Grindstone Review (Nintendo Switch) | 7 minute read; Share. Feature: Best Super Nintendo (SNES) Games. It's a smart application of risk and reward, as once you've achieved each level's completion goal – defeating a certain number or certain type of enemy, for example – the most expedient move is simply to leave via the now-open exit. It’s weird to think how much of a big deal Apple once made about its Apple Arcade service, the level of buzz and excitement having now quietening down to a small whimper. Grindstone Nintendo Switch review – just one more creep. Compelling to a fault, with a hypnotic and exhilarating central conceit, Grindstone is a tiny bit special. Grindstone Switch waytoomany.games. I think capy nailed it. Ever-so-slight resource exhaustion is the only thing letting it down, but it's easily forgiven when smashing seven shades of shawarma out of creeps is so flipping fun. With players able to equip three and take into levels, these are helpful at getting you out of a pinch whether it’s blocking attacks for a turn or being able to take out an entire line of creeps with one slash. Grindstone Summary : Slay your way up to the treacherous peak of Grindstone Mountain, where fortune and glory (and death) awaits, in Grindstone, a game of sword-slashing puzzle battles! As featured on Metacritic, OpenCritic and NewsNow. This game is the perfect escapism for me! A perfect hallmark of a well made game. By Alex Santa Maria Dec 26, 2020 I'm just delighted that indie developers are finally jettisoning the played out 8-bit/16-bit art style that was becoming boilerplate for anything not AAA. A code was provided for review purposes. I wanna try it but I just can’t take that artstyle. This then leads to … The game has a 90 on Metacritic. This game really isn't that interesting. What usually starts out as plans for a quick five-minute session soon unravels into hours. LinkedIn 0. I’d probably rate this higher if not for Dungeon Raid. 1; 2; 3; First Prev 3 of 3 Go to page. Basically, you’ll be presented with an all-too-familiar grid of colourful monsters called "creeps", and must trace a path through similar-toned beasties in order to build up a combo and move around the screen. I also happen to really like all the music I've heard in the game. The wait from Apple Arcade to Nintendo Switch has been worth it, and Grindstone ends 2020 with a bang. Grindstone Mountain is overrun with vicious Creeps! I'd love to play Heroes of Might and Magic at 60fps on Switch! I recently got an iPad. This puzzle game, now available on Nintendo Switch after launching on Apple Arcade in 2019, is the perfect example of how these two layers can work in tandem to create something simultaneously simple and devilishly complicated. Facebook Messenger 0. It may look like just another colour-matching puzzler but the new version of Capy’s mobile hit is one of the best Switch games of the year. Grindstone Review (Switch eShop) | Nintendo Life. @Zaphod42 spot on! I don't know if I agree with the art criticism. The battle-focused, color matching game was well suited to … Team Super Mushroom Wins Splatoon 2's Mario-Themed Splatfest. Break the cycle. Ending a turn next to a monster in a... let's say irate mindset will see you taking damage, and as each level goes on you'll find more and more creeps taking (frankly, understandable) umbrage to your slaughter of their kin. Today I’m looking at one recently released on Nintendo Switch. Cash in your grindstones to craft new gear and overcome devious enemies, obstacles, and boss encounters as you conquer Grindstone Mountain’s 200+ levels, and prove your prowess on the daily mode’s leaderboards. Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked), WRITHE - A Nintendo 64-Style Budget Blaster That Needs More Work, Wrestling Empire - A Love Letter To Pro Wrestling That Falls Foul Of Hilarious Bugs, Scott Pilgrim vs. With its colourful art style and combo-puzzling, is this a game worth climbing up Grindstone mountain for? I'm not at all fond of the very much untrue misconception that mobile games are bad, or have no value. Copyright © 2020 Nintendo Insider. This has been a pleasant surprise. Today we're taking a look at Grindstone on the Nintendo Switch. Destructoid 's Jordan Devore praised the gameplay as being easy to pick up and play, but he disliked the length of the game, saying that many of the stages felt like padding. We're not wildly keen on the gating of progress behind collecting certain items, either; while the requirements are extremely far from unreasonably demanding, it still feels like it runs against the otherwise freewheeling and friendly nature of the proceedings to suddenly drop a