New Super Lucky’s Tale Feels Like A Brand New Game, Rather Than An Updated Port

There are certain games that feel like they fit perfectly on a system. Like once you start playing it, you get this immediate sense of satisfaction. New Super Lucky’s Tale is one of those games. It’s perfectly at home on the Nintendo Switch alongside games like Super Mario Odyssey, A Hat in Time, and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.

Lucky, his sister, and the last remaining guardians of the Book of Ages, begin New Super Lucky’s Tale in a bad way. Jinx, a former guardian gone wrong, is attempting to eliminate the book’s protectors and steal it for nefarious purposes. However, Lucky is sucked inside of the book right when Jinx and the Kitty Litter minions are about to strike. Once inside, it is up to the young fox to collect all of the missing pages to restore it and return to the people he loves.

While New Super Lucky’s Tale is an updated port of an Xbox One and PC game, a sequel to one of the Oculus Rift’s original exclusive games, it feels brand new. The story is longer and has more personality, which suits a game with such cartoonish characters and vibrant backdrops. Some levels have been redesigned, while others have been added. Also, the camera control here is improved from the Xbox One version I played had played years before. It doesn’t just feel like the director’s cut of a game improving with each iteration. This feels like a brand new game.

A brand new game which, frankly, looks amazing on the Nintendo Switch. While New Super Lucky’s Tale isn’t as sharp or snappy as it was on the Xbox One or PC, it is a perfect fit here. The resolution has been scaled back and the loading times might take a smidgeon longer than you’d expect, but it is a perfect fit here. The art direction means that compromise doesn’t feel like one. While it is noticeable if you did play the game on another platform, it is a sacrifice worth making. Especially if you decide to play it primarily in handheld mode.

I think what I appreciated most about having New Super Lucky’s Tale on the Nintendo Switch is how good it is as a bite-sized “snack.” The levels here aren’t terribly long. Someone could spend about 15 minutes or so going through a single level, maybe less depending on the sort of gameplay it involves, and there can be little puzzle levels and minigames. You could open up the game and go through it a little at a time.

This isn’t to say the game isn’t difficult. New Super Lucky’s Tale does eventually get quite challenging. Since this release includes all of the DLC from Super Lucky’s Tale, you get access to the Guardian Trials after beating the campaign. As the title suggests, this gives Lucky a chance to become a Guardian like his father and sister. It also means facing some of the most challenging stages yet, which use everything you’ve learned from earlier in the game to excel.

New Super Lucky’s Tale is a charming platformer for a company whose systems have traditionally been known for charming platformers. It’s a delight to play and packed with so many new things to do and extras to earn.

New Super Lucky’s Tale is available on the Nintendo Switch.