatening. It’s not a game that demands twenty-hours plus or has a deep backlog of instructions on its sport. It’s clear, direct, and fun every time you jump into a match.
What It Could Have Done Better
I’d say that I would’ve liked to have seen more mini-games or possibly another game mode that does something different with the established gameplay. I just wanted more of the game, it’s that simple. I love the core mechanics and would’ve liked to see them explored with other activities.
I found some character depictions to be a bit distasteful. A couple of them seem to exhibit looks or attitudes that are connected to racial stereotypes. I know that some of these characters from the game are returning ones from the original, but that doesn’t make their original appearance tasteful either. Updating the characters would’ve been a smart choice as some just felt wrong.
Verdict
Windjammers 2 is just the game I needed to experience going into 2022. In a year filled with $60 blockbuster titles, it’s good to be reminded that they aren’t the only thing on the menu. This is a solid title that is sure to be continuously played throughout the years to come as AAA fatigue inevitably sets in, as usual. I can only hope that more games like this begin to make their way onto gaming platforms.
