Review by Roger Reichardt and Mike Ryan
The Adventure of Pip, a 2D side scrolling platform puzzle game was first released in 2015. The first Nintendo System that the game appeared on was the Wii U and five years later, Pip makes his way onto the Nintendo Switch.
The game revolves around a pixel named Pip, who is thrust into the role of a hero after Queen DeRezzia turns the king and queen into pixels and kidnapped their daughter, Princess Adeline. Pip is the most unlikely of heroes. Being a single pixel in a high res world is tough, and certainly isn't seen in the best of light by the other high res characters.
As Pip embarks on the adventure, he learns how to upscale to an 8 bit and 16 bit character. Each version will have it's advantages - the single bit version can jump higher and can get into small areas, where the 8 bit version and wall jump, and the 16 version is the strongest. You'll need to change your form based on the puzzles that you face in each level. Down scaling is easy, you do so with a push of a button. To upgrade, you'll need to find special enemies that glow, and when you stomp on one of these enemies, you'll upgrade to the next version. The game makes it pretty obvious when you should down scale and upgrade, as there will be puzzles that you can only beat as the single pixel and when you need to upgrade to the next res up, you'll find the special enemies near by.
As you go through the level, you can also find other captured citizens, hidden throughout the level. To find these characters will require some puzzle solving, using your different abilities. While it's not necessary to gather each citizen in the level, it is a nice touch for those gamers that are completionist.
You'll also collect gems that can be used in town to buy different upgrades. Saving different merchants in the levels will also open new shops for you to purchase upgrades.
One of the best aspects of Adventures of Pip is its soundtrack. It really fits with the theme of the game, with epic, Game of Thrones-esque medieval tunes. I would have loved to hear 8-bit versions of these songs as well, but what we have is still enjoyable.
The writing is also very engaging. The humor is definitely there, as is some of the more dramatic scenes. Gameplay is tight and responsive, but the platforming can get pretty tough. You'll die quite a few times, but luckily you have infinite lives and a checkpoint system, so it doesn't get too frustrating.
The boss battles are the most interesting part of the game and feel like a throw back to old school gaming. Each boss feels bigger than life and will require some shifting from the single bit version, to the 8 bit and 16 bit version.
Final Grade: B-
At the heart of a game is a heart warming story about someone who is told their whole life that they couldn't be the hero because of who they are, against all odds, Pip goes out to save the princess defying all odds. The levels aren't all that interesting but the boss battles are quite thrilling. There wasn't anything done differently from the Wii U version, but for those that missed the game five years ago, it's reappearance on the Switch will be a welcomed treat.