gate in the player's way and state "by the way, those optional objectives? We were very worried about developer Capybara Games for a while there. I was referring to posters who view anything other than a AAA epic as "cheap." Manage Cookie Settings. I don’t have Apple Arcade and after playing Grindstone on Switch, am extremely happy it has found a home here. To successfully beat a level and pass through its doors onward, you’ll need to defeat a certain number of baddies in order to break its lock. Disagree with reviewer about the music. @rockodoodle Ah, well I'm on Android so I guess I'm out of luck. We say it's time to reverse that well-worn idiom and put your yes to the Grindstone. What art style and what puzzle mechanics land with a person is totally subjective. Get this game! This can then be used to switch colours in a subsequent chain, lengthening it further. Grindstone Review (Nintendo Switch) Straight Outta Howling Wolf Inn Every once in a while, I come across a game that utterly defies my expectations. Still, it all works, it's contemporary and it's never anything other than perfectly clear what you're doing. This game is really awesome for a match colors phone game. The puzzles are interesting and feel really good to get a massive chain on but the real reasons to play this game are the art and the music. I like the idea of this game, but I find the art style off putting. It may look like just another colour-matching puzzler but the new version of Capy’s mobile hit is one of the best Switch games of the year. Furthermore, the level of satisfaction felt when managing to figure out a long creep-dispatching route never lessens and is something I’d perhaps compare to the likes of nailing a five-chain combo in Puyo Puyo or finally revealing a 20 by 20 puzzle in Picross. It may look like just another colour-matching puzzler but the new version of Capy’s mobile hit is one of the best Switch games of the year. NinFan December 28, 2020 No Comments. Super satisfying, great gameplay loops, wonderful presentation (looove the music so much!) After 13 Years, Mario Kart Wii's Rainbow Road Finally Giv... Looks Like Nintendo Accidentally Used A Fan-Made Mario Re... Join 1,091,202 people following Nintendo Life: © 2021 Nlife Media, partner of Gamer Network. I most have played close to a couple of hundred games on that system. I've put over 10 hours into it, and I still feel excited when I boot it up to play it. All I can say is in closing is this game is strongly recommended to everyone. Fully featured puzzle games with a premium price tag are FINE and shouldn't be stigmatized. I’ll admit though, as a Samsung phone owner, I was a little jealous to miss out on a couple of its titles one of those being Grindstone – the other being Chu Chu Rocket Universe which I’m still secretly crossing my fingers we’ll see on Switch one day. Chaining more than 10 together drops a Grindstone onto the field, which if you collect allows you to switch the colour of enemy you can kill. There are alternate outfits to be unlocked, which confer in-game bonuses, but most crucial are the aforementioned items. 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Yes, occasionally there'll be situations where very few meaningful moves are possible, but you'll spend these planning ahead as you become more familiar with your arsenal and get better and more efficient at laying waste to wave after wave of creeps. The art-style criticism sound very subjective in my opinion but other than that, good review. Should you manage to create a path of at least ten spaces, then a grindstone will randomly drop on the grid, a gem not only required for purchases (more on that in a moment), but also allowing Jorj to switch colour mid-path allowing for even longer ones to be created. I like fresh puzzle RPG games, enjoying it so far. The release timing wasn't ideal so mainline websites like IGN or Gamespot didn't even review it. The wait from Apple Arcade to Nintendo Switch has been worth it, and Grindstone ends 2020 with a bang. The puzzles are interesting and feel really good to get a massive chain on but the This game is really awesome for a match colors phone game. I'm hopelessly hooked, and I regret nothing. Nintendo news, reviews and trailers, covering Nintendo Switch, Wii U, 3DS and amiibo. Dec 22, 2020 #101 Is there anyway to view all enemies attack area via touch? Hopefully, it won't be dismissed by players for being a mobile port, or being mistaken for a "match-three" game akin to Candy Crush – it's not. 17/12/2020 . What usually starts out as plans for a quick five-minute session soon unravels into hours. You’ll also find yourself having to deal with