It’s time to save the world again as you band together with your friends to jump, glide and outrun danger. Coatsink’s platformer, Shu, is now on the Nintendo Switch, and it is Nintendo fans’ first introduction to the developers. Shu feels like one of the old school classic 2D side-scrolling platformers that just feels right for the Switch. I had lots of fun with Shu when I played it on the PS4, and it came as no surprise that I had fun with it again playing it on the Switch. The moment I was thrown back into this fun world, I was ready for what was coming next as I made my way through each platform, gathering my friends to save the world once again. You can read our PS4 Shu review here.
When the great and terrible Storm destroys the village, main character Shu embarks on a desperate journey to survive. Throughout his journey, he encounters stranded villagers who survived the Storm’s devastation and now desperately need help. These peculiar characters grant Shu with unique and special abilities that can be used to traverse the treacherous path ahead. Their only hope is to work together to find sanctuary – and a way to stop the Storm. Can you outrun the end of the world?
The game plays the same way as on the PlayStation 4, and it is very easy to jump back into this indie on the Switch. Within seconds I was able to pick up on the button layout, and it took almost no time at all to get through the first stage. This Switch port runs effortlessly with little to no chugging or frame-rate dips. While playing Shu on mobile play, you can experience its beautiful, rich and vibrant 2D art style, similar to the tone of the recent Rayman games, and the beautiful art style is just one of the game’s many enjoyable features. This indie has 21 lush, expansive levels set in 6 diverse lands, as well as a plethora of collectibles and secrets to discover, 10 recruitable characters with their own unique powers, and an incredible, original soundtrack. As you make your way through the continents and guide Shu through various obstacles, you will be jumping through platforms and traps that can outright kill you if you touch them. Players can still take in the beauty of the surroundings since there are no enemies, and the only real so-called “danger” is the running sections where the evil force that is ending the world chases you. However, it only happens once every time you go to a new land – which is a good thing because I don’t like those levels, and I died a good number of times in them.
I had fun revisiting Shu again. There’s nothing like playing a fun game that has a calm and relaxing vibe to it. That’s exactly what this indie is. You have an original soundtrack constructed for the game that is pleasing and relaxing. The mechanics of the gameplay are smooth as the player makes his way from the left of the screen to the right controlling Shu as he saves the land. It does get repetitive with jumping, gliding and using your friends’ unique powers – like double jumping or opening flowers so you can jump on them to get to normally unreachable paths, but let’s be honest, most games have at least some repetitive aspects to them. Shu is priced at $10/£7.69/€8.49/¥1,100; it may be on the short side, but it does have free DLC. In addition, it there are hidden collectibles and a time trial mode to unlock after you first beat a stage. One thing that is a plus is that after you first finish a stage, you get to keep any collectibles you may have acquired and don’t have to go back and get them again, that way you can focus solely on those that you have missed.
Shu is a classic platformer that puts gameplay first and takes away needless distractions, providing a refreshing and pleasant few hours of fun, even if it’s not for everyone.
Publisher: Coatsink
Developer: Coatsink
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS3, PS Vita, PC
Release Date: 23rd January 2018 (Nintendo Switch), 4th October 2016 (PS4, PS3, PS Vita, PC)