environmental obstacles like rocks and small bat-filled caves that again can be smashed down so long as you’ve built a big enough path. Timing when to use these perks is key especially in some of the tougher stages and with the more powerful equipment requiring further materials to repair, you’ll always want to keep an eye on your supplies before donning gear that will keep costing you to use. Grindstone is a fantastic puzzler that has well and truly gotten its hooks in me. Grindstone on Nintendo Switch will look familiar to people that played it on Apple Arcade’s macOS platform. I like this game more on a phone than on the Switch. lptmg | 28m ago | Review | 1 | Info; Add Alt Source; WTMG's Aaron Price: "Grindstone from Capybara Games is yet another mobile-game-turned-Switch-port in a seemingly neverending list of shovelware on the eShop." Either way, this game is absolutely amazing and apart from my regularly scheduled Rocket League, this is all i've been playing for the past couple of days. @Kalmaro It was one of the Apple Arcade games. Ryan has been an avid gamer ever since he played his first game, Super Mario World back on the SNES, whether its on the move, with a group of friends or simply getting engrossed in a good single player adventure. Member. I also really appreciate that it runs at 60fps and I haven't noticed any dropped frames. Grindstone Mountain is overrun with vicious Creeps! The effortlessness of building chains and the way the game flows mean that even as an essentially turn-based title, the action constantly feels dynamic, punchy and exciting. Go. Imagine this gameplay with a rogue-like twist featuring a variety of races and classes and dozens of spells, items and skills to unlock and upgrade along the way. I open this review of Grindstone with this sweeping over-generalization for a very simple reason. Doing so will allow you to continue on your journey, but won’t offer much in the way of reward. We're not wild about some of the music, either – one track called to mind the appalling PS2 title Crash of the Titans, which is never fun to be reminded of. Easy to play, hard to master. Slay your way up its treacherous peak where fortune, glory (and death) awaits! We have played Grindstone before, when it launched as an Apple Arcade exclusive last year, but a while after it was released and never got around to a full … Mail 0. @Muddy_4_Ever I think as long as pixel art is detailed and well animated I'll be happy. The soundtrack too is another highlight and only goes to further strengthen the presentation and overall package of the game. It's a very minor issue, though, as Grindstone absolutely nails the most important thing about any game of this nature – the central mechanic of chaining enemies never, ever stops being fun. Loved everything about it, music is great too! I can only do it … Why? Gaming Forum. Version Tested: Nintendo … Game: Grindstone Genre: Indie, Puzzle System: Nintendo Switch (also on Apple Arcade) Developers | Publishers: Capybara Games | CAPY Age Rating: EU 16+ | US Teen Price: EU €16,79 | USD $19.99 | UK £15.09 Release Date: … Factoring in the titular grindstones that allow you to switch colours mid-combo, there's so much to consider that no single turn is a no-brainer. Prev. for what it’s worth, i completed this game on ios, and the thing that got both myself and my son hooked was the music. Grindstone is a fantastic puzzler that has well and truly gotten its hooks in me. For that, you’ll want to stick around for a shot at breaking open randomly dropping chests and taking out cowering king jerks whose crown will help unlock new sections of the mountain. It's one of the things that makes me want to start the game up, actually. This methodical puzzle game has a delightful focus on the excitement of building momentum and a beautifully balanced sense of risk and reward. More gamers need to play it before Era's GOTY thread becomes live IMO. Fun fact: When i started playing Dead Cells on my phone, i couldn't play it on Switch for a while anymore. I still lament Dungeon Raid and this is the best effort yet that comes close to the fun DR offered without being a mere clone. First ten minutes, I was like: I have already downloaded this but I am playing other games at the moment. Because it felt like a phone game now. Of course, there's nothing wrong with mobile games, but it's generally pleasant when the seams are a little less visible. Might and Magic was my most played and most addicting game on the DS. Strong art and animation contribute to this, but while it's well-drawn and a good fit, we couldn't help but find its character designs a touch familiar – a very en vogue sort of cartoon style, like you'd see on Cartoon Network. Returnal comes to #PS5 on March 19. @StuartGipp No worries! Cans on and crank it up. The Grindstone Switch port takes full advantage of the hardware, offering a hybrid option that lets you play how you want. Best puzzler I've played in years, and being on Switch gives me a good reason not to bother with Apple Arcade. Returnal Release Date Trailer March 19th 2021. Review - Grindstone (Switch) | WayTooManyGames. WhatsApp 0. A well presented and balanced puzzle is always money well spend! Tweet. A 9 from me. December 17, 2020. sounds incredible. The ability to teleport to any space or execute a powerful spin attack can change the tide of a battle, but these boons won't recharge until the stage ends – some of them will even require you to expend resources in order to regain them. Grindstone Review (Nintendo Switch) January 1, 2021 Paula Moore About Games, Genre, Indie, Puzzle, Review, Switch, Switch Game Reviews & Impressions Leave a comment. I don't know if it's been put up for sale yet, but that's how I played it on my phone. Unlike most puzzle games where the pacing and atmosphere can fall under the category of chilled, Grindstone is constantly exciting from the very first path you trace to the final smashing of the exit doors. However, those that game have added two otherwise innocent words to their list of obscenities – mobile ports. I think the "It looks like a phone game" sentiment mainly comes from this being on iPhone for a while before release. Grindstone is a colour-matching puzzler that sees you taking control of a chunky barbarian called Jorj as he sets off up Grindstone Mountain to slay colourful little monsters called ‘creeps’ and ‘jerks’ and earn some coin for his family. VERY ADDICTIVE. Reddit 0. Introducing Grindstone Switch Review. HOW DOES IT PLAY ON PRO CONTROLLER docked? Check out the art assets of Super Time Force Ultra if you don’t believe me. It’s another Capy gem. It’s what most take to looking into first when learning a new language. Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked) Apply the minutiae of your daily tasks to the mechanics of Grindstone, and you’ve got a recipe for a satisfying lifestyle as far as we’re concerned. One of the greatest loses on the mobile battlefield. I also like this review and agree with it's general message while liking the Adventure Time style art. Not an Apple Arcade user, so Switch was my first time playing it. Releasing the same day as Dicey Dungeons was also probably not a good idea. The further up to the mountain you progress, the more difficult the layouts of stages become as well as the enemies themselves. Apply the minutiae of your daily tasks to the mechanics of Grindstone, and you’ve got a recipe for a satisfying lifestyle as far as we’re concerned. The World: The Game - Complete Edition - Still The Bob-omb 10 Years On, Door Kickers - A Tough Tactical Take On That Old FPS Trope, The Hong Kong Massacre - A Hotline Miami Clone That's A Little On The Tough Side, Resources occasionally feel like busywork. Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked) Apply the minutiae of your daily tasks to the mechanics of Grindstone, and you’ve got a recipe for a … This has similar-ish vibes. Grind. The inclusion of boss battles which change up the gameplay further are also very welcome, but even without this well-tuned variety, Grindstone would still be an outstanding effort. @Kalmaro Apple is doing some cool things with Arcade. @Muddy_4_Ever Hey there, just wanted to chime in that while I'm not personally a big fan of the art, that has nothing to do with it being a "mobile game" and I apologise if I've implied that in my review. There’s an excellent risk versus reward hook here where the threat of losing all your gathered goodies should you take too much damage definitely adds further tension the longer you stick around. While standard creeps can be taken out by simply directing Jorj toward them, tougher jerks will require you to have already built up a path of a certain length beforehand. Broken down into single-screen levels, the action takes place on grids filled with enemies with players able to direct Jorj vertically, horizontally and diagonally space by space so long as the creeps you’re drawing a path through match in colour. Feature: Best Nintendo Switch Fitness And Exercise Games. As you slash and chop your way through enemies and other pieces of scenery, you’ll pick up blueprints and materials that can be used to build weapons, armour and potions at the local inn. Loved this on the phone. This methodical puzzle game has a delightful focus on the excitement of building momentum and